MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA HISTORY

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Picture: Wilton Town Band about 1919 – Courtesy of Claridon Doyle

Wilton Bands
By Curtis Frymoyer

Transcribed by Elizabeth Casillas, April 7, 2015

    Wilton has always been a good band town. The town’s first July 4th celebration in 1856 included music by the “best band in the county, in fact every musician in the county…a fiddle and a tenor drum.” A more orthodox band, the Independent Cornet Band, directed by Henry Graaf, played at the programs of the Wilton Dramatic Club in the spring of 1876, and at the Centennial 4th of July celebration.

     There were two bands in town in 1879. On July 17 the Wilton Review reported, “Our Saturday evening concerts are becoming very popular and the townspeople congregate to listen to and enjoy the music. The Union Band occupy the crossing at Cedar and Fourth Streets and as usual have their hearers. Maurer’s Band have chosen the corner of Fourth and Cherry Streets and with new music and first class execution have their share of attention.”

     In 1880 the Union band boys purchased a new band wagon. “The paint (by Ed. Hoover) is a light canary with the words ‘Wilton Union Cornet Band’ placed upon each side on a red background.” A year later the “Review” reported that “The Cornet Band of Wilton numbers 13 members and under their leader, Prof. Gabriel, has attained to a taste and proficiency seldom reached by country musicians.”

     In 1890’s there was a band called the Mud Creek Ramblers. A town band always led the July 4th parades in the early 1900’s.

     About 1914-15 Norman Abbott was the band leader. The band gave Saturday evening concerts at the corner of 4th and Cedar Streets, sometimes standing in a circle and sometimes seated on chairs. Clifford Bacon was also the leader on some occasions.

     Matt Starck was hired as a band director about 1916 or 17. He had been giving lessons in Wilton for sometime before this and had a Saturday class in band music. The band was supported by donations from business men of Wilton. Art Wacker was the manager. When Mr. Wacker was in the service in World War I Dave Burrows acted as manager. Mr. Wacker assumed managerial duties on his return and …

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This page sponsored in memory of Art Wacker by the Old Wilton Town Band.

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Picture: Wilton Town Band 1925 – Courtesy of Harriett Jensen and Jake Duffe
    Front row (left to right) – Clifford Hain, Clifton Cockshoot, Dick Lauser, Jake Duffe, Mort Cockshoot, Bob Lauser, Matt Stark, conductor.
    Back row – Louis Hammerick, Paul Smay, Howard Lenker, Wm. Olmstead, Harold Wacker, H. F. Lauser, Clarence Lenker, Alfred Hansen, Aloysius Smay, Harry Harder, Albert Gatzke, and Arthur Wacker.

…continued to serve as long as he lived, when Harold Wacker and Clarence Lenker accepted the responsibility.

    The band practiced once or twice a week in the old City Hall and during the summer played a concert every Saturday night. The town provided a band stand on wheels which was brought into position at the Star Drug Store corner on Saturday afternoon. Sometimes it was located in the center of the intersection and other times on the parking next to the drug store. The street north of the corner was often parked so full of cars that no travel was possible on it. Some people parked their cars there in the afternoon so as to have a “ringside seat” for the evening concert. The band played about 8 p.m. to 19 p.m. with a 15 intermission. The town was always crowded on these occasions and the stores did a rushing business. It was midnight or later before the last customers departed.

     The band played some out-of-town dates each summer. Tipton and West Liberty Fair jobs were yearly events. The Mississippi Valley Fair sponsored a band contest in the 20’s which was won by Wilton three times in succession. The band went to Muscatine several times to play in parades.

     One memorable occasion in Wilton was the World War I Armistice Day celebration in 1918. The band was called out in the evening after some of the members were already in bed. Church bells were ringing and whistles blowing. When they assembled downtown they found a huge bonfire at the Star Drug Store corner. Hayrack loads of boxes, barrels, picket fences and outhouses kept the fire going for many…

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    This page sponsored in memory of Matt Stark by the Old Wilton Town Band.

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Picture: Looking east from corner of 4th and Cedar – Courtesy of Edna Maurer

…hours. The band played until nearly morning.

    The Memorial Day service was an annual custom. The band marched and played in the parade and took part in the program at the cemetery which was concluded always by the playing of Taps. During the 30’s the band furnished music at the high school basketball games.

    Pictures of some of the early bands show them in uniform coats and caps. After the turn of the century band members usually were dressed in white with blue caps. About this time many girls played in the band. They wore white dresses and blue caps.

    The early bands, directed by local musicians, bought and owned their own music. When the professional band man, Matt Stark, became leader he furnished the music from his fine musical library. When Mr. Manhardt was director he also furnished the music. During the summer concert season a new and different program was performed each week.

    Matt Stark continued as band director until after the end of World War II, a period of 30 or more years. The next director for a few years was Mr. Bausman, the high school band teacher. Later Mr. Manhardt, a professional bandmaster from Muscatine was hired and he continued as leader until the organization was disbanded.

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    “A photo artist—Mr. S. H. Wise is beyond doubt master of his trade. For a dozen years or more he has made faces for us, and if he has ever failed to give satisfaction it has doubtless been the fault of the subject rather than the artist. Some faces cannot be made to look well and it is no credit to an artist to make a picture look very much better than the original.”

Wilton Review, Jan. 8, 1886

    This page sponsored in honor of Fred Mannhardt by the Old Wilton Town Band.