Spirit of '76 ~

 

I'm sure many of you are familiar with this painting by Archibald McNeal Willard (1836 - 1918).  It is an 8' x 10' oil painting made in Ohio for our country's 100th year anniversary.  When first completed it was known as "Yankee Doodle" and only later became know as the "The Spirit of '76".  Critics at the time considered it to be cartoonish.  

The painting's popularity led Willard to paint an estimated 10 more versions.  The models were Hugh Moser, a Civil War veteran and friend of Willard's playing the fife, Henry K. Devereux, son of Gen. John H. Devereux served as the model for the drummer on the left and Willard's father, Rev. Samuel Willard, as the older drummer.

Now for a bit of trivia . . . 

The words to Yankee Doodle Dandy were written as a slap in the face to Americans.  "Yankee Doodle" is a famous example of an insult the backfired.  The term Yankee is difficult to nail down but some historians say it is derived from Dutch words that were pronounced "John Cheese" in the 1850's.  A "doodle" is a country hick, and a "dandy" is a conceited jerk.  Riding on a pony is an insult as a proper military commander rides a horse.  Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni is insulting because a macaroni was a pejorative term used to describe a fashionable man with feminine traits of 18th century Britain.  British troops played the song while marching out of Boston to Lexington and Concord in 1775.  The Colonists adopted the lyrics and tune for motivation.

Big Boy No. 4014 is on its return trip west after spending the 4th of July in Philadelphia.  There was no whistle stop this time around, but it did not stop people from lining the railroad tracks to witness its passing.  What a sight and sound to behold!!!  I am so thankful to have witnessed this marvelous machine, not once but twice.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren