September 15, 2015
With Jacksonville’s Oktoberfest fast approaching, we’re honoring the town’s Swiss-German pioneers, who made up about 1/3 of the early population and turned 19th Century Jacksonville into a musical culture center. Almost everyone in town owned a musical instrument, and many participated in Jacksonville’s Silver Cornet Band. Members had to own their instruments, attend all rehearsals, and show up for performances. Although the band won many contests, not all residents were fans. Someone described it as “adding a harmonious noise to the community and may have had something to do with driving the predatory wild animals out of the forest surrounding Jacksonville.”