Torchlight Parades
Long before 30 second sound bites and TV, the torchlight parade was the main event in the political season. Held at night, they were as much entertainment as they were political extravaganzas. There were fireworks, floats, bands, marching clubs, speakers, and lighting devices galore. To favor one candidate over another was "to carry a torch for them." The local fire companies usually lead the procession and after the rise of "Boss Tweed" and his fire company in NY, to run with the machine, the fire pumper, became synonymous with an efficient boss lead party organization. The term "Machine politics" was born. It was nailed down as a political term by a cartoon done by Thomas Nast in 1876. View this cartoon
Some photographs of paraders in my collection
Some more photographs of paraders in my collection
What happened to all of this stuff?
Wanted all materials that
deal with Torchlight Parades. Email Dave Holcomb at david@holcombs.net