Small Town is 200 years old, and just yesterday, it celebrated its bicentennial with the unveiling of a huge multi-part mural in the town square, a brief speech by the mayor, and a street concert by my summer band.
The town closed down the main intersection and positioned three firetrucks as our backdrop. We played our bit to a pretty nice crowd, and there weren't even any deep-fry stands or carnie rides. We played a mix of crowd pleasers, like a few patriotic classics, Over the Rainbow, Festive Overture, and Mule Train. Mule Train may seem odd, but given the history of Small Town, it fits, kind of.
In 1807, two guys bought 2,175 acres in the "western frontier" and plotted out a town they hoped would become the county seat, once the county had been established. By 1818, the place had three taverns and two houses, houses I assume that belonged tothe land buyers. It wasn't until the Ohio Erie Canal was built and in full operation that Small Town really got kicking. Trade and travelers built Small Town up enough to allow the houses and shops to outnumber the taverns, although it never did become the county seat.
During the Canal era, canal boats were pulled down along the canals by teams of mules, often lead by children, on paths alongside the waterway. Canal=mules=mule train. Forget that the song is a wild west festival of cracking horse whips and bellowing "yee hahs" from the soloist. If you want to play the song, you find a way to make it work.
This is a picture of my summer band in its early days in the early 1900s. The uniformed guy in the front is Dominic Greco, the band's founder and director. the guy next to him is the governor.
This is what we look like now. We've got nearly 80 members these days,
but we don't have caps and plumed hats. It's a pity.
The town closed down the main intersection and positioned three firetrucks as our backdrop. We played our bit to a pretty nice crowd, and there weren't even any deep-fry stands or carnie rides. We played a mix of crowd pleasers, like a few patriotic classics, Over the Rainbow, Festive Overture, and Mule Train. Mule Train may seem odd, but given the history of Small Town, it fits, kind of.
In 1807, two guys bought 2,175 acres in the "western frontier" and plotted out a town they hoped would become the county seat, once the county had been established. By 1818, the place had three taverns and two houses, houses I assume that belonged tothe land buyers. It wasn't until the Ohio Erie Canal was built and in full operation that Small Town really got kicking. Trade and travelers built Small Town up enough to allow the houses and shops to outnumber the taverns, although it never did become the county seat.
During the Canal era, canal boats were pulled down along the canals by teams of mules, often lead by children, on paths alongside the waterway. Canal=mules=mule train. Forget that the song is a wild west festival of cracking horse whips and bellowing "yee hahs" from the soloist. If you want to play the song, you find a way to make it work.
This is a picture of my summer band in its early days in the early 1900s. The uniformed guy in the front is Dominic Greco, the band's founder and director. the guy next to him is the governor.
This is what we look like now. We've got nearly 80 members these days,but we don't have caps and plumed hats. It's a pity.
Comments
My town's almost 200 years older than your town. Neiner neiner neiner.
And your band looks so much fun! I can imagine Mule Train is a riot.
And sorry, girls, but I think that tonight I shall wander along the road from the station and have a pint in the twelfth century cellar of one of my favourite pubs.
That's scary!
I like the old bands uniform of plumed hats. I'm a bit of a hat nut at the moment.
It would have been nice to bring them back for the bicentennial.