Monthly Archives: July 2015

Fred Blood (band director)

Fred Blood was the precocious director of the Capital City Band from 1910 until his death in 1924. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Frank Berneker (band director)

Frank Berneker, who was white, was the first director of the Springfield Municipal Colored Band. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Lewis E. Evans (band director)

Lewis “Happy” Evans, a classically trained musician, was director of the Springfield Municipal Colored Band from 1941 until 1956. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Springfield Municipal Colored Band

The Springfield Municipal Colored Band was created in 1936 and went out of existence when the black and white band units were combined in 1956. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Capital City Band (‘Professor Blood’s Band’)

The Capital City Band was one of two bands that were merged to form the Springfield Municipal Band in 1933. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Illinois Watch Factory Band

The Illinois Watch Factory Band, founded in 1881, was one of two bands that were merged to form the Springfield Municipal Band in 1933. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Springfield Municipal Band

See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Louis Lehmann (band director)

Professor Louis Lehmann (1851-1923) led the Illinois Watch Factory Band for 42 years, until he collapsed and died at a band rehearsal. William Dodd Chenery described the scene in 1933: For forty-two years, almost to a day, he carried on, … Continue reading

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Assembly Ball, 1889 (photo)

This obviously staged photograph was taken by William Patton in the lobby of the Leland Hotel, Sixth Street and Capitol Avenue, in 1889. The photo was later printed in the lllinois State Journal. The caption said, in part: Here in … Continue reading

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Frisina theaters

Theaters owned by the Taylorville-based Frisina Amusement Corp. competed with those operated by Springfield’s own Kerasotes Theaters for most of the 20th century. For more information, see Esquire theater.

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