In America, we celebrate Labor Day at the end of what we think of as the traditional summer season. Kids have returned to school, town pools will close after the day, and Americans settle back in anticipation of the coming fall colors and football.
The first celebration took place on September 5, 1882. Workers along with the Knights of Labor marched 10,000 strong in New York City. That was 142 years ago. But that tradition of honoring all working men and women in this country still goes on today.
For the community of Paden City, they have proudly upheld the honored day since September 6, 1948. Marching bands, parade floats, beauty queens along with clowns, high stepping horses and fire trucks have participated since those first days. I wonder, how many pounds of candy have been tossed to eager kids along the parade route in all those years?
In the early sixties, I remember my parents loading my brother, sister and I up in the car and heading to Paden City. My dad always had a plan where to park, so after the parade he could cut up across Paden Fork. Good plan, but most of the time we would go over onto the high school football field. There we would go on the rides, find a cotton candy stand and see if any circus attractions were part of that year’s events.
I have no idea of the crowd size that came to town in the hay-day of the annual event, but I’ll bet that the 10,000 number at the first one in New York was equal or exceeded. Pictures of the mid-way and others from along the parade route, shows people standing five deep to see the passing parade. The mid-way twinkled with lights. Why, they even had a man that was shot out of a cannon and flew over the Farris wheel. They don’t make men like that anymore, too many rules and regulations about a man wearing tights flying over Farris wheels with kids on board.
What made the Paden City Labor Day festival so great were the townspeople who pitched in every year to make sure the tradition continued. Local organizations like the Paden City’s Women’s Club sponsored an old fashioned ice cream social after the parade. Eating ice cream while the sound of carnival calliope played made it all enjoyable. Boosters held games of competition to prove whose club was the best at strength that year. And no matter how loud the carnival music was, the Paden City Band could be heard loud and clear over the calliope.
Next Monday Paden City will once again host the traditional Labor Day Parade. The festival part of their celebration is now held in the city park. Over the years the day’s event was held on the football field, Main Street and the park. The days of thousands people coming to town have passed. The time when most every band from Weirton to Parkersburg lined up to be part of the event, no longer happens. Paden City, Magnolia, Valley and Tyler County can be counted on to still march proudly along the streets with people still cheering as they pass. Labor Unions march in today’s parades, but in the early years organized labor in the area was not part of the parade.
America is great because of the hard-working men and women who labor to keep our country going. Today, Labor Unions are returning to their past strength. When American Industries decided they could manufacture products cheaper overseas, they packed up and left many Americans asking why. That trend has begun to change. Industries now realized the words, Made in America, means something. They mean a strong payroll economy that supports a strong country. Labor has always been part of what made our country great. Paden City has held onto that tradition. It proudly opens the community each Labor Day to honor the American Worker.
This coming Monday, load up your family and head to Paden City. Cheer as the bands pass by. Cheer as the politicians smile and wave as if they know you. And salute the honor guards as they pass, holding the colors of our country high. Good job to the organizers of the annual event and hope the sights and sound of your day will forever be part of the Ohio Valley traditions.