Bicentennial 1976 throwback pictures

[FoxrunFarms02]

On 7/4/2026 at 8:51 AM, 766 Man said:

  Sadly, if 1976 was a strike of white lightning then 2026 is a lit match in comparison.  I am really disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm.  While not perfect the US has brought freedom to many since its founding.  If the course of events had gone differently many of us today would be living far more depressed in terms of spirit and attitude.

I couldn't agree more. Growing up in the 90's. I knew of the sprite of 76 agri kings, and that the 70's really  brought upgraded changes to agriculture but I never knew the extent.  I find it really fascinating how so many different agriculture equipment brands put their twist to patriotic theme tractors or equipment, and even shed companies offering red white and blue themed sheds. Maybe it's just me, and maybe it's just my area but I really thought the 250th would be a big deal. Yes Case and fendt did make a themed tractor, but that seemed it. In my area there wasn't really no big picnics, celebrations, parades, or huge firework shows. Is a day to celebrate our independence just an excuse to have a day off? Every year I line up some of my things on the lawn with some flags and lights around them, and usually the neighbors even have a tractor or two out with flags on them, but it was just me. Talking with my parents they said the Country was different back then, and not as divided. Maybe the 300th will be different. 

[FoxrunFarms02]

On 7/4/2026 at 9:07 AM, Drysleeves said:

The improperly named department of education has wreaked havoc on the curriculum since 1979, mostly through the Marxist propaganda of Howard Zinn’s textbooks rewriting history with their armies and their crooks. (h/t Mark Knopfler)

I can remember the yearlong buildup to the Bicentennial that began in early 1975 and went into hyperdrive for 1976. 

Hate to be a Debbie downer but I don’t see the same energy after fifty years of unrelenting assault on the Founding.

I remember growing up in elementry school and always reading or doing classroom plays of the " 1st Thanksgiving ". All the books and teachers made it sound like the native Americans welcomed the pilgrims with hugs and kisses, hung out, showed them the ways of the land and they were all bff's and party'd it up with turkey, and pumpkin pie. When in fact it wasn't even remotely close to that but that's what got engraved in our minds. 

[FoxrunFarms02]

On 7/4/2026 at 10:06 AM, Lazy WP said:

I remember the hype leading up to Independence Day in ‘76! I am sure we went to Halsey Nebraska for the day, but honestly don’t remember much about it. 
Yesterday we made a whirlwind trip to grab some horses that had been evacuated from the fires southwest of Pueblo Colorado. Coming home there were lots of patriotic displays by individuals. 
I think America needs to shut the media off, and see America face to face! There are still numerous patriotic people doing amazing things for each other!!

I live on a busier hwy and always try to make some sort of patriotic display. America is more than lights and flags but it feels nice making something like this or show off that I'm for America.

[FoxrunFarms02]

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I was born in the wrong generation.  I'm 40 but feel like the world is changing and moving too fast and feel bad for my son but try to give him the same experience I had as a kid, and it makes me so happy to see him wanting to play outside, but there's no cool vehicles out there, farm equipment doesn't look like farm equipment, farming isn't a way of life anymore, not much for stores or malls, everything is just a click away. I think about everything my parents and grandparents saw in their lifetime. Fighting dinosaurs, horses to tractors, owning a muscle car, owning a piece of equipment that picked and shelled corn, neighbors helped each other out, store fronts decorated for the holidays, church every Sunday....granted when we were kids we saw the world differently and I think we always to feel a sense of wanting that back. I took 2 different jobs that I had in my youth to feel young again......the only thing I accomplished was wearing down my body more. Change is all around us it's just something that has to happen. I don't like it, but then I open up my front door and see I'm knocking down someones old farm buildings, buildings that housed animals and supported their family something they saved up and built, I'm un doing what they did just to put up a shed.

America is great and we're free but it's also so corrupted when you start going down the rabbit hole. The farm crisis " we need your help to feed the world, go big or go home" to " you're a bad farmer we're taking away what's left". Was 9/11 set up? Cash for clunkers, get rid of all the old solid dependable cars and trucks for something that won't last before your last payment on it. Was covid created to minimize the population? Farm land for solar panels and data centers? Local government officials paid be quit? Mail in ballots? The list goes on.

[Lazy WP]

You can almost see this from the highway. I don’t remember where I saw it first, but this is our second LED flag. 

[766 Man]

2 hours ago, FoxrunFarms02 said:

I couldn't agree more. Growing up in the 90's. I knew of the sprite of 76 agri kings, and that the 70's really  brought upgraded changes to agriculture but I never knew the extent.  I find it really fascinating how so many different agriculture equipment brands put their twist to patriotic theme tractors or equipment, and even shed companies offering red white and blue themed sheds. Maybe it's just me, and maybe it's just my area but I really thought the 250th would be a big deal. Yes Case and fendt did make a themed tractor, but that seemed it. In my area there wasn't really no big picnics, celebrations, parades, or huge firework shows. Is a day to celebrate our independence just an excuse to have a day off? Every year I line up some of my things on the lawn with some flags and lights around them, and usually the neighbors even have a tractor or two out with flags on them, but it was just me. Talking with my parents they said the Country was different back then, and not as divided. Maybe the 300th will be different. 

  In my mind the major problems are apathy and indifference.  In the words of Captain James T Kirk freedom is not a gift and has to be earned.  The problem is that the average person does not realize that the fight for freedom is never done.  There is always work to do even if it is only to stay vigilant.  

[mike newman]

6 hours ago, 1967806 said:

There were many older folks alive during the 76 time frame that are no longer with us. They were very appreciative and respectful people. Most of the small towns around here with businesses ran by folks that age ahve close down the businesses when those folks passed. Many of their children did not stick around either. 

....and a bulk of those folk would have had Fathers/ Brothers and close relatives fighting under the US Flag...thus the   Spirit of '76  would have been alive and well.....but time marches inexorably on.....and the next generations have not had that 'impact'  upon them....

Growing up in a household with a Dad  who spent four years of his life,sitting behind the controls of a De Haviland Mosquito.....give a kid a totally different perspective on life.....as compared with the household that was '' intact  '' during those   war years...

Thats how I  see  it....

...and , really the same situation down under  with the small country towns...as you described above.....a few grease temples  have pushed out the small cafe's....one or three major Fuel companies , with a big ''Truck Stop ' ...and a lot of empty shops...

Mike

[Tad Wicks]

On 7/3/2026 at 12:19 PM, TeachersPet1066 said:

Dad driving his 544.

Edit: for 1976 200th anniversary parade in Shenango Twp. Lawrence Co PA.  Float was also built at farm for church.

Just think, this tractor was only a few years old at the time,  sure looks great. I was working at the local IH dealer at the time in Paso Robles CA. I was 20 years old and seem to remember the sales brochure for the anniversary tractors painted for the Bi-centennial. I was painting tractors at the time ( just red and white) and the dealership backed up very close to the railroad tracks and the Bicentennial train went by stopping the traffic on freeway 101  that paralleled the tracks and of course everybody came out to see when the whistle blew. I was so impressed, I had never seen a Steam engine running before, I felt it to be a great honor and still do.

The picture below is a tree at the local liquor store/sandwich shop where the wife and I go to get a fresh handmade tri-tip sandwich and a soda when we are in town, we had nothing to do with it but this made me feel proud as well.

[just Dave]

20 hours ago, FoxrunFarms02 said:

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I was born in the wrong generation.  I'm 40 but feel like the world is changing and moving too fast and feel bad for my son but try to give him the same experience I had as a kid, and it makes me so happy to see him wanting to play outside, but there's no cool vehicles out there, farm equipment doesn't look like farm equipment, farming isn't a way of life anymore, not much for stores or malls, everything is just a click away. I think about everything my parents and grandparents saw in their lifetime. Fighting dinosaurs, horses to tractors, owning a muscle car, owning a piece of equipment that picked and shelled corn, neighbors helped each other out, store fronts decorated for the holidays, church every Sunday....granted when we were kids we saw the world differently and I think we always to feel a sense of wanting that back. I took 2 different jobs that I had in my youth to feel young again......the only thing I accomplished was wearing down my body more. Change is all around us it's just something that has to happen. I don't like it, but then I open up my front door and see I'm knocking down someones old farm buildings, buildings that housed animals and supported their family something they saved up and built, I'm un doing what they did just to put up a shed.

America is great and we're free but it's also so corrupted when you start going down the rabbit hole. The farm crisis " we need your help to feed the world, go big or go home" to " you're a bad farmer we're taking away what's left". Was 9/11 set up? Cash for clunkers, get rid of all the old solid dependable cars and trucks for something that won't last before your last payment on it. Was covid created to minimize the population? Farm land for solar panels and data centers? Local government officials paid be quit? Mail in ballots? The list goes on.

I love the patriotic displays. You can’t go back, but you are going in the right direction. The desire to give your children a life to remember is a very good start.  Keep up the spirits on your home front . Don’t let the billionaire grifters bring you down. Intelligence will overcome the scourge we are weeding through. There is a person alive ight now that can pull us back to our Constitution and unity.  We must stand vigilant and ready to support them. Our swamp is plugged solid and riffed with sewage, words won’t fix that. Enough talking, enough looting the country of every last bit of compassion for fellow man, enough looting treasury for the benefit of billionaires. I have no sympathy for a freeloader, but if you’re too much of a tight a$$ billionaire to feed a freeloaders starving child, then you are not well.  There is middle ground that has enough room for most of us, I hope/wish/pray we find it.

[Alan Dinan]

20 hours ago, mike newman said:

....and a bulk of those folk would have had Fathers/ Brothers and close relatives fighting under the US Flag...thus the   Spirit of '76  would have been alive and well.....but time marches inexorably on.....and the next generations have not had that 'impact'  upon them....

Growing up in a household with a Dad  who spent four years of his life,sitting behind the controls of a De Haviland Mosquito.....give a kid a totally different perspective on life.....as compared with the household that was '' intact  '' during those   war years...

Thats how I  see  it....

...and , really the same situation down under  with the small country towns...as you described above.....a few grease temples  have pushed out the small cafe's....one or three major Fuel companies , with a big ''Truck Stop ' ...and a lot of empty shops...

Mike

9/11 was the most united I have ever seen in my lifetime, Mike. It’s been almost 25 years and the people have forgotten how to stand united as they did for the weeks, months and even a few years after the 9/11 attacks. Small town pride is still there, I believe, across the country. My home town celebrated 300 years in 2022, and thankfully it’s still a place where neighbors help each other.
I was only 6 months old for the 76 celebrations so don’t remember any of it. 

[just Dave]

On 7/6/2026 at 1:38 PM, Alan Dinan said:

9/11 was the most united I have ever seen in my lifetime, Mike. It’s been almost 25 years and the people have forgotten how to stand united as they did for the weeks, months and even a few years after the 9/11 attacks. Small town pride is still there, I believe, across the country. My home town celebrated 300 years in 2022, and thankfully it’s still a place where neighbors help each other.
I was only 6 months old for the 76 celebrations so don’t remember any of it. 

Now we are in bed with some of the countries that produced those terrorists. 

[MTB98]

10 minutes ago, just Dave said:

Now we are in bed with some of the countries that produced those terrorists. 

15 of the 19 were Saudis. The US has been friendly with Saudi Arabia since the 1930s. The UAE and the US have been friendly since the 1970s. Being “in bed” with them is nothing new since 9/11/01. 

[just Dave]

34 minutes ago, MTB98 said:

15 of the 19 were Saudis. The US has been friendly with Saudi Arabia since the 1930s. The UAE and the US have been friendly since the 1970s. Being “in bed” with them is nothing new since 9/11/01. 

I never said it was new. My family and I lived in Saudi Arabia for several years in the 50s and 60s as a result of an employment situation. Americans were very well received there then. The radical factions are probably a result of to much money, just like the sick rich ******** romancing our impressionable Americans right now.

[MTB98]

2 hours ago, just Dave said:

I never said it was new.

The use of the word “now” implied that it was something new since 9/11, as if we weren’t in bed with them before then. 

[Diesel Doctor]

On 7/4/2026 at 8:51 AM, 766 Man said:

  Sadly, if 1976 was a strike of white lightning then 2026 is a lit match in comparison.  I am really disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm.  While not perfect the US has brought freedom to many since its founding.  If the course of events had gone differently many of us today would be living far more depressed in terms of spirit and attitude.

I agree. I was 23, single and thirsty in 1976. 

It was a three day celebration that lasted 24 hours a day.

I went to bed when the sun came up. 

I had to go back to work to heal up.

Now that was a celebration and dripping with patriotism.

[Powered by IH]

On 7/5/2026 at 9:47 AM, FoxrunFarms02 said:

These were in the latest Hertitage Iron magazine. 

Why didn't they have the Bicentennial Deere at Red Power Round Up this year? 😆

Good way to start fights...

[Shell1066]

5 hours ago, Powered by IH said:

Why didn't they have the Bicentennial Deere at Red Power Round Up this year? 😆

Good way to start fights...

Did Deere even paint a patriotic tractor this year? Or were they scared of stealing somebodies design ??😁

[New Englander]

The 1976 celebration included the Greatest Generation and Boomers. The Greatest Generation had survived the depression, WWII, and Korea. They were the Boomers parents and although Vietnam left a bad taste in many Boomer's mouths most were still were patriotic.

9-11 saw a resurgence of patriotism which has sadly waned. I have faith that should another such attack occur it would return.

YouTube is full of Europeans "discovering" America during World Cup and appreciating what we have. Having been all-over I know this is the best place to have been born. 

[just Dave]

22 hours ago, MTB98 said:

The use of the word “now” implied that it was something new since 9/11, as if we weren’t in bed with them before then. 

Now means currently, our current leaders are now……………….$….$….$$$$$…..$$$$$…….$.$$….$$$$$$$…….