BLOG
Learn why Complete Power Wash is your best option for professional exterior cleaning of Tri-state area homes and businesses.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s hoping you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
The staff at Complete Power Wash in Hagerstown, MD hopes that Thanksgiving is a time filled with gratitude for this year’s blessings. They also hope that it will be a safe and happy holiday for you, your friends and your family.
They pride themselves on helping homeowners get ready for holiday decorating and welcoming guests for these special occasions. It’s a great time to make memories. We suggest you do it right after a good house washing, because you want your home looking it’s best this time of year.Thanksgiving Around the World
1. Canada: It may surprise most to learn that Canada’s first Thanksgiving celebration actually predates America’s first holiday. In 1578, an expedition led by the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a ceremony to give thanks for the safety of their fleet.
Photo by Element5 Digital
2. Germany: The German equivalent of Thanksgiving is Erntedankfest, or “harvest festival of thanks.” During a typical Erntedankfest, celebrants may carry an Erntekrone — harvest crown of grains — fruit and flowers to the church in a solemn procession.
3. Liberia: Freed slaves from the United States established Liberia in West Africa in the early 1820s with help from the American Colonization Society. In the early 1880s, Liberia’s government passed an act declaring the first Thursday of November as National Thanksgiving Day. Today, Liberia’s Thanksgiving tables boast items such as spicy roast chicken and mashed cassavas. Live music and dancing are also part of the Thanksgiving tradition.
4. Japan: Japan’s variation of Thanksgiving, Kinro Kansha no Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) evolved from an ancient rice harvest festival, Niinamesai. Today, the public observes it as a national holiday, but with none of the huge feasting you’ll see on the American holiday. To mark the occasion, children often make thank-you cards for policemen, firefighters or other municipal workers.
5. Norfolk Island: This remote island in the Pacific Ocean is another unlikely place for a holiday celebration with American roots. Its Thanksgiving tradition dates back to the mid-1890s, when the American trader Isaac Robinson decided to put on an American-style Thanksgiving service in the All Saints Church in Kingston.
6. Grenada: Every October 25, people on this West Indian island celebrate their own Thanksgiving Day. It marks the anniversary of a joint Caribbean and U.S. military invasion of Grenada in 1983 to oust a corrupt government. To show their own gratitude, many people in towns and villages hosting the soldiers invited them to dine and celebrate with them, even surprising them with such non-native island foods as turkey, cranberry and potatoes.
7. The Netherlands: The people of today’s Leiden continue to celebrate their ties with the Mayflower’s passengers by holding non-denominational church services on the fourth Thursday of November.
8. Puerto Rico: After becoming a territory of the United States in the late 19th century, its residents enthusiastically adopted many of the traditions of the 
holiday. They celebrate it on the same day (fourth Thursday in November) and put their own twist on the traditional turkey feast.
Random Thanksgiving Trivia
1. What year was the celebration that is most commonly considered to be the first Thanksgiving?
A: 1621. This is the celebration that people most often talk about when they are talking about the “first” Thanksgiving. But there are others that are claimed to be the first Thanksgiving. There was another celebration in Plymouth in 1623 and one in Boston in 1631 that people claim was the actual first Thanksgiving.
2. How long did the first Thanksgiving celebration last?
A: Three days. It was celebrated much earlier than our current celebration, possibly in late September. There were about 50 European settlers and around 90 native Americans who attended the 3-day feast.
3. Under which president did Thanksgiving become an annual holiday?
A: Abraham Lincoln. The U.S. has celebrated Thanksgiving off and on since 1774. In 1789 George Washington made a proclamation that the country would celebrate a day of thanksgiving to God on November 26th. Some presidents after him continued the tradition, declaring different days of Thanksgiving. But it wasn’t until a proclamation by Lincoln in 1863 that the last Thursday of November became the official Thanksgiving holiday.
4. In what year did both the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and America’s Thanksgiving Parade start?
A: 1924. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was started by Louis Bamberger in Newark, New Jersey but was transferred to New York City where it is now held by Macy’s. America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit was inspired by Eaton’s Santa Claus Parade in Toronto, Ontario.
5. Which president was the first to give a turkey a presidential pardon?
A: Ronald Reagan. John F. Kennedy was the first president on record for unofficially sparing a Turkey in 1963. The Reagan administration in 1987 gave the first official presidential pardon to a turkey as a joke. The turkey was spared and put into a petting zoo. George H. Bush made it an annual tradition in 1989 and each president since has carried on the tradition.
Complete Power Wash for Pressure Washing
If you would like to schedule CPW to clean your home before the last of the holiday guests arrive, contact the office by clicking here. You can also call 301-842-2290 or email a staff member at sandy@completepowerwash.com. The CPW techs specialize in using the softwash technique, which is best for cleaning all surfaces is a safe manner.
November is Energy Awareness Month
It’s Energy Awareness Month and costs are expected to be higher this year.
We care about clean homes and energy-efficient homes. November is the month to make sure your home is clean and ready for the holidays. It’s also the month to make sure you are ready to keep energy costs in check during the winter months.
This is a great time of year to take an “energy inventory” around your home and in your life. Using energy wisely makes sense for the planet and for your monthly budget. Turning out lights in unoccupied rooms and keeping the thermostat at a comfortable temperature is a good start. You can go as far as closing down vents and closing doors to unoccupied rooms. Make sure rooms with pipes have enough heat, because you don’t want to pay a plumber what you didn’t have to pay for heating fuel.
Another easy change is replacing traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs. Larger home upgrades like energy-saving appliances — including a new furnace — along with new windows can pay for themselves in a few years. Here is a great article on the top 21 things to do to save energy around the house.
And while you’re researching and planning those changes, contact the Complete Power Wash office in Hagerstown, MD to schedule a cleaning of your home’s exterior. Make it ready for the Thanksgiving and Christmas guests that will be showing up in just a few weeks. Weather and availability tightens the schedule as the year comes to a close, so reach out soon. To schedule our cleaning experts, click here. If you prefer to talk to a CPW staff member, call the office at 301-842-2290 or email sandy@completepowerwash.com.
Complete Power Wash’s Cleaning Services
Complete Power Wash pressure washing techs are the area’s experts in house washing, roof cleaning and deck and patio cleaning. From the headquarters in Hagerstown, they serve the greater Tri-state area of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. That area includes Hagerstown, Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Smithsburg, Williamsport in Western Maryland. It also includes Greencastle, PA and Falling Waters, WV. Those techs — using the softwash cleaning technique — are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing, even removing graffiti to restore your 
property to it’s original beauty.
The softwash technique mentioned above is the use of “just the right water pressure,” combined with gentle, environmentally-friendly detergents. These detergents are used to weaken the grip of dirt, mold, mildew and other natural elements.
CPW’s Pressure Washing Reviews
The Complete Power Wash leaders love the kinds words of satisfied clients.
“They did an awesome job cleaning my entire townhouse! I highly recommend this company and will definitely use them again in the future!!” – Regina C.
“They are on time and courteous and professional at there job and have always done a five-star job. The house always looks like new. We have used them before and will surely use them again.”– Sandra N.
“These guys absolutely rock! Top notch work, excellent communication, and friendly too. Thank you for everything!” – Stanley H.
Plan for November Fun and Clean Gutters
This is time of year is for Halloween fun, November plans and cleaning leaves from your yard AND your gutters.
The kids are getting ready. They are picking out their Halloween costumes and dreaming of a night of trick-or-treating. No doubt those dreams are filled with lots of large candy bars and very few boxes of raisins. Soon after that, families will be filling their evenings and weekends with Fall plans in the greater Hagerstown area, when they aren’t raking leaves. To quote Jim Gaffigan, “Don’t the leaves look so pretty before they fall to their death?”
The problem isn’t when the leaves fall to the ground, it’s when they fall into your gutters and cause issues for your home and your family. Complete Power Wash techs clean gutters and can handle all the exterior cleaning on your Hagerstown, MD-area home. These cleaning experts can make sure your gutters and the rest of your property are safely pressure washed.
“Why Should I Care if I Have Clean Gutters?”
Clean gutters work properly. Dirty gutters do not work properly. This is simple, but how many homeowners think about their gutters and what’s on the inside? And how many think about what happens to rain water and melting snow that backs up in clogged gutters?
The cleaning professionals at CPW know that mold, mildew and other fungi lead to health risks, such as severe allergies, that result in respiratory illness. The triggering of an asthma attack is the most dangerous possibility. The more severe asthma cases can cause hospitalization or even death.
Misdirected rain water can also damage your home’s structure. The wood behind the gutters can rot. The house’s exterior walls can be damaged. And, if the water continues to pool around the base of the house, the foundation can be compromised, causing thousands of dollars of damage.
November Activities in the Greater Hagerstown Area
The Tri-state area generally has mild days and chilly evenings in the Fall. It’s the perfect time for sweatshirts and hot cocoa. It’s also a great time for you to enjoy outdoor activities when weather permits and indoor activities when it doesn’t. Click here to see the schedule of November events you can enjoy, knowing you have clean gutters and peace of mind this Winter and into the Spring.
Contact CPW Today for Clean Gutters Tomorrow
Click here to contact Complete Power Wash for clean gutters and to schedule a pressure washing appointment. You can also contact the Hagerstown, MD office at 301.842.2290 or email sandy@completepowerwash.com.
Complete Power Wash pressure washing techs use the softwash technique to safely clean every surface. They are the experts in house washing, roof cleaning, and deck and patio cleaning. They are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing.
October Events in Hagerstown, MD
October is the start of a great season of events in the Tri-state area.
Fall festivals are great for people of all ages and there are plenty in the greater Hagerstown area. Every weekend can be filled with outdoor fun — or indoor concerts — right up until the kids trick-or-treat. Click on this link to see the many events you and your family can enjoy. The weather is great and the events 
are happening. Leave room on the to-do list for “Fall fun” before its time to carve the turkey and welcome family.
If cleaning your home’s exterior is on that to-do list, scratch it off and call the pressure washing professionals at Complete Power Wash. The CPW techs can take your home or business from shabby to sharp in a short visit. They are the area’s experts in house washing, roof cleaning and deck and patio cleaning. From the headquarters in Hagerstown, they serve the greater Tri-state area of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. That area includes Hagerstown, Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Smithsburg, Williamsport in Western Maryland. It also includes Greencastle, PA and Falling Waters, WV.
Fall Fun Ideas
Maybe the October events link above didn’t provide any inspiration for you. You might be the type of person that just wants to take a bike ride, go apple picking or make a scarecrow for the front porch. Well then this list of 62 ideas might be more for you. There are many options that make it easy to make memories as long as YOU make the time to do it.
Below are some nice words of people who had us professionally clean their properties so they could focus on other things they needed — or wanted — to do.
“A great job!” – Willie Eby of Mt. Tabor Builders in Clear Spring, MD
“These guys absolutely rock! Top notch work, excellent communication, and friendly too! Thank you for everything!” – Stanley H.
“They are (always) on time and courteous and professional at their job and have always done a five-star job. The house always looks like new. We have used them before and will surely use them again.” – Sandra N.
Click here to see a gallery of Complete Power Wash‘s pressure washing work.
Contact Complete Power Wash for Pressure Washing
To schedule Complete‘s cleaning techs for a pressure washing appointment, call the Hagerstown, MD office (301-842-2290) or click here. You can email the CPW office at sandy@completepowerwash.com.
The Complete pressure washing techs are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing. They can even remove graffiti and restore you property to it’s original beauty.
End Summer Well & be Ready for the Fall Season
This checklist will help you wrap up the Summer season.
As September 2022 comes to a close, warmer days will keep people clinging to Summer for at least a few more weeks. The cooler evenings are a preview of what is to come. School buses are now on the roads and Halloween decorations are now starting to go up on houses around the Tri-state. This means that families have already jumped into the Fall season, because Summer is in the rearview mirror. The Complete Power Wash staff wants you to head into this busier season with a plan. The checklist below can be a great start to that plan.
“An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.” – Dale Carnegie
Mr. Carnegie proved to be wise and quite successful. He would probably recommend to plan for having a great Fall season. There are some other wise words below about choosing a professional pressure washing company.
Here are some highlights from a popular list to end Summer and plan for a great Fall season.
- Clean and store summer gear
- Set up a family calendar for Fall and Winter
- Plan for easy weeknight dinners
- Share the harvest from your garden
- Organize family photos
- Clean carpets and floors
- Organize for back to school
- Check emergency kits
- BONUS: Inspect your property for pressure washing needs before the holidays.
To read all the details about this list, click here to link to the article from the HOUZZ website.
CPW Cleaning Services & Service Areas
Complete Power Wash techs use the softwash technique. They use “just the right water pressure,” combined with gentle, environmentally-friendly detergents. These detergents are used to weaken the grip of dirt, mold, mildew and other natural elements.
CPW employs the area’s cleaning experts in house washing, roof cleaning and deck and patio cleaning. The pressure washing reviews below speak volumes about their work.
Complete‘s cleaning techs serve the greater Tri-state area of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. That area includes Hagerstown, Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Smithsburg, Williamsport in Western Maryland. It also includes Greencastle, PA and Falling Waters, WV.
Click here, call 301.842.220 or email the CPW office at sandy@completepowerwash.com to schedule a pressure washing appointment.
Reviews from Pressure Washing Customers
Below are reviews from Complete Power Wash customers.
“They did an awesome job cleaning my entire townhouse! I highly recommend this company and will definitely use them again in the future!!” – Regina C.
“They are on time and courteous and professional at there job and have always done a five-star job. The house always looks like new. We have used them before and will surely use them again.”– Sandra N.
Clean Your Deck Before Inviting Guests
Cool evenings are perfect for Fall gatherings and a clean deck is needed for entertaining.
September is here and it’s the time for outdoor gatherings on your deck or patio. Warm days and cool evenings create the perfect atmosphere in the Tri-state area for hosting friends and family. The smell of cookouts and the glow of patio lights will fill the air for the next two and half months. It’s what many people long for following the scorching hot days of summer. This idea of hosting such an event is an easy decision for most homeowners. However, if the deck is not clean, it could put a damper on the excitement to invite guests over to gather.
Many people don’t even look at their deck closely until this time of year. Then they scramble to make it presentable.
Does your deck or patio have ugly stains hiding the wood or composite decking’s beauty? If so, just know that these dark areas can be more than the difference between a beautiful or unsightly outdoor living space. And while these stains do take away from your deck’s beauty, the real problem may not present itself for many years. These stains are much like the symptoms of disease that are there for years before death. The cause of those stains can lead to costly damage, because they are the result of harmful elements. That buildup of grime, mildew and algae can break down the deck materials.
The good news is that the cleaning professionals at Complete Power Wash in Hagerstown, MD are the Tri-state area’s deck cleaning experts.
Safely Cleaning Your Deck is the Right Choice
The pressure washing experts at CPW have years of training in the proper cleaning of deck materials, hardscapes and other exterior surfaces. They use the softwash cleaning technique, ensuring your surfaces will be cleaned safely. Softwash is a combination of gentle water pressure and environmentally-
safe detergents. This approach is the best for thoroughly cleaning with no threat of damage to wood, composite decks or patio materials. Amateur pressure washers likely won’t take this approach.
Many amateurs think you can just “blast away” grime on patio blocks and concrete. That’s a bad assumption, because block can break under intense water pressure and concrete can scar, like a knife in hot butter. This damage is costly to a homeowner, especially if the “cheaper option” is not insured. The Complete Power Wash techs are trained to clean the right way with the right products.
CPW’s cleaning experts will also assess your other building materials in need of cleaning. Failure to remove grime can shorten the life of siding, fences, outbuildings, etc….
Contact CPW to Pressure Wash Your Deck
To schedule Complete‘s cleaning techs to pressure wash your deck or patio, call the Hagerstown, MD office (301-842-2290) or click here. CPW techs are the exterior cleaning experts in the Tri-state area of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
In addition to cleaning decks, CPW‘s pressure washing pros are experts in roof cleaning and house washing. They are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing. Click here to see a gallery of Complete‘s pressure washing work in the Tri-state area.
Celebrating Labor this Labor Day
Everyone at Complete Power Wash hopes you and your family have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!
Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer and the start of the busy Autumn season. We know this makes some people sad (students), while other people (parents and those who hate the heat) have been anticipating this time of year for months. No matter your perspective, the Complete Power Wash staff members hope it was a great Summer and hope the Fall is even better.
Complete‘s pressure washing techs love the fall season. It’s a great time to clean the siding of houses, sidewalks, decks, roofs and more. Other things they love are trivia questions and great feedback about their work, because it is a labor love. Below are some great facts about the Labor Day holiday and comments from satisfied pressure washing customers.
Most people know that Labor Day in the United States is celebrated on the first Monday in September. It used to be the last hurrah before the school year started. However, many might not know it honors the American labor movement. This movement brought strength, prosperity and well-being to the country as it was booming in the late 19th Century.
This year’s Labor Day holiday is Monday, September 5th.
Trivia Facts About Labor Day
The first state to celebrate Labor Day was Oregon. The legal holiday was celebrated in 1887.Quotes About Labor Day
“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.” – Émile Zola“The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it”. – Wayne Gretzky“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison“Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having except as a result of hard work.” – Booker T. Washington
Nice Words About Complete Power Wash’s Labor
We love to hear great feedback about our work. It makes us feel good, because we know that we have met and exceeded expectations. Here are a few words from Sandra.
“They are on time and courteous and professional at there job and have always done a five-star job. The house always looks like new. We have used them before and will surely use them again.”– Sandra N.
Contact CPW for Pressure Washing Services
To schedule Complete‘s cleaning techs for a pressure washing appointment, call the Hagerstown, MD office (301-842-2290) or by clicking here. CPW techs are the exterior cleaning experts in the Tri-state area of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Complete Power Wash pressure washing techs are experts in roof cleaning and deck and patio cleaning. They are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing. They use the softwash cleaning technique of gentle water pressure and environmentally-friendly detergents. This is safe and effective!
Click here to see a gallery of CPW‘s pressure washing work in the greater Hagerstown, MD area,
Celebrate National Family Fun Month
August is National Family Fun Month. You enjoy your family while we pressure wash your Hagerstown, MD-area home.
Many of the local schools get back in the classroom this week. That’s not exactly the best way to start a post about National Family Fun Month. However, there are plenty of fun ways to close out the summer even when school districts insist on on back-to-school activities being during the hottest month of the year. It might be hard to take an extended trip, but there are plenty of weekend and evening hours to enjoy family time.
The staff at Complete Power Wash in Hagerstown, MD enjoy fun as much as anyone in the Tri-state area. They also enjoy their work, because transforming a house from dirty to clean is what gets them up and going every day. There is only one thing they like more than just cleaning properties. They like pressure washing homes when they know homeowners are having a good time! It only adds to the enjoyment when they know the family’s fun 
day will be capped off when they see their home restored to it’s former beauty.
Below are a list of great ideas to do before families say “goodbye” to the long summer days of 2022.
To celebrate, you may want to :
- Watch a movie in the backyard
- Take an overnight camping trip to a local campground
- Take a day trip to nearby town or city
- Go out for ice cream
- A picnic and play games in a local park
Enjoy a backyard campfire- Take a family bike ride
- Visit the closest zoo
- Go fishing
- More
Click here to read another web page that lists all the fun things to do in Western Maryland.
Complete Power Wash’s Cleaning Services
What is it that is taking the shine away from your home? Is it black or green streaks on the roof? Is it algae on one or more exterior walls? Are the walkways and deck boards a color that’s nearly indescribable?
The CPW techs can take care of those issues and more with our Softwash method of safe cleaning detergents and gentle water pressure. Complete Power Wash services include washing houses, roofs and deck and patio cleaning. CPW pressure washing techs are also trained in commercial and industrial power washing. Click here to see CPW‘s gallery of pressure washing work. The tech’s serve the greater Hagerstown, MD area and most of Frederick County, MD. They residences and commercial buildings in nearby Greencastle, PA and Martinsburg, WV.
Contact the Complete Power Wash office here or call 301.842.220. You can also email sandy@completepowerwash.com.
Pressure Washing Testimonials
“Outstanding from initial call to completed service. The best service business experience I have ever had.” – Brian S.
“Great job! Professional service. The house looks brand new.” – Terry M.
“These guys absolutely rock! Top notch work, excellent communication, and friendly too. Thank you for everything!” – Stanley H.
CPW Pressure Washes Commercial Buildings
Commercial buildings get dirty and ugly and reflect on a company’s image.
Businesses have reputations. Those reputations are built on image and customer relations. Much of that image is found in the physical location the company calls home. An online business has to make sure everything looks good and works on its website and a bricks-and-mortar business has to make sure the façade is clean and inviting.
Clean bricks, walkways, signs and windows are the perfect way to invite new customers into your showroom. People make judgements in fewer than three seconds. Make sure they want to come in and have a great experience from the fourth second forward. Existing customers also like to enter through a clean entrance.
“If you don’t have time for your current customers, your current customers won’t have time for you.” — Brian Fanzo
Softwash Cleans Your Commercial Building Safely
Most people think the best way to clean through pressure washing is to use high-powered water pressure and blast away the dirt and grime. While this can work, it will often blast away part of the surface too. This can be costly, because replacing building materials is never cheap.
Softwash is the technique of using “just the right water pressure,” combined with gentle, environmentally-friendly detergents. These detergents are used to weaken the grip of dirt, mold, mildew and other natural elements. Once the detergent takes affect, the technician can gently wash away the grime.
The most-costly pressure washing damage is done by inexperienced technicians. Common mistakes in the pressure-washing world include the scarring of wood, concrete and siding. Commercial pressure washing equipment and personal use machines have enough power to blast into the hardest of building materials, not to mention flesh and bone. Once lines are carved into driveways, bricks, fences, etc…, a building professional will likely have to fix the damage.
Contact CPW to Pressure Wash Your Business’ Office or Storefront
If you would like to schedule the Complete Power Wash cleaning experts to clean your business location, click here. If you prefer to talk to a CPW staff member, call the Hagerstown office at 301-842-2290. The CPW techs serve the greater Hagerstown area and most of Frederick County, MD. They also clean residences and commercial buildings in nearby Greencastle, PA and Martinsburg, WV. The Complete techs also do roof cleaning and graffiti removal.
“Very professional, prompt, and thorough. I didn’t realize how dirty our house, roof, and sidewalk were until Complete Power Wash cleaned them all!” – Jennifer H., Hagerstown, MD (5-star review)
Happy Independence Day from Complete Power Wash!
Everyone at Complete Power Wash wishes you a happy Independence Day.
July 4th is more than just a day off for workers and an opportunity to grill out and watch fireworks. This great American holiday cemented the freedom for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that is still the hallmark of the United States of America. Below is a short history lesson and some interesting trivia about the Independence Day holiday.
CPW Can Help with All Your Pressure Washing Needs
Complete Power Wash techs are the Hagerstown, MD-area cleaning experts in house washing, roof cleaning and deck and patio cleaning. They also clean driveways, chimneys, gutters and remove graffiti.
The CPW staff uses the softwash technique of gentle water pressure and environmentally-friendly detergents. If your home is dirty — covered in black and green stains or the grime built up from years of neglect — call Complete Power Wash. Call soon to make sure your home is beautiful before family and friends arrive for summer gatherings.
The Foundation of the Independence Day Celebration
Did You Know: On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. The colonies and England had already been at odds for a year when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7th session in the Pennsylvania State House (today it is called Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the now-famous words:
“Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”
These words led to the drafting of a statement presenting to the world the colonies’ case for independence. Members of the committee included John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The drafting of the actual document — The Declaration of Independence — was given to Jefferson.
On July 1, 1776, the Continental Congress reconvened, and on the following day, the resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted. Today, the original copy of the Declaration is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence. The tradition of it being a patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th an unpaid federal holiday. It became a paid federal holiday in 1938.
Independence Day Trivia
- Only John Hancock actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. All the others signed later.
- The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men from 13 colonies. Each could have been tried for treason had the revolution failed, losing their lives and their family property.
- The average age of the signers of the Declaration of Independence was 45. The youngest was Thomas Lynch, Jr (27) of South Carolina. The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin (70) of Pennsylvania. The lead author, Thomas Jefferson, was 33.
- The only two signers of the Declaration of Independence who later served as President of the United States were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
- The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the Colonies would appear equal.
- The first Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. This was also the day that the Declaration of Independence was first read in public after people were summoned by the ringing of the Liberty Bell.
- The White House held its first 4th of July party in 1801.
- Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on July 4th. Adams and Jefferson (both signed the Declaration) died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.
- In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new nation. Today the population of the U.S.A. is 326 million.
- Fireworks are part of the tradition of celebrating this national holiday. More than 250 million pounds of fireworks will go up in smoke in 2018.
- Grilling food is also big on Independence Day. Approximately 150 million hot dogs are consumed on this day.
- Every 4th of July, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped (not actually rung) thirteen times in honor of the original thirteen colonies.
Contact Complete Power Wash to Schedule a Cleaning
Call 301.842.2290 or contact the CPW office today for a free pressure washing estimate. Click here to see images of the tech’s pressure washing work. They serve the greater Hagerstown area and most of Frederick County, MD. These cleaning pros also clean residences and commercial buildings in nearby Greencastle, PA and Martinsburg, WV.
Complete Power Wash is a professional pressure washing company in Hagerstown, MD. The CPW techs clean the exteriors of homes, businesses and churches in Western Maryland’s Tri-state area. That area includes parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Frederick County, MD. The techs use the softwash cleaning method, the safest pressure washing technique.