Mapleton Turns 100: Kangaroo Kourt

The cover of Mapleton's centennial book gives the dates as July 10 through July 16, 1966, but its printed program runs eight days, from Saturday, July 9, through Saturday, July 16, and shows how the borough planned to fill them.

The program opened on Saturday, July 9, with an antique auto show and parade, the crowning of a Centennial Queen and the opening of something called the Kangaroo Kourt at 8 p.m. Sunday was set aside as religious day, with church services, reunions and a vesper service. Homecoming was to bring a parade, a band concert and a birthday celebration. Ladies' Day listed a cooking demonstration, a fashion show and a celebration ball at 9 p.m.

Youth Day was set to swear in young people as town officers at noon, followed by a treasure hunt, a soap box derby, bicycle races and an 8 p.m. rock 'n roll dance. Water Day promised games at the pool, a horse show, a chicken barbecue and fireworks at 10. Veterans Day was to have a parade and a salute at the honor roll, and to close with the judging of beards at 9 p.m.

Fireman's Day was to bring a Battle of the Barrel, a pumping contest, a queen's supper, a parade and more fireworks, scheduled from 9:30 to "?". The program promised bingo, rides and eats all week, and the Kangaroo Kourt each night.

The same book shows a town getting ready. Volunteers were working hard to finish a new bathhouse at the swimming pool in time for the centennial, and in June council planned new mercury vapor street lights.

That was a lot of party to plan for a small borough. The book's own table counts 803 people in 1940, 742 in 1950 and 666 in 1960.

Checked 2026-10-31 · County histories and primary sources, read in full

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