Date: c. 1935

 

Description: This small ceramic model depicts the Bandshell that stands in one of the largest parks in Sioux City, Grandview Park. The land of the park was originally platted to become part of the Rose Hill Addition and filled with residential housing. However, Rose Hill never expanded enough to require the additional land.  Rather than make a new subdivision, the land was taken over by the Sioux City Parks Commission (headed by Edwin Peters, who developed parks and residences in Morningside) in 1908 and made into Grandview Park. The park was named for the spectacular scenic views that can be seen from its hilltops. It is a total of three blocks wide and five blocks long, making it still one of the largest public parks in Sioux City (short of Stone Park, Riverside, Sertoma, and South Ravine, which are massive). The northern border of the park today is Stone Park Boulevard, which means at the time Grandview was founded it marked the extreme northern edge of Sioux City. Even before its foundation as a park, this tract of land was home to Sioux City’s water reservoir, which stored and provided water for city homes and businesses. Originally the reservoir held around 2 million gallons, but by 1912 this was far too small to meet the city’s needs. The original reservoir was expanded from 2 million to 4 million, and another 4 million gallon reservoir was built right next to the original. Both reservoirs are still in Grandview Park today. Also present in Grandview Park is the statue of Abraham Lincoln near the south entrance, donated in 1924, and the Rose Garden, developed in 1937.

 

However, the park is most famous for its Bandshell. It was constructed as a project by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and later the Works Progress Administration (WPA), both New Deal relief agencies that provided jobs by issuing public works construction projects. The WPA was responsible for many projects in the city besides the Bandshell, including the Floyd River channel and the Gordon Drive road building project. The “band” in the Bandshell’s name comes from the Monahan Post Band, who wanted a music shell in the park as early as 1930, but could not get the funding in the Great Depression. But the New Deal provided the necessary funding, and construction began in May 1934. Architect Henry Kamphoefner designed it, creating the “shell” shape to best project the sound to the audience. It was finished that next year, after a cost of nearly $50,000. For years it was the home of the Monahan Post Band, and various other concerts, speeches, and public gatherings. Today the Bandshell stands as one of the great landmarks of Sioux City, and is the home of the yearly Saturday in the Park music festival.

 

Donor: Tim Orwig

 

On display