A century of celebrations

In early July, in 1911, the stage was set for one of the best parts of Flagstaff had yet seen.

"Come right along!" Posters to sign and all, a celebration they would not forget - Independence Day, and an extra day added for good measure.

Number 7 July 1911, the weekly newspaper The Coconino Sun (forerunner of the Arizona Daily Sun), described what she called "the largest crowds ever seen in Flagstaff."

In the summer of 1911, the city of Flagstaff in grass was at a crossroads, straddling his pioneering past and the possibility of a modern future.

Flagstaff became an incorporated city May 26, 1894, the same year, the Lowell Observatory was established, and only five years before the Normal School in Northern Arizona was formed, both signs of a movement towards civility.

In early 1900, city officials had already started a reform movement to restrict or eliminate the gambling and prostitution, and increase the cost of room and the liquor license ban south of the railway.

Cement sidewalks were gradually installed in the center, replacing the muddy alleys and dusty.

Although the clouds of war were on the horizon late in 1912, in 1911, they had not yet taken the world on the edge, and would not be until June 1914 when the assassination of the Archduke Austrian Franz Ferdinand and his wife ignited the First World War.

"SHOOTING THE anvil

The celebration of Independence Day 1911 began with the gun fire at sunrise, followed by "shooting the anvil" when a heavy load can cast black anvil of a blacksmith heavy high in the air with a noise that echoed for miles around.

Holiday events took place from Monday, July 3 to Tuesday, July 4 with a grand parade on the downtown streets, when the newspaper reported, "4500-5000 people" stuck in conditions celebrated the birth of the nation .

Even the "showers agitated" Monday "does not change the gay, all magnanimous complexion of the crowd, many of them are in dire need of moisture content - for the range, the ranch and stock."

The parade was led by the Military Band Flagstaff, followed by soldiers marching and floats, including a floating Christian Temperance Union elegant woman with young women dressed in white and a float with Emerson school boys dressed in vibrant red, white and blue ", which does not forget for a moment they had a cry of school. "

The two-day celebration also took place at the podium and running track, a site currently occupied by the stage of Nau lumberjack.

Tactical-Life.com » AUTO-ORDNANCE ANNIVERSARY .45 ACP

Now, Auto-Ordnance is offering a fitting tribute to the 100 years of service that the 1911 has performed. Called the 1911 Anniversary Model, it is a version of the WWII-style Auto-Ordnance pistol with a deep military parkerized finish, military-style roll marks on the port side of the slide that read “Model 1911A1 US ARMY” and a laser-engraved legend that reads, “1911 .45 ACP 1911-2011, 100 Years” on the right side of the slide.

“Rather than build a commemorative pistol that costs thousands of dollars we decided to take our standard WWII-style 1911 and add some laser engraving,” said Frank Harris, Auto-Ordnance’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

One thing worth mentioning is that the current line of Auto-Ordnance pistols is very different than the ones produced in the 1980’s and 90’s. Let me clarify. Auto-Ordnance introduced their version of the 1911 in 1985 and while they were economical they were never acclaimed for their quality. Most of them had rough finishes and the fit of the parts could most charitably be called functional. Auto-Ordnance used slides made from castings for reasons of economy rather than durability. Different pieces were produced by a myriad of suppliers and the parts did not appear to be assembled with any degree of craftsmanship. To be blunt these pistols did not inspire pride of ownership.

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