My Bicentennial Memories
I’m not sure I believe in fate, but there must be a reason why I could never bring myself to throw out my Ross Bicentennial bicycle. My parents, despite complaining about its prolonged residence in the cellar of 1710 78th street, could never bring themselves to roll the bike out with Tuesday trash (something they had no issue doing with all my other toys and preciouses). Maybe I or they knew the Bicentennial would be something I’d one day revisit. Or maybe we all knew, as long as the bike remained, so would those wonderful hazy summer day memories of years past.
Keep checking back, I’ll be adding some wonderful star-spangled, red, white, and blue blasts from the past as we countdown to America 250.
Bicentennial Minute July 4, 1976
Transcript from Betty Ford’s Bicentennial Minute delivered on July 4, 1976.
Bicentennial Times July’75
President Ford’s letter signaling the Countdown to the Bicentennial headlines the front page of the July 1975 edition of the Bicentennial Times.
Bicentennial Countdown
As soon as the calendar turned to July 1975, the Bicentennial countdown kicked into full gear. While I have the original, this is from the special Marvel 50th anniversary reproduction of its 1975 calendar.
Bicentennial Burger
In honor of National Burger Day, a Bicentennial ad from our friends at Burger King.
Bicentennial Rock
In honor of Memorial Day - a special Bicentennial issue of DC Comic’s Our Army at War.
Bicentennial British Airways 2
These print ads might be my new favorite Bicentennial memorabilia.
Bicentennial British Airways
Can’t say the Brits aren’t good sports. Sign me up for this trip.
Bicentennial Valentine’s Day
The Republican primary, Saigon, Lebanon, China, the Winter Olympics - February 14th, 1976 was a busy news-day.
Bicentennial Hydrants
During 1976, many towns and cities encouraged their residents to paint fire hydrants in a Bicentennial motif. Who let in the Red coat?
Bicentennial Cinema
Brooklyn dominated September 1976 at the Box Office. The highest grossing movie for the month - Bugsy Malone, starring Brooklyn’s own Scott Baio and John Cassisi; Also starring some girl named Jodie Foster.
Bicentennial Barbie
Critical outcry over the glaring omission of Bicentennial Barbie from the 2023 film is still strong and well-deserved.
Bicentennial Reunion
"I have a friend who loves what you do every year."
Labor Day 1976 - if you're too young to remember, you missed out!
Bicentennial TV Guide 2
Back when the TV Guide was the weekly periodical of choice for the most learned and discriminating of readers.
Bicentennial Centennial
There was more than one special birthday worth celebrating in 1976!
Bicentennial Action Figures
Just to add the the awesomeness of 1976, the Fantastic Four, Thor, and Conan were added to the Mego line of action figures. See them all in action here.
Bicentennial Transit
On July 4, 1976, the New York City Transit Exhibit was opened in a decommissioned underground Brooklyn subway station as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration, charging a fee of one subway token for admittance. Old subway cars which had been preserved, as well as models and other exhibits were displayed. Originally the exhibit was to remain open only through the summer, however it proved to be so popular that it remained open and eventually became a permanent museum. In a lesser known fact, the New York Transit Museum was my absolute favorite elementary school field trip, narrowly edging out both the Circle Line and the Bronx Zoo.
Bicentennial Smile
And now a Bicentennial message from the ADA - “A lot of people helped make this country great, and teeth helped them do it.”
No argument here.