Ray Busey, mayor of Phoenix during the

In early July of 1947, Phoenix was sizzling. Phoenix had several days of 112 degree temperatures while “Phoenicians, leaving air-cooled buildings for the day, agreed it was hot.” People working in the fields near Phoenix said “…there was glare even on the land, and the mountains seemed to shimmer in the distance.”
The Phoenix Gazette editorialized about what was known as the summer letdown. “Fewer people are on the streets — as everywhere in summer — in some businesses the tempo wanes, and a mild case of the doldrums settles in… Phoenix is too busy for that. It sheds it coat, moves a little more leisurely across baking pavements, but still it preserves the inward pace of America’s most rapidly growing communities.”
In 1901, The Arizona Republican editorialized about what they called the summer silly season. They said this time of year begins “…when urban residents forsake their usual haunts and flee to the mountains and seashore…such business as must be done is done, but nobody wishes to talk about it. The least said the better…Government machinery is everywhere slowed down. Machine shops close for repairs. The speculators cease to speculate.”
In the midst of the heat and lethargy of the summer, the Fourth of July provided a welcome holiday for Arizona residents. In 1901, Gov. Nathan Murphy traveled to Congress to give an address after exciting events such as a double hand drilling contest with a first prize of $125. The single hand drilling contest had a prize of $75.
After horse races, foot races, and a baseball game between Tempe and Congress which Tempe won, the governor spoke about the greatness of the United States. He opined “we are all emperors. Every American citizen is an emperor or a king. Every American mother, wife and sister is a queen crowned with the glorious heritage of knowledge, virtue and happy liberty! Empire! My friends, we have as many empires in America as we have states and territories. Arizona, with her untold wealth in nearly every valuable product of nature, and her splendid people, is an empire — our empire.”
By 1947, Gov. Sidney Osborn was pictured in his office with two lovely swimsuit clad young ladies who were competing in the Miss Arizona contest to be held at Riverside Park on the Fourth of July. The caption of the photograph noted the Governor’s Office could be an old-fashioned Fourth of July if they had “…cold fried chicken, watermelon and firecrackers.”
Maybe the firecrackers could have burned important state business. Another article noted Governor Osborn would celebrate the holiday at home. It also noted the governor would be back to work on July 5th to consider the fate of 37 bills the Legislature passed before sine die. One bill would allow the Arizona Highway Department to transfer some $260,000 yearly in federal aid for construction of freeways to Arizona cities for their use in desperately needed road construction.
In 1947, the Phoenix Gazette warned of over-crowded roads, avoiding accidents, and the careless use of firearms during the summer. They went on to editorialize “the United States, England and France stand practically alone…as bastions of hope where the guarantees of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are fundamental in law and deed…America has an unaccomplished mission to erase racial cleavage…to eradicate the existence of minority problems by extending to all the benefits of the American way of life.”
Of course, many traditional events happened during the holiday weekend of the Fourth of July. In Tucson in 1901, the explosions of firecrackers and the firing of anvils was enjoyed with music and ice cream until late at night at the court house plaza. It was reported that many children were present as anvils flew through the air.
By 1947, Arizonans became interested in the pageantry and events of the Prescott Rodeo and the Flagstaff Pow-wow. Thousands flocked to Prescott to see rodeo parades, carnivals and cowboy dances. The rodeo was popular because “…nearly 200 entrants are practically all Arizona home-boys who have come in off the ranges to try their skill against each other.”
Thousands of “paleface visitors” flocked to Flagstaff to witness an estimated 7,500 Indians compete in rodeo and ceremonial competitions. The events in Flagstaff were described as “Red men of a dozen Western tribes had come to dwell side by side in peace — and in the same primitive manner they and their forbears had lived for centuries.” The dances of the various tribes were described as “weird and colorful” by the spectators in the grand stands.
In 1947 Phoenix, which had a population of under 100,000, some 25,000 people flocked to the state fairgrounds to watch more than 100 aerial fireworks sponsored by radio station KOY and the “Arizona Farmer.”
Phoenix Mayor Ray Busey gave a short speech to the gathered throngs and said he had never seen such a large crowd. Prior to the fireworks, the crowd was entertained by a hair-raising trapeze act, Tony the clown, the Williams Field Band, Arizona Ranch Boys, and the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps. At 8 p.m., three 600 mph P-80 jet fighters put on a display of their skills over the crowd.
While the summer letdown has largely disappeared around the Phoenix area, Phoenicians continue to find ways to enjoy themselves during this sizzling summer season. Perhaps the anvil firing would be a good tradition to revive.
Mike Miller. Photo courtesy of the City of Phoenix, Office of Mayor Phil Gordon.