On July 4th, the Museum of Appalachia celebrates Independence Day in dramatic fashion. For nearly 30 years, the Museum has celebrated the Fourth of July by practicing the pioneer-tradition of “anvil-shooting.†(Photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia)
On July 4th, the Museum of Appalachia celebrates Independence Day in dramatic fashion. For nearly 30 years, the Museum has celebrated the Fourth of July by practicing the pioneer-tradition of “anvil-shooting.â€
Each year, huge crowds gather to watch the Museum blacksmith as he packs gunpowder between two anvils and lights a fuse—launching the top anvil some 125 feet into the air. As the anvil soars high above the treetops, the earth literally shakes, and the sound of the explosion can be heard as far as 15 miles away.
Before there were fireworks, shooting the anvil was a common way for pioneers to celebrate special events, a press release said. Local blacksmiths would practice this tradition to celebrate the nation’s Independence, Christmas, and even Davy Crockett’s election to the U.S. Congress.
“While the tradition of anvil-shooting is nearly obsolete, the Museum honors our ancestors by carrying on this unique and exciting form of celebration,” the press release said. [Read more…]
