Ft. Sherman Band
By Robert Singletary
For twenty years, 1878 to 1898, the military band at Fort Coeur d’Alene/Sherman provided much of the musical entertainment for the village of Coeur d’Alene. After the closure of the fort in 1898, the town was without an organized band for several years. On March 12, 1907, Professor James Austin organized the first Coeur d’Alene City Band with just thirteen members. Less than one month later, the band made their first performance following the city election on April 2nd. Each band member owned their uniform and instrument. The City of Coeur d’Alene paid for the music and the band director’s salary. The photo above shows the band in Blackwell Park in 1910. CDA-13-8
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