The Fourth of July in Andover, New Hampshire, is a study in tradition. For one day, our quaint little village is overrun with thousands of visitors seeking an experience of Americana not found in bigger towns.

Sure, they come looking for deals on antiques (and junk) at the flea market that sprawls across the Green....

...and the parade, and fireworks. But they get something else. For a few hours, visitors are immersed in a community that seems to have been preserved from long ago. At 10:00 AM, boy scouts and girl scouts raise the flag.

Once again, Margo Coolidge sings God Bless America. With no prompting, the crowd goes silent. Hats come off. Some salute; others place their right hands over their hearts.

Red, white and blue are everywhere. Watermelon is for sale. The local newspaper sponsors an "Old Home Day" tent, where you are invited to sit and "reconnoiter." The Kearsarge Community Band plays patriotic songs, songs written a century ago.

In a distinctly local tradition, local elementary school kids perform as members of the "One Wheelers."

This is rural America, and for all of the technology and media that invades our lives, it is a place where--for one day, at least--people come together to enjoy and celebrate in a manner that has not changed much over the decades. Several organizations (the fire department, snowmobile club, historical society, etc.) offer fund-raising raffles. Once again, the Andover Outing Club sponsors barnyard bingo and we bet on which square a cow will drop her....well, you know.