Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: tubas

"61. House of David - Benton Harbor, Mich." The House of David was a religious commune in Benton Harbor , Michigan, whose members performed in touring bands (like the one above), played on baseball teams, and ran an amusement park that featured miniature trains (like the ones below). Benjamin Purnell (see below) and his wife Mary formed the group in 1903.

A real photo postcard showing the Tressler Orphans' Home Band. "Tressler" was part of its name beginning sometime in the nineteenth century, so I'm not sure why it's missing from the drum in this early twentieth-century photo. For a later incarnation of the band—with spiffier uniforms and a different drumhead—see Tressler Orphans' Home Band, Loysville, Pa.

Drumhead: "Singer, Mechanicsburg, Pa." Caption at the bottom of the photo: "Grangers Picnic, 1915." The Singer Band of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, posed for this photo in 1915 at the Grangers' Picnic, which was an annual event held each summer at the Williams Grove Amusement Park . Prior to the picnic, the Harrisburg Telegraph newspaper, August 28, 1915, p. 4, announced the Singer Band's participation: "Concerts at the Granger's Picnic at Williams' Grove next week will be given by the Singer Band of Mechanicsburg." The Singer Band--named for David Singer, an early leader of the group--is still in existence today. Additional photos of the band are available on the Singer Band's Web site .

A real photo postcard of the "Tressler Orphans' Home Band, Loysville, Pa." For another orphanage music group, see Girls' Saxophone Band, Evangelical Orphanage, Lewisburg, Pa.

Men on horses--including three with a tuba, trombone, and drum--take part in a parade through town to let everyone know that the circus has arrived. For another view of the same parade, see Circus Elephants on Parade (thumbnail image below).

This real photo postcard doesn't bear a stamp, postmark, or date but was addressed to: "Mrs. Daniel Ohlinger. From Mrs. Edwin Ohlinger." Handwritten message on back: "Dear Mother, We are all well at present, hoping this card will find you all the same. Earl is as naughty as he can be. Try and come down. I must close--the mailman is coming." As far as I can determine from searching the Web, it was Earl's mother--Mrs. Edwin Ohlinger--who wrote the message, and she and her son lived in Berks County, Pennsylvania. I'm not certain, however, who the baby might be (Earl's brother or sister, perhaps?), what band Earl might have played in, or where Earl's grandmother--Mrs. Daniel Ohlinger--lived.