The Great Campaign Ball of 1888

It was a traditional day of analysis within the WCHS archives when a volunteer pulled an attention-grabbing {photograph} out of a file. The {photograph} confirmed an enormous striped ball and horse-drawn log cabin being paraded down West Washington Street, heading in the direction of Public Square. People gathered on the street and alongside the sidewalk, their umbrellas hinting at a wet night.

In the {photograph}, the large striped ball had simply reached 19 W. Washington St. The signal for Rauth Brothers Merchants & Tailors Shop, at 11 W. Washington St., might be seen, in addition to a nook of the unique Hagerstown Bank constructing (now not standing) at 21 W. Washington St.

A photographer from Rogers & King Photography Studio took the {photograph} from a balcony of the Baldwin Hotel, which in 1888 stood throughout from the Hagerstown Bank at 34-44 W. Washington St.

The {photograph} instantly captured the curiosity of WCHS volunteers and workers. Why have been folks parading a big ball by the streets of Hagerstown? The reply revealed how a snapshot in time preserved Washington County’s residents collaborating in bigger, nationwide occasions.

Research and newspaper articles quickly make clear the mysterious {photograph}. On Sept. 27, 1888, Hagerstown’s Herald and Torch Light introduced, “The Harrison and Morton Ball Rolls On!” The big striped ball was none-other than political marketing campaign promoting in assist of Republican Presidential Candidate Benjamin Harrison and Vice Presidential Candidate Levi Morton for the 1888 Presidential Election.

The two nominees for the 1888 US Presidential Election have been Republican nominee Benjamin Harrison of Indiana and incumbent Democratic President Grover Cleveland of New York. Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of former President William Henry Harrison and a Union military veteran. Grover Cleveland, governor of New York in 1882, had beforehand been the twenty second president, elected in 1885.

Tariffs have been a key situation of the 1888 US presidential election. Cleveland proposed dramatically lowering tariffs to assist shoppers, whereas Harrison pushed larger tariffs for industrialists and manufacturing unit staff, preferring American-made wool over wool imported from England or France.

By Sept. 25, 1888, the Harrison and Morton marketing campaign ball had rolled throughout the east into Hagerstown.

The article shared, “The Republican demonstration at Hagerstown was the largest and most enthusiastic political episode of many years. It opened with a parade through the principal streets of the town, headed by the City Band. The most conspicuous feature of the procession was the great Harrison and Mortal ball from Cumberland.”

D. E. Brockett of Cumberland, Maryland, had constructed the marketing campaign ball, which weighed 1,000 kilos. It stood 14 ft tall (14 ft in diameter), and was 42 ft in circumference.

The ball’s construction was constructed from wooden and metal ribs, with canvas wrapped across the sphere. The sphere was then suspended inside a big metallic band coated in rubber – the rubber being the one half touching the bottom, permitting for straightforward rolling. The canvas was painted pink, white and blue, with house left for numerous political slogans.

1888 was not the primary 12 months a marketing campaign ball had been used as a political stunt. In 1840, Benjamin Harrison’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison, used a marketing campaign ball. Harrison, of the Whig celebration, defeated incumbent President Martin Van Buren, turning into the ninth president of the United States.

Whig celebration symbols included log cabins, racoons and cider – all of which have been additionally current within the 1888 parade by Hagerstown. The horse-drawn log cabin might be seen behind the marketing campaign ball.

The marketing campaign ball had initially rolled towards New York in August 1888, to have fun the homecoming of Republican politician James G. Blaine from Europe. Blaine grew to become Secretary of State beneath Harrison from 1889 to 1892. The marketing campaign ball then rolled south into Maryland, reaching Hagerstown on Sept. 25.

The marketing campaign ball procession alongside W. Washington Street started at 7 p.m. Sept. 25. The City Band, an African American drum corps and marketing campaign indicators accompanied the parade. By 8 p.m., a big crowd (together with countryside residents) gathered within the courthouse corridor, spilling into the hallways and out the entrance door.

Local and nationwide politicians, Civil War veterans and judges gave political speeches. At 9 p.m., the procession started once more, now led by torchlight, and the ball rolled on to Boonsboro, Middletown and Frederick.

After passing by Montgomery County, the ball rolled in the direction of Washington, DC, and from there to Ohio and Indiana, dwelling state of Benjamin Harrison. In all, the Great Harrison and Morton Campaign Ball rolled roughly 5,000 miles as a part of the 1888 political marketing campaign.

Benjamin Harrison received the 1888 election and have become the twenty third president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He didn’t win the favored vote, however received the Electoral College. Grover Cleveland, who received the favored vote however misplaced, returned for the 1892 Presidential Election, profitable each standard vote and Electoral College to develop into the twenty fourth president.

By November of 1888, after Harrison had received the election, the Great Ball was dismantled and saved away. It was later taken to Washington, DC, in March of 1889, and rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue for President Harrison’s Inauguration.

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The {photograph} within the WCHS Archives of the Great Harrison and Morton Campaign Ball captures a singular second in Washington County’s historical past when native residents from Hagerstown and throughout the county concerned themselves in nationwide politics and occasions. It is a superb instance of the political pomp and circumstance from folks up to now, and a reminder of the significance of archives in preserving our reminiscence of the previous alive.

If you want to assist the Washington County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, think about turning into a WCHS member or making a donation to assist native historical past. For extra info, name 301-797-8782, or go to www.washcohistory.org.

Abigail Koontz is curator and packages supervisor for the Washington County Historical Society.