1975: "Greetings from 1975!"

The Bicentennial offered the largest variety of celebratory events yet: concerts with commissioned music, lectures, the usual parade and ball, and a visit from President Gerald Ford. With an anticipated attendance of over 100,000, more activities were available than ever before. Because this anniversary occurred one year before the United States Bicentennial, commemorative materials were produced widely. Bicentennial events were scheduled throughout the entire year, beginning as early as the fall and winter of 1974. 

Planning for the Bicentennial had been underway for nearly a decade. Until his resignation in the fall of 1974, Richard Nixon had been the presidential invitee. In 1975, President Gerald Ford spoke at the North Bridge to a crowd of tens of thousands, flanked by Select Board Chair Philip Suter and First Parish’s minister Reverend Dana Greeley.

Several months prior to the festivities, the Minute Man statue was temporarily removed for preservation work. On the day of its return, Concord Girl Scout troops placed a time capsule inside the statue’s base. Each troop wrote letters to individuals of local, state, and national significance. The letters, as well as troop scrapbooks, were microfilmed for placement in the time capsule. Objects representing life in 1975, including a solar cell, hair accessories, and a deck of cards, were also placed inside. Explore the following page, "Girl Scout Time Capsule," to view selected written materials from the capsule and learn more.