This is where it all began. In 1886, a group of men headed by C.V. Mickey formed a Band called the “Wonder City Rube Band” and those first musical notes has become a 128 – year long tradition of band concerts in the Spring Park. The band has played each Summer over this time span. Under its first director, C.V. Mickey, it very early on acquired a deserved reputation as one of the top small-town city bands in this area.
Early membership rarely exceeded eight or ten. They played anywhere in the Spring Park where they could find a place to sit. The band played five two-hour concerts per week, from May 1 to Oct. 1. The band has played over 6,000 concerts in the span of 128 years.
Information from “Golden Nuggets of History 1881-1981 prepared by the Centennial Committee, research by Virginia Ryan Strain, and “The Band Plays On” compiled by many people like Linda Roseman of the Chamber of Commerce, Steve Banks, Irma Jean Pickell and Lillian Sunderwirth.
Facebook Comments