Ridgefield’s tree-lined streets were filled with families waving American flags this Fourth of July, celebrating the town’s connection to the company that got its start there 81 years ago.
Located 22 miles north of Portland, Ore., the charming town known for being the birthplace of U-Haul® celebrated America’s 250th birthday on July 4. It was quite a patriotic sight.
A Milestone Celebration
This year’s parade marked 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing on July 4, 1776. U-Haul debuted a new SuperGraphic featuring a bald eagle, paying tribute to the occasion, on a moving truck that was escorted by U-Haul Team Members who live and work in the area.
Ben Stephens, U-Haul Co. of Southern Washington president, and Kyle Campion, U-Haul Co. of Portland president, led the group. They were joined by Mandy Clinton, Robert Meade, Taylor Williamson, and Hector Linares Guerra (accompanied by wife Yasmin and their children).
“It was fun seeing and hearing how people reacted to our equipment being displayed in the parade,” said Williamson, a U-Box customer care representative.
Ridgefield has carried the title as the birthplace of U-Haul since the Company’s first trailers were built on the Carty Family Ranch in the summer of 1945. The connection remains a point of pride for the community 81 years later.
Families lined the parade route in red, white and blue, cheering on the U-Haul entry with the rest of the Fourth of July celebration participants. It was a fitting way to mark both a hometown milestone and a national event in the town where it all began.
