Maine Memory Network

105th annual Drill and Ball, Portland, 1908

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: 1908-05-04 Location: Portland Media: Ink on paper

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Fifth Infantry Band, ca. 1923

Contributed by: Maine Historical Society Date: circa 1923 Location: Cape Elizabeth Media: Photographic print

Strike Up the Band

Before the era of recorded music and radio, nearly every community had a band that played at parades and other civic events. Fire departments had bands, military units had bands, theaters had bands. Band music was everywhere.

George F. Shepley: Lawyer, Soldier, Administrator

George F. Shepley of Portland had achieved renown as a lawyer and as U.S. Attorney for Maine when, at age 42 he formed the 12th Maine Infantry and went off to war. Shepley became military governor of Louisiana early in 1862 and remained in the military for the duration of the war.

Music in Maine - Military Marching Bands

"1803 The Portland Light Infantry Muster with a drummer and a horn player in uniform on the muster field."

Strong, a Mussul Unsquit village - Strong's History - Page 3 of 4

"The early mailmen wore tall hats with wide bands, and as they collected letters along the way, they tucked them into those hatbands."

The only letter to survive World War II
by Cyrene Slegona

Only one of many letters my father sent to his wife remained after he came home from World War II.