GARDINER ME

GARDINER ME

Gardiner Common

Built - 1977

Gardiner, Maine is along the Kennebec River and owed much of its early growth to shipbuilding from the early part of the 19th century up until the Civil War. In the mid 19th century the town encompassed the shoe manufacturing industry along with paper mills and commercial ice production.

In 1977 the citizens of Gardiner held a dedication in June for their new bandstand built by students of the Central Maine Vocational Technical Institute under the direction of Robert Evers. The structure was styled as a replica of the bandstand that once existed on that spot.

The bandstand project was financed by area businessmen, the Bicentennial Committee and the Bandstand Committee. Charles Kellogg, the Chairman of the Bandstand Committee made the ornamental wood brackets for the structure being quite adept in woodworking and a number of other citizens volunteered their time to paint.

The original bandstand was taken down during the mid 1950s and had been reputed to have had the best acousitics of any bandstand in the state of Maine. The bandstand, however, was deemed unsafe after its 30 years of service to local bands and town ceremonies as well as severe weather conditions from time to time.

The dedication for this new bandstand took place in June and was put to use first by selected members of the Gardiner area High School Band and then by the Hallowell Community Band.

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY:
Arline Verkruysse, History Volunteer
Gardiner Public Library