The History of Father’s Day

By AlisaJune 14, 2016

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As Father’s Day approaches, I am excited to share with you the local history behind it! Believe it or not, the first celebration of Father’s Day occurred on July 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington!

In May of 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington sat in church listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. She decided she wanted to designate a day for her dad, William Jackson Smart. Dodd’s mother had died in childbirth, and Dodd’s father, a Civil War veteran, had taken the responsibility of raising the newborn and his other five children.

The following year, Dodd wanted to celebrate Father’s Day on June 5th (her father’s birthday), and petitioned for the holiday to be recognized in her city. Needing more time to arrange the festivities, Spokane’s mayor pushed the date back by two weeks, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910.

At the first Father’s Day celebration, young women handed out red roses to their fathers during a church service, and large baskets full of roses were passed around, with attendees encouraged to pin on a rose in honor of their fathers– red for the living and white in memory of the deceased. Dodd’s celebration for fathers increasingly became popular thereafter.

 However, it took 62 years for it to become a nationwide holiday (58 years after President Woodrow Wilson signed to make Mother’s Day official).

During the 1920s and 30s, a movement arose that was pushing to scrap Mother’s Day and Father’s Day altogether in favor of “Parents’ Day”. However, the Depression derailed the efforts to combine the two holidays. Struggling retailers and advertisers increased their efforts to make Father’s Day like a “second Christmas” for men, promoting goods such as neckties, hats, socks, pipes, golf clubs and greeting cards. When WWII began, advertisers argued that celebrating Father’s Day was a way to honor American troops and support the war effort. By the end of the war, Father’s Day still wasn’t a federal holiday, but it was a national institution.

In 1972, Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father’s Day a federal holiday at last!

Here, at Most Everything Vintage, we carry some incredible treasures for fathers! Neckties, bowties, cuff links, tie bars/tacks, vests, hats, you name it. And if you can’t find just the right gift, we have gift certificates. For an extra personal, custom made gift for the dapper man in your life, a handmade hat by local milliner Barbara Creager of Babette’s Hatworks is a great option. We have four men’s hats in the store and a special gift certificate can always be given for her creations (see business card picture for contact info).

Special thanks to our creative team for the above photos: Model Tyrell James, Photographer: Mike Helms of http://totallycaptivating.com, assistant Patricia Helms and Captain Dan, owner of the Kiggins Theatre. Hat made by Barbara of Babette’s Hatworks and vintage clothing from Most Everything Vintage. Bow tie made by Alisa (Most Everything Vintage owner) from recycled vintage materials.
Thanks for reading and Happy Fathers Day!

-Sarah

Categories: Features by Sarah, Our boutiqueTags: Babette's Hatworks, Downtown Vancouver, Downtown Vancouver WA, father's day, history father's day, history of father's day, local art, Most Everything, Most Everything Vintage, Reclaimed Vintage, Totally Captivating Photography, Vancouver WA, vintage, vintage boutique in Vancouver WA, vintage clothing, vintage clothing boutique in Vancouver WA, vintage fashion, vintage father's day, vintage photo shoot

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