By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
Picture submitted by a friend
06-21-25
Just a way past the main entrance of Uvalde Memorial Park lies a stone structure with steps leading to the top. It appears to have windows that was sealed with concrete many years ago. When I recently asked a friend if she could take a picture for me for this article, my friend asked if it was near the Uvalde Swimming Pool? I answered saying, “No, it is located just past the main park entrance. You’ve probably seen it 1000 times. “
Being a person fascinated with history, I decided to do some research at the El Progreso Memorial Library on what I describe as a bandstand where locals from times past would go to listen to a live musical ensemble play live music before there was television. There is a park called Tillis Park located in my hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas with an old stone pagoda roof on it with sealed windows which could have been where drinks and snacks were sold.
Both Uvalde’s Memorial Park Band Stand and Fort Smith, Arkansas Tillis Park Pagoda are structures which were likely built in the 1920’s. You know something is old when one’s parents and perhaps grandparents have no memory of it being open or used.
My first step was to look up archived copies of the Uvalde Leader-News issues from the year 11927. The year was a tip I received from Mendell Morgan.
While I did not find any direct news of the construction of the band stand, I did find two articles about a huge May Day festival at Uvalde Memorial Park held in early May of that year. It was reported there were 1000’s of people that attended, and mohair was prominently featured at the event.
My next move was to contact Susan Anderson who is a well-known local historian.
Anderson shared the following information with me:
“I have read that the rock from the old city hall was used to make improvements at Memorial Park including the bandstand. A bid for tearing down the old city hall was approved March 28, 1930. The bids for constructing the current city hall were opened May 1, 1930.
In August of 1930 a contract was approved to build a band stand at Memorial Park. The entry gate was built with funds from the 1927 May Fete and dedicated on November 11, 1927 in memory of the WWI dead. “
No firm construction date pinned down, the 100-year anniversary of the old band stand may have already occurred or will occur in several years’ time. It might be an opportunity for the city to host a band ensemble concert on the old structure on perhaps a cool day in the spring or the fall.
With what appears to be a window or windows on the old bandstand, I speculated that there might be some type of time capsule contained in the inside of the structure if indeed the interior is hollow.
While I’m not recommending damaging the structure to find out, with modern technology and permission from the City, it might be possible to determine if the structure is hollow and if so, could a non-invasive or minimally invasive technology be employed to determine what, if anything, may be resting inside?
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