Name/Title
Ripon City Band, 1902Entry/Object ID
2007.0466.6Description
Ripon City Band, early 1902.
From the early 1880s to about 1930, the Ripon City Band played countless midweek concerts in the public square. Edgar Zobel was a trombone player for the band, playing many solos on occasions. The uniforms were bright green. E.J. Burnside, seated in the center next to Edgar Zobel, was the band director until 1918. After that, Victor Burlingame took over as director.
Front row: Robert Phelps (left), Mr. McDonald, Willian Huth, E.J.Burnside (Director), Edgar Zobel, C. John Haas, Horace Chadbourne.
Second row: August Nast (left), Fred Milke, Leroy Mason, Frank Whiting, August Gruetzmacher, August Nehls.
Seated in front, center: Jake Ladwig, drum major. A 1908 article in the Ripon Semi-Weekly Press reports that Jake is “a popular drayman and all-around hustler.” The paper also reports that “he is the stoutest man in the city,” and “he does not hesitate if he has a hard heavy job to perform.”
Historical Note:
The Ripon City Band Directors were,
E.J. Burnside (b.1858 d.1947)
Burnside served as band director of the Ripon City Band until he resigned, in 1918. He played the cornet and was active for many years in Ripon band and orchestra. Burnside was also a druggist in Ripon for over 50 years, having taken a position in Ripon in 1882 with Frank Wilson’s City Drug Store, and later, entering business on his own which continued to the time of his death.
Victor Burlingame (b.1893 d.1975)
Burlingame took over as Ripon City Band director after Burnside. He served as director of the band until about 1930, when it disbanded and turned all equipment over to the Ripon High School. He played the trumpet and studied under Burnside. In 1962, Burlingame gave a talk at the Ripon Historical Society about old time bands and orchestras in Ripon.Acquisition
Accession
2007.0466Source or Donor
Ripon Historical SocietyAcquisition Method
Gift