Fort Concho Soon to Break Ground on Bandstand Reconstruction

Fort Concho will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for the reconstruction of the fort's Post Bandstand at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the west end of the Parade Ground, near the intersection of South Oakes Street and East Avenue D.

In case of poor weather the event will be moved inside the fort’s Officers’ Quarters 8 at 215 E. Avenue D.

Originally constructed in the mid-1880s, the Post Bandstand hosted concerts and ceremonies at the fort until its closing in 1889. Ruins of the structure remained until the early 1900s.

Long listed as a goal of the Fort Concho Master Plan, the current project was directed by recent fort board president Greg Stephens, who arranged for construction support from the Home Builders Association of San Angelo and substantial materials donations from City Lumber. The project architect is Henry Schmidt.

“We plan on creating a building that will not only complete the historic appearance of the fort’s Parade Ground,” Stephens noted, “but will also provide a setting for future programs and concerts.”

This project was resurrected by the Fort Concho Board about seven years ago, and fort staff and volunteers conducted exhaustive research with an archeological survey by the

American Archaeology Group of Lampasas to determine the structure’s precise location, size and appearance. Final approval by the Texas Historical Commission that reviews all historic site construction in the state along with all city permits came in recent months.

The overall costs of the project have been covered by many donations, including the late Lowell Stephens of Alamogordo, N.M.; the Fort Concho Foundation; the estate of Van Carson, a former treasurer of the Fort Concho Foundation; and other individuals. Construction will take place later this spring.

For more information, contact Fort Concho at 481-2646 or fortconcho.com.