Music for the Fourth

It's the classic setting for countless stories in American folklore and history.
For rural communities it was the center of commerce;
the meeting place for friends, family, and strangers;
and the social hub for all kinds of local events.

 

It was the old country store,
and occasionally it was also a venue
for music concerts like this brass band

 pictured outside a typical general store.
Eleven bandsmen dressed in ill fitting uniforms
stand on a rough dirt road playing
for a small group of people
gathered on the store's entrance porch.

 

 

  

 

 To one side, leaning on the hitching rail,
a few more boys and young men listen to the music.
It's a prosperous looking establishment
with two stories, a lower basement, and brick construction.
 

Fortunately the photographer added a caption
with the store's name and location.

Kenyon Store,
Gilmanton, Wis.

 

 

 

 This house is
our dance
hall in
Gilmanton
only you
cant see
all of it
thereis
where we
have high
old times
once in
a while

 

 

The town of Gilmanton, Wisconsin is in Buffalo County in west central Wisconsin about 50 miles southeast of Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota. Its current population is around 450, but in 1910 there were 834 people counted in the federal census. Mr. Elmer Kenyon, (1870 – 1922), was the proprietor of the store. He also managed a farm, operated a creamery, became associated with banking and telephone businesses, served as postmaster and town clerk, and in 1921 won a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Sadly he died on March 11, 1922 while still in office following an appendicitis operation. I think the man dressed in black vest and white shirt standing left behind the band has the look of a store keeper, so he may be Elmer Kenyon.

 

The postcard was addressed to Miss Mary Yost of Alma, Wisconsin, the county seat about 19 miles southwest of Gilmanton. Alma is situated on the upper Mississippi River which separates Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1910 it had a population of  1,011 though now it has diminished to about 720 citizens.

 

 

Hello there. well how
you was enyhow ment
to send you a postal long
ago but never get so far
did you have a good time at
Tell. tell you I had a dandy
time was buming all day
news years & all night.
Say the picture on the other
side of this card is our bigest
store in Gilmanton. ans soon  In care of M. Leanhardy.
Your lovingly  Hattie

 

The postmark date is 8 January 1909 from Mondovi, a larger town about 9 miles north of Gilmanton. Tell is the name of an unincorporated community about halfway between Gilmanton and Alma.The writer, Hattie, is describing celebrations for the new year but the photo of the Kenyon Store is clearly not a picture of wintertime in Wisconsin. In fact there is a very good clue that helps identify the date o the photo. The flag hanging above the band and small group of townspeople is neatly caught by a breeze to reveal all of the stars on the banner. There are 46. 

 

 

 

46 Star Flag of the United States (1908–1912)

 

The 46 star flag of the United States was a new version that replaced the 45 star flag (1896–1908) to mark the entry of the new state of Oklahoma on July 4th, 1908. Even people in Wisconsin thought this was something worth celebrating.

A lot has changed in 114 years, but sometimes solid buildings survive. Though I am not 100% certain, when you look up Gilmanton on Google Maps the first image offered is a building that looks like the  21st century descendant of the Kenyon Store. The porch is gone, the side and back yard are filled in, and the brick is covered in siding, but the general dimensions and windows line up and the front roof soffit is identical. I think it's the same building.

 

 

 

 It's now called LeeBo's Bar & Grill.
and gets pretty good reviews
for its pizza and burgers.
I wonder if it ever has a brass band
play on the 4th of July?

 

 

 

This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where there's an "All you can eat"
special on fish this weekend.