Editing Oskaloosa, Iowa (section)

==Municipal Band and historic bandstand==
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The first settlers in the area brought along their instruments and a deep love of music. Residents organized a town band in 1864. In 1880, the band was called the K. T. Band (for [[Knight Templars]]). In approximately 1882, the city erected a double-deck bandstand in the center of the city park. The band had started playing in the city park when it was just a field. A brick walk through the park was constructed with money raised from a local talent minstrel show.  In 1886, the Knee Gahh Band went to St. Louis for their national conclave and was a tremendous hit. That marked the beginning of the band's prominence in the Midwest.

[[Charles L. Barnhouse]] developed the band "atmosphere" from the time he came to Oskaloosa in 1891. He exerted a creative influence to build up a musical organization that would become the pride of the city. His band garnered statewide acclaim, becoming the official band of the Iowa State Fair for four years.  In 1904, the band played at the annual National Encampment of the [[Grand Army of the Republic]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]]. En route, it played by invitation at the [[1904 World's Fair|World's Fair]] in [[Saint Louis, Missouri]]. In the ensuing years the band became popular throughout Iowa and other states.

In 1907 and 1908, Oskaloosa had two bands playing concerts&nbsp;– the Iowa Brigade Band and LaRue's Band. The merchants on High Avenue West employed their own band to compete with the Iowa Brigade Band in the park on Saturday evenings.

In 1911, the citizens decided to beautify the city and voted to fund improvements for the city park. The citizens recommended a new bandstand be erected in the center of the park. The old double-deck frame bandstand was moved to one side to be used while the new bandstand was being built. The first concert in the new bandstand was played on June 1, 1912, and the bandstand was dedicated on July 25, 1912.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}