By Priscilla Searles
Orange sesquicentennial parade participants in 1972 ride penny farthing bicycles. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Searles.
As we continue to celebrate Orange’s bicentennial, some of us are reflecting on Orange’s 150th birthday celebration. Crammed into one week, events included a variety of actives such as a theatrical production, soap box derby, a giant hot air balloon (tied down in back of Mary L Tracy School), a parade of babies and toddlers in appropriate costumes, men seeing how long they could grow their beards, Keystone Cops holding court…the list goes on. As much fun as the celebration was, there’s something to be said for spreading events out over months.
The 150th birthday week ended with a giant parade that went from Orange Center Road to the Boston Post Road, then back to Orange Center Road via Old Tavern Road. I can’t image the swear words that would be uttered if Orange tried to close down the Post Road today.
A special prize should have been given to the riders of the penny farthing bicycles. Invented in 1870, the name came from the idea that the wheels resembled two coins, the penny and the farthing (a former British monetary unit equal to one fourth of a penny). One look at the bike tells you how hard it is to get on and off. As to riding it, I’ll watch, thank you.
If you have a vintage photo of Orange and are willing to loan it to Town Historian Priscilla Searles, contact publisher@theorangetimes.com. All photos on loan will be scanned, with the scan becoming the property of the Orange Historical Society. Originals will be returned to the owner.
Priscilla Searles is the Orange town historian.