Many musters held this year took on a star-spangled bicentennial theme in honor of the nation’s 200th birthday. The recently-formed Central Pennsylvania Chapter staged its first Harrisburg Muster this year. To this day, the Pennsylvania Pump Primers’ muster site in Riverside Park on the Susquehanna River remains one of the finest and most familiar in the country. Three ex-Syracuse Fire Department Seagrave tractor-drawn 85’ aerial ladder trucks (1923, 1928 and 1930) were among the participants at the 1976 SPAAMFAA Convention & Muster in Syracuse.

For the first time an Owner’s Pride photo and story appeared on the back cover of Enjine!-Enjine! 1976-2. The inaugural subject was Morrisville, Vermont’s 1924 Maxim pumper. Two new chapters – Central Pennsylvania and Connecticut were chartered this year.