Fourth of July Festivities of Old

Before Westwood became a town of its own, it was known as West Dedham, where, following the Civil War, the Fourth of July celebration was a formal event.

Everyone attending received formal invitations in the mail, and it was mandatory to wear full dress military uniforms, according to Westwood Historical Society member John Pritchard.

Every year on the holiday, the Westwood-Dedham Light Artillery climbed Independence Hill, which is now part of new , where a fifty foot flagpole and a Civil War Cannon had been installed.

The participants then fired salutes at sunrise, noon and sunset. The women of the town made the ammunition by stuffing old socks with gunpowder.

"The number of salutes varied based on the number of stuffed socks and the supply of 'liquid ammunition' for the men," Pritchard told Westwood Patch.

At first, young children did not participate in these events, but later on a special event was developed for them.

"Eventually, a celebration for children commencing at 7 a.m. was incorporated with more appropriate refreshments and a 'Parade of Horrors,'" Pritchard said.

As the years passed, the Fourth of July celebrations evolved into other activities, including a parade down High Street from to the , which ended on a field on High Street across from Nahatan Street, now an entrance to the New Westwood Cemetery.

Water hose competitions were held on the field for many years, an enjoyable activity for younger folks in the town. After this, races and competitions such as sack races and 50-yard dashes were held at the Westwood High School athletic field, which is now the spot of . Bottled refreshments for the event were supplied by Myopia Club Beverage Co. of Islington.

Following the event, residents made their way to their homes, but the fun didn't stop there.

"For many years, fireworks were allowed without a permit, so most Westwood residents returned to their neighborhoods and homes, where parents delighted the children by setting off fireworks privately," said Pritchard.

Occasionally, he added, a traveling carnival would arrive in town during the Fourth of July season, which was a treat for citizens of all ages.

As the years progressed, these activities grew less frequent, and citizens began looking elsewhere for their Fourth of July festivities.

"Activities of those past times slowly faded into the history of the Town of Westwood like so many other times replaced by other activities," Pritchard said, "such as traveling to other locations to enjoy fireworks, or venturing into Boston to experience the Boston Pops Fourth of July on the Esplanade."