WISCONSIN BANDSHELLS AND STANDS
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Berlin

Nathan Strong Park Bandstand
Picture4/3/2005
The Berlin Historical Society (BHS) reports:

City Park was originally given to the residents of Berlin by its founder, Nathan Strong.  He dedicated the one block square to be forever for the use of the people.  Over time, it was nothing more than a grassy area with trees.  By 1885, people began to realize its potential as a community gathering place.  An editorial in the Berlin Daily Courant, July 7, 1885, began a discussion what could be put in the "park".  One suggestion was "if only for a fourth of July speech, a band stand or a seat for a tired or love-lorn couple on a holiday.  Now it would cost very little to put a handsome, small pavilion in the center of the park with a tasty roof and some inexpensive seats.  Everyone can see not only the addition of such a structure would be to the park, but we understand that the Arion Club promise to play in the park once a week during pleasant weather if some such stand should be provided."   The Arion Club was a local community band.   


Additionally, the Berlin Historical Society (BHS) says that it could not determine how the actual bandstand came about and who built it was not reported in any of the papers it has seen.  Plans for a Civil War monument, located in the park, were started in 1887 and dedicated on October 10, 1894.  During the newspaper "discussions" about the monument, the bandstand was never mentioned.  All photos that the BHS have show the bandstand already there when the monument was completed.  It is speculated that the bandstand was built between 1885 and 1894.  Another significant structure in the park is a fountain built in 1903.  A Wisconsin Marker honors Lucy Smith Morris, a leader of women's political and cultural forums, who helped to organize Wisconsin's League of Women voters.
 
The City Park was the only park in Berlin until the 1930s when a park was built on the west side, called West Side Park.  City Parks' name was changed to East Side Park.  In 1976, to celebrate the Bicentennial, it was renamed and dedicated to its originator, Nathan Strong.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Until 2006, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day celebrations were held at the park.  Band concerts and visiting musician concerts were also annually held.  Weddings have taken place and an annual community event called "Victorian Days" used the park as its headquarters with craft and food vendors selling their wares.  Today, farmer's markets are held during the summer along with occasional "Music in the Parks" program. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Picture
"The Concert", a watercolor painting by artist Charles Peterson in 2001; Courtesy of the Berlin Historical Society.
Picture
A pen and ink sketch created by local artist Fred Schmidt; Courtesy of the Berlin Historical Society.
Picture
Photo courtesy of Berlin Historical Society, date unknown.
Picture
Photo courtesy of Berlin Historical Society, date unknown.
Picture
Photo courtesy of Berlin Historical Society, date unknown.



​Location

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  • About
  • WI Map of Sites
  • Sneak Peek of a Few
  • Index of All by Community
  • Information about Sites A - E
    • Albany
    • Amery
    • Antigo
    • Appleton Jones Park
    • Appleton Pierce Park
    • Ashland
    • Athens
    • Baraboo
    • Beaver Dam
    • Belleville
    • Beloit
    • Berlin
    • Black River Falls
    • Brandon
    • Brillion
    • Brodhead
    • Burlington
    • Cedarburg
    • Chilton
    • Chippewa Falls Irvine Park
    • Chippewa Falls Riverfront Park
    • Clear Lake
    • DeForest
    • Delavan
    • Durand
    • Eagle River
    • East Troy
    • Eau Claire
    • Edgerton
    • Egg Harbor
    • Elkhorn
  • Information about Sites F - J
    • Florence
    • Fond du Lac Buttermilk Creek Park
    • Fond du Lac Lakeside Park
    • Fort Atkinson
    • Franklin
    • Galesville
    • Germantown
    • Glendale
    • Grafton
    • Green Bay Botanical Garden
    • Green Bay St. James Park
    • Green Lake
    • Greendale
    • Greenfield
    • Hartford
    • Hartland
    • Hilbert
    • Holmen
    • Hudson
    • Hustisford
    • Janesville Marvin W. Roth Commnity Pavilion
    • Janesville JP Cullen Memorial Pavilion and Cope-Ryan Pavilion
    • Jefferson
  • Information about Sites K - Me
    • Kenosha
    • Kewaunee
    • Kewaskum
    • Kiel
    • Kimberly
    • King
    • Kohler
    • La Crosse
    • Ladysmith
    • Lake Geneva
    • Lake Mills
    • Lebanon
    • Little Chute
    • Madison Orton Park
    • Madison U of WI Union Terrace
    • Manawa
    • Manitowoc
    • Marinette
    • Marshall
    • Marshfield Columbia Park
    • Marshfield Wenzel Family Plaza
    • Mazomanie
    • Menomonee Falls
    • Menomonie
    • Mequon
    • Merrill
  • Information about Sites Mi - Q
    • Middleton
    • Milwaukee 3rd Ward
    • Milwaukee Humboldt Park
    • Milwaukee Indaba Bandshell
    • Milwaukee Kilbourn-Kadish Park
    • Milwaukee Lake Park
    • Milwaukee Peck Pavilion
    • Milwaukee Pere Marquette Park
    • Milwaukee Victory Over Violence Park
    • Milwaukee Washington Park
    • Milwaukee Zeidler Union Square
    • Monroe
    • Mosinee
    • Mt. Morris
    • Neenah
    • Neillsville
    • New Holstein
    • Oconomowoc
    • Oostburg Bandstand
    • Oostburg Bandshell
    • Oregon
    • Oshkosh
    • Osseo
    • Peshtigo
    • Phillips
    • Platteville
    • Plover
    • Plymouth
    • Port Washington
  • Information about Sites R - S
    • Racine North Beach
    • Racine Zoo
    • Readstown
    • Reedsburg
    • Rice Lake
    • Richland Center
    • Ripon
    • River Falls
    • Sauk City
    • Saukville
    • Seymour
    • Shawano
    • Sheboygan City Green
    • Sheboygan Fountain Park
    • Sheboygan Lake View Park
    • Sheboygan Taylor Park
    • Shell Lake
    • Siren
    • Sister Bay Gazebo/ Bandstand
    • Sister Bay Bandshell
    • Solon Springs
    • Sparta
    • Spring Green
    • Stevens Point
    • Stoughton
    • Stratford
    • Sturgeon Bay
    • Superior
  • Information about Sites T - Z
    • Thiensville
    • Tigerton
    • Tomah
    • Two Rivers Central Memorial Park
    • Two Rivers Neshota Park
    • Wabeno
    • Waterloo Firemen's Park
    • Waterloo Veteran's Memorial Park
    • Watertown
    • Watertown Bentzin Family Town Square
    • Waukesha
    • Waunakee
    • Waupaca
    • Waupaca Rotary Riverview Park
    • Wausau 400 BLOCK
    • Wausau Hammond Park
    • Wausau Marathon Park
    • Wauwatosa
    • Wauwatosa Mayfair Collection
    • West Bend Old Settlers Triangle Park
    • West Bend Silver Lining Stage
    • West Bend Strachota Bandstand
    • West Salem
    • Whitehall
    • Williams Bay Ferro Pavilion
    • Wi Dells
    • WI Rapids
    • Wittenberg
  • Index of All by Community