The tradition of a community gathering during the celebration of the 4th of July is a long one. At the start of the 20th Century, when the locals consisted of a handful of hardy pioneering families, it became a highly valued time to gather and trade and just catch up with what had been happening in their lives. They were ranchers and farmers mostly, so they would include activities such as a rodeo, and always with much food and drink. As the story goes, they would dig a large pit in the ground and someone would donate a large critter to become the celebratory roast beast, and everyone else would provide the rest. It is the need to be with people of like mind with a “heart” for their community that sustained this gathering throughout the years. Stories abound such as the year local trapper Ray Morehouse provided a bear for the pit. Some of the earliest photos of La Pine show a raucous rodeo of locals, along with music and dancing.
