116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Strike up the band!
Piece of History: Central City marched in Cedar Rapids; do you know the year?
The Miss Eastern Iowa queen candidate from Central City led the Central City band through the intersection of Second Avenue and Third Street SE in Cedar Rapids, circa 1948.
The Lincoln Continental in the foreground was first produced in 1946. Based on the businesses in the photo, the last possible year for the photo to have been taken is 1951. So I’m saying “circa 1948.”
I would love if a reader could narrow it down more than that. Bonus points if anyone knows the name of the queen candidate sitting in the Lincoln convertible.
A Miss Eastern Iowa queen was crowned each year from candidates put forward by each community that entered a band in the parade. The winner received a one-year scholarship to Coe College.
The Young Men's Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce started the Eastern Iowa Band Festival in 1946. More than 1,500 musicians participated that first year, and the festival, usually held in May or June, grew from there.
The festival took place each year for 44 years, ending in 1990. The summer festival was attended by 10,000 people in 1950 and a record 24,000 in 1951.
Tara Templeman is curator at The History Center. Comments: curator@historycenter.org
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