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The following background to this video was obtained by combining knowledge from the creator of this video, William West Hopper, and knowledge from the Conshohocken Historical Society.

The parade in this video took place on May 25, 1975, and commemorates General Lafayette’s retreat from the British during the Revolutionary War in 1778 (AKA the Battle of Barron Hill). Additional information on the Battle of Barren Hill can be found here.

This parade was organized by the Conshohocken Bicentennial Committee and was attended by the French Ambassador to the United States.  

This video was shot at the intersection of North Lane and East Hector Street, which is on the route Lafayette used during his retreat into what is now the borough of Conshohocken. It was shot on Super 8 film by Margaret West Hopper and was uploaded onto the YouTube channel of her son, William West Hopper. There is no sound.

William West Hopper was a Coatesville Area Senior High School senior when this video was created, and at the eight-second mark, he appears wearing a black coat on his gray show horse Point North as the Marquis de Lafayette. His friend Barbara Fieber also appears as Continental officer Thadeusz Kosciuszko on a black horse with a red coat. At the 22-second mark, a Coatesville Area Senior High School Junior named MaryJean Moore (now Dr. MaryJean Hollingsworth of Anchorage, Alaska) appears in her own handmade costume as a colonial-era woman. She appears to be hiding behind a Jeep door. This part of the video was taken in the parking lot of what was then the Lee Tires factory but is now the Spring Mill office building.

A memento presented to William West Hopper as a participant of this parade is displayed below.

Starting at the 36-second mark, the creator of this video, Margaret West Hopper, was standing in the parking lot of Lee Tire factory and videoing the parade as it traveled towards the borough of Conshohocken on East Hector Street. In the background at the 40-second mark is a water tower. This tower was attached to one of the many factories that were constructed in the Conshohocken area at that time. As the video progresses, the large building in the background is the Walker Brothers Manufacturing building. This area is now occupied by condominiums and apartments.

Some notable floats which make an appearance in this video are:

• At 1 minute and 29 seconds the Spirit of 76 float.
• At 2 minutes and 21 seconds the Shriners Hospital float
• At 3 minutes and 57 seconds the Plymouth Meeting Historical Society float.

One of the cars which were flying the French flag contains the French ambassador to the United States.

Header Photo – Film background ©Ig0rZh from Getty Images Pro via Canva.com
All other images courtesy of Conshohocken Historical Society