County celebrates 4th of July

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While some usual activities were skipped because of COVID-19, Highland County residents still had plenty of ways to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday over the weekend.

The celebration got underway Friday and Saturday when the Highland County Historical Society opened the doors to its Highland House Museum for the first time this year from noon to 5 p.m. both days.

Saturday activities on July 4 opened with an Independence Day celebration that started with a flag raising ceremony conducted by the Highland County Veterans Honor Guard. Vicki Knauff, director of the museum, said the flag that was raised was donated by historical society member Jean Wallis in memory of her late husband, Lester.

Society member Bob Brown gave a history of the “Star Spangled Banner,” noting is was penned by Franics Scott Key on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814 during the War of 1812, and became the country’s official national anthem in 1931.

There was patriotic music, a tribute to the local Daughters of the American Revolution organization that was established in 1895, and more.

The museum will now be open from 1-4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through the end of the year, with extended hours around the holidays.

On Friday evening there was Booming in the Boro, a fireworks display organized by Hillsboro area residents Scott and Chris Lewis and supported by several area businesses and individuals. The Rozzi Fireworks display was launched from the Highland County Fairgrounds and was visible from numerous locations around the city.

Scott Lewis said it was largest display since the group brought fireworks back to Hillsboro in 2016.

On Saturday morning there was the second annual Rocky Fork Lake Fourth of July Parade put on by the Rocky Fork Lake Business Advisory Committee. Several people that took part said the parade was larger than and more well attended than the inaugural event held a year ago.

From 10 a.m. to dark Saturday there was a Fourth of July celebration at Mitchell Park in Greenfield put on by the No Child in Need organization. It included a bike, car and truck show with a golf cart contest; food and drinks; a chalk drawing contest; and a 50/50 raffle.

“The reason for the event is so the kids can enjoy a day of fun,” No Child in Need founder Sarah Blair said when announcing the event. “With everything being canceled and the virus, we thought it would be great to just forget about all of that for a day. We were going to do something anyway, I just thought it would be an extra good and fun time with the car show.”

All proceeds went to No Child in Need, a Greenfield organization that raises money to help children in the area.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.

Local residents hold their hands over their hearts during a Fourth of July celebration Saturday at the Highland County Historical Society’s Highland House Museum in Hillsboro.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/07/web1_Historical-society-pic.jpgLocal residents hold their hands over their hearts during a Fourth of July celebration Saturday at the Highland County Historical Society’s Highland House Museum in Hillsboro. Jeff Gilliland | The Times-Gazette

By Jeff Gilliland

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