GLENS FALLS NY

GLENS FALLS NY

Glens Falls Bicentennial Bandstand

City Park

Built - 1976

Glens Falls, New York is situated at the very foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. It was used as an Indian war trail from Ticonderoga to Saratoga Springs originally known as "Chepontuc" but later known as "The Corners." in 1766 then to "Wings Falls" in honor of Abraham Wing who developed a permanent settlement and used the power of the waterfalls of the Hudson River for a sawmill, gristmill and an inn known as "Wings Tavern." The Glens Falls area played a very significant role during the Revolutionary War due to its location near the Hudson River and Halfway Brook with many important generals, including George Washington, traveling through and staying in the area. In 1788 Mr. Wing transferred ownership to Colonel Johannes Glen who had spent his summers in the area, thus the name "Glens Falls" was adopted.

Glens Falls has since had a number of flourishing industries including the paper, pulp, machinery bi-products, limestone, cement and shirt collar and cuff manufacturers. During World War 2, the city gained prominence when Look Magazine designated it as "Hometown USA," and has consistently ranked in U. S. News top 300 places to live in the United States.

Their bandstand was built during the spring of 1976 and appropriately named the Bicentennial Bandstand placed in City Park. This was not the first bandstand built in the park since one, a platform, had been in the park from 1920-1935. Bids were put out on March 16, 1976 and the lowest bidder - Martin Rogers, a contractor from Cambridge, New York, got the bid. It took no time for the structure to be built although many people felt that too much money was being spent without getting enough in return. This was untrue since the bandstand was very well made and has an all weather audio system with speakers built in the roof-top cupola. The construction was completely financed with Community Development funds.

The Glens Falls City Band performs every Thursday evening during the summer and the Crandall Public Library uses the bandstand regularly along with the Lower Adirondack Arts Council for its Spring Festival. There is almost always an event happening on the bandstand or within the park every weekend during the summer months.

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY:
Wayne Wright, Glens Falls City Historian