July 4, 1876, marked the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s also the day the lights turned on in San Francisco.

When Lou Gehrig announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, he had less than two years to live. But on July 4, 1939, the Yankees legend was the luckiest man in the world.

The U.S. Coast Guard barque Eagle is a symbol of American might and excellence. But before she became a beacon of democracy, the Eagle had a very different origin story: Nazi Germany.

Modern day Americans go hard for the Fourth of July, but the original Americans went even harder. Here’s how the Founding Fathers got down to celebrate Independence Day.

The Harvey Gamage is a 131-foot schooner from Portland, Maine. And on July 4, she’ll sail through New York harbor with a crew of high schoolers at the helm.

The Elissa is the oldest ship included in the Sail4th parade in New York City. But before she became a historical landmark in Galveston, Texas, the tall ship was used to smuggle cigarettes in Greece.