Today in History--May 27, 1966: Boyertown Begins a Month-long Celebration of Its Centennial Birthday

"Breezy" Ruppert created the Centennial Cake, the largest cake seen in Boyertown at the time. 

Ed. Today's entry from Margaret Harner's book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA provides fun historic details about Boyertown's celebration of its 100th birthday in 1966 that we didn't want you to miss and thought the entry deserved Top Story attention. Enjoy! 

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

May 27, 1966: The Boyertown Centennial Celebration kicked off tonight with a block party attended by more than 3500 people in their Centennial garb on Rittenhouse Square (the 100 block of West Philadelphia Avenue).

Above: Four unnamed guys look ready to party. Below:  Fred and Suzanne Biesecker in their finery.

Keystone cops make an appearance.

Welcomes were given by Mayor E. Kenneth Nyce, State Representative Lester K. Fryer and Centennial chairman Paul “Red” Rhoads (a great, great, great grandson of the town’s founder Henry Boyer). Boyertown native, Four-Star General Carl A. Spaatz was the honorary chairman of the event. The largest cake ever seen in Boyertown was ceremoniously cut and square dancing and tug of war contests enhanced the fun that continued until midnight.

During the month of June, dozens of activities were held, including a huge Parade of Progress through town. Judie Moyer Neiman was crowned the Centennial Queen at the Coronation Ball under the huge “Big Top” in the Boyertown Park. Queen Judie and her Court presided at all of the Centennial events, including the “Boyertown Battalya,” an historical pageant depicting dramatic highlights of Boyertown’s story from the early Indian days to the present with a cast of 250 local performers that was given on the high school athletic field. A mammoth fireworks display climaxed each performance. A Centennial Fair at the Boyertown Park featured rides, refreshments and activities for all ages.

The Centennial Kangaroo Court punished wrong-doers with such charges as No Official Hat, No Shaving Permit, Too Ugly, Just Don’t Like You, or “Other.” Bill Manley thought he could beat the “rap” of “Other” on an impromptu charge of Littering by dropping a book of matches on the floor of the social room at the Liberty Fire Company. When given the option of paying the 10-cent fine or facing the first kangaroo court hearing, Bill chose to go to court.

Believing that Bill had an air-tight case, Douglass Snyder volunteered to serve as his defense attorney. After hearing all of the evidence, the jury of 12 honorable citizens deliberated 10 minutes to render the verdict of “guilty as charged” and Manley was jailed for his offense in the social room of the fire company, not the bar as requested, along with his lawyer for putting up a weak defense and therefore ridiculing the Court.

Men were fined if they shaved without having first procured a shaving permit. On Homecoming Day, visitors from all over the country returned to their roots to join in the festivities. A “sock-hop” dance entertained the teenagers and everyone enjoyed the musical program by the championship Boyertown Area High School Band.

Community organizations created groups such as the Brothers of the Brush, Girls of the Garter, Birds of the Bush, the Furry Foragers and the Bottle Bells that participated in all of the events and competed for many of the prizes, such as for the best costumes and the best beards.

A Nightshirt Ball started at 11 p.m., attended by more than 200 people in their nighties. There was an “art in the alley” washline art show, a bicycle rodeo, a vesper service, golf tournaments, a water ballet and an all-star Midget League baseball game. A highlight of the commemoration was the drawing for the grand prize, a 1966 Dodge Coronet. William Seidt from Bechtelsville was the winner of that brand new automobile.

Thousands of people came to town for these events. Two lasting traditions in Boyertown began during the Centennial Celebration. Local merchants set out their wares with “old fashioned” prices on tables on the sidewalks of East Philadelphia Avenue for the first Boyertown Sidewalk Sale and the first Duryea Day climaxed the festivities. Paul Rhoads was chosen the 1966 Boyertown Man of the Year for his untiring dedication and hard work to make the Centennial celebration a tremendous success.

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