Vermilion Bandstand Razed – June 1965

Vermilion's old brick bandstand which was located
in Victory Park (Photo Courtesy of Ritter Library)

Local landmarks found in a public park, like statues, monuments and fountains, are a funny thing.

Residents get used to seeing them all their lives. But these iconic structures are man-made, and don’t last forever. Unless they get maintained or rehabilitated, they often get removed.

If the local newspaper didn’t document the removal with an article or photo, the exact date of the landmark’s passing into history is often lost to time.

And that’s why when I do find a nice article about the demolition of an important landmark, I like to post it and get it online for interested parties to find.

Once such landmark was Vemilion’s old bandstand, which was located in Victory Park. The bandstand's demolition was of historical significance, and the Vermilion Photojournal devoted the entire front page of the June 30, 1965 edition to it.

The article provided a history of the structure as well as the surrounding area. It noted, “About 1919, after the New York Central Railroad tracks were raised, closing off Exchange and Toledo streets, and the railroad station remodeled, the brick and stone bandstand was constructed. Commodore F. W. Wakefield is said to have donated the brick which was used in the construction.

“There was a basement with a center cement block wall dividing the basement area. Two outside stepped entrances were provided to the basement.”

One of the photos accompanying the Vermilion Photojournal article shows the basement being filled.

Today the park (located south of the railroad tracks with Main Street as its western border) has an attractive gazebo as its centerpiece.