This file part of www.watertownhistory.org website
Thacker's Band
c1905? WHS_006_294
TOP ROW: Frank Newbouer [Neugebauer?], James O’Brien,
Arthur Radtke, Peter Wachholz [Wachholtz?], Hugo Herzog, Prof. Frank Thacker,
Theodore Sonnemann, Herman Borchardt, Theodore Grabow, Max Bayerlein.
FRONT ROW: George Krueger, Adolph Krueger, Earl Fix,
Arthur Zimmermann, Walter Schmidt, Edward Reichardt, Franklin Kopp, Walter
Simon, Arthur Polzin, P. G. Eickmann, George Wenck (about age 13).
Professor Frank Thacker’s Concert
Band was an early music organization in Watertown. This band reportedly used to rehearse in the Concordia
Music Hall brick building on same block as the Fuermann Brewery and Ice House,
later Memorial Park and then the city hall building. The music hall and ice house were both
consumed in an 1882 fire, which, would be more than 20 years before this image. Perhaps it was another band?
1905
05 16 The
first open air concert of the season was given last evening by the members of
Thacker's Concert Band to large crowds of appreciative listeners along Main
Street. It is a display of generosity on
the part of this musical organization that should be appreciated by the citizens
of Watertown. There should be some of
that substantial assistance in the way of financial support. It is the intention to continue the concerts
on Saturday evenings throughout the summer and to give two a week if the proper
encouragement is shown. The initial
concert was certainly a treat and it is to be earnestly hoped that the
appreciation will be sufficient to have them continued.
1905
08 05 There
is no doubt but that our citizens appreciate Thacker's band but we are inclined
to the belief, not to the extent the band deserves. All who have heard the band, and we presume
that there is not a person in the city who has not, recognize the members as
musicians of merit, entitled to consideration because of their proficiency and
disposition to favor the public with concerts without other hope of reward than
appreciation for their efforts to please and entertain. Wednesday evenings they give free concerts
upon Main to which all are invited to listen and be entertained.
The members are all excellent
young men, among the best in the city and an honor and credit to Watertown for
whom the city should not withhold encouragement and support, should be of a
substantial character.
1905
09 13 Thacker's
Concert Band took part in the band tournament at Waterloo last Wednesday and
those present from this city were proud of our band. The band made an excellent appearance and it
goes without saying, that it made mighty good music and attracted a good deal
of attention whenever it played. The
band was awarded the prize.
An item to the effect that a girl
living in a village in New York faints when the local band begins to play is
going the rounds of the papers. If she
will move to Watertown, she will not faint when our band plays but return to
her abiding place enraptured.
Cross Reference:
