Boom City, A Tribal Independence Day

 In 1980 in the summer, we moved out on to the Tulalip Reservation on Tulaip Bay.  In those days the mostly sort of legal Indian fireworks were sold right there locally near our cabin.  Boom City was a very big deal back then, and it still is but has become more regulated and commercial.  

Back then, people drove from all over the state to buy the fireworks and many times blow them up right near the point of sales.  I remember a definite war zone flavor to the end of June and the first few days of July.

One year I remember driving home after dark on the fourth, and it was like going into a battle scene just to get home.  There is only one highway out there so there was no driving around it.  Literally red smoke blowing, so thick you couldn't see the trees very well.  Constant explosions.  So many people from out of the area driving in to buy and blow up their stuff over the bay that finally some of the local men started stopping cars and turning some of them around!  That's how we got home.  They knew us.

Now, its just not the same crazy out of control Boom City...but here is a nice article on the recent history of Boom City.

https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2016/06/this-is-boom-city

This is Boom City.   Lots of photos.

HAPPY 4th of July.  Long may we Boom!