WISCONSIN BANDSHELLS AND STANDS
  • 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
    • Belleville
    • Beaver Dam
    • Beloit
    • Berlin
    • Black River Falls
    • Brandon
    • Brodhead
    • Burlington
    • Chippewa Falls Irvine Park
    • Chippewa Falls Riverfront Park
    • Cedarburg
    • 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
    • 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
    • Kimberly
    • King
    • Kohler
    • La Crosse
    • Ladysmith
    • Lake Geneva
    • Lake Mills
    • Lebanon
    • 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
    • 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
    • Neillsville
    • 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
    • Sauk City
    • Saukville
    • Seymour
    • Shawano
    • Sheboygan City Green
    • Sheboygan Fountain Park
    • Sheboygan Lake View 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
    • Waukesha
    • Waunakee
    • Waupaca
    • Waupaca Rotary Riverview Park
    • Wausau 400 BLOCK
    • Wausau Hammond Park
    • Wausau Marathon Park
    • Wauwatosa
    • West Bend Old Settlers Triangle Park
    • West Bend Strachota Bandstand
    • West Bend Silver Lining Stage
    • Whitehall
    • Williams Bay Ferro Pavilion
    • Wi Dells
    • WI Rapids
    • Wittenberg

Lake Mills 

Franklin Else Memorial Bandstand
Picture2017; A sign located in the park showed the progress of fundraising
Franklin Else Bandstand, a gazebo style bandstand, is located in the center of downtown Lake Mills, in the 3.7 acre Commons Park.  Also on the site are two monuments and in the winter, an ice skating rink draws many.

Else was the director of the Lake Mills City Band from 1932-1970 and a Lake Mills Public School Music Teacher from 1932-1975. The bandstand was dedicated in 1994 by friends and citizens of Lake Mills. His love of and dedication to music are remembered by all whose names, as donors, are listed and displayed at the L.D. Fargo Library, which is located across from the park.

In 2013, it was determined that the bandstand needed considerable repair.  A group established "FixIt4Franklin" for the $100,00 b
andstand renovation. 

In 2014, an engineering analysis was completed, paid for by the Lake Mills City Band ($5,000) and the Chamber of Commerce (($1,000).  With that in mind, fundraising started.  Improvements include LED lighting in the ceiling (musicians had trouble reading music with the old lighting), lighting to accent the cupola in the evening, better electrical service, resurfacing the flooring which had become pitted over time by WI weather, painting, new stairs to the stage area, new signage at the base, and removing the timber landscaping surrounding it and replacing it with a tiered brick structure.  
​

On June 6, 2018, the bandshell celebrated a rededication after a top to bottom makeover.  This effort took five years not only to assess what was needed but to raise the funds.  Perseverance, determination, and hard work paid off, and the result is that it is now in tip-top form for many years to come.

The 940WFAW website article by Gary Douglas describes in detail the complete process of the rehabilitation and the rededication of the Franklin Else Bandstand.

Many summer concerts are scheduled at the bandstand; each concert is supported by various groups in the community.  During the summer of 2020, two concerts are planned - July 29 and August 12.  Rehearsals will also be at the bandstand starting July 6.  All is weather permitting and with social distancing.

Picture
Dedication Memorial To Franklin Else
Picture

The June 6, 2018 Program
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Picture

​
​Besides the talented Lake Mill City Band, the other "
pièce de résistance" is the artwork created by Karen Crosby, a local artist, who designed 12 panels that embrace the stage of the bandstand.  Named "The Spirit of the Lake", they are made of powder coated steel and have cutouts, reminiscent of paper cutting, that reflect the life forms of Rock Lake.  Here are just a few of the panels.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Location

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • 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
    • Belleville
    • Beaver Dam
    • Beloit
    • Berlin
    • Black River Falls
    • Brandon
    • Brodhead
    • Burlington
    • Chippewa Falls Irvine Park
    • Chippewa Falls Riverfront Park
    • Cedarburg
    • 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
    • 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
    • Kimberly
    • King
    • Kohler
    • La Crosse
    • Ladysmith
    • Lake Geneva
    • Lake Mills
    • Lebanon
    • 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
    • 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
    • Neillsville
    • 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
    • Sauk City
    • Saukville
    • Seymour
    • Shawano
    • Sheboygan City Green
    • Sheboygan Fountain Park
    • Sheboygan Lake View 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
    • Waukesha
    • Waunakee
    • Waupaca
    • Waupaca Rotary Riverview Park
    • Wausau 400 BLOCK
    • Wausau Hammond Park
    • Wausau Marathon Park
    • Wauwatosa
    • West Bend Old Settlers Triangle Park
    • West Bend Strachota Bandstand
    • West Bend Silver Lining Stage
    • Whitehall
    • Williams Bay Ferro Pavilion
    • Wi Dells
    • WI Rapids
    • Wittenberg