Replica of Wbg.'s bandstand could boost awareness of town's history

WARRENSBURG | Spectators at the Warrensburg Memorial Day parade were presented with a surprise May 30 as the procession included a float featuring a scale model of the town's iconic bandstand. Considered Warrensburg's premier landmark, the bandstand was named after Floyd Bennett, a world-famous aviator and Warrensburg native. Bennett piloted explorer Richard Byrd on an attempt to achieve the first-ever flight to the North Pole in 1926. Although some historians dispute whether he actually made it to his destination, Bennett received international recognition for his flight, considered death-defying in that era. Bennett died two years later following a mission to rescue fellow aviators who had crashed their plane in Newfoundland Canada, and this mission strengthened public perception of him as a hero. Subsequently, in 1929 the town of Warrensburg erected the Floyd Bennett Memorial Bandstand in honor of their famous native son. In the recent Memorial Day parade, the replica of the bandstand received plenty of attention, partially because floats have been rare or non-existent in town parades over recent years. Also, people marveled at how it faithfully depicted the bandstand that for 90 years has been used as a logo to represent Warrensburg to the world. Set in the middle of a trailer, the model bandstand was surrounded by floral displays and manicured bushes and adorned with a banner. The float was conceived by contractor and town councilman Bryan Rounds, who pulled it behind his pickup truck along the parade route. Rounds acquired the bandstand model from local resident Robbie Hall. Rounds said June 3 that local craftsman Rick Lathrop constructed the bandstand replica years ago, and sought to give it to the town. However, it was considered too large to store or put on display at the town's museum of local history, so Lathrop gave it to Hall, who for years had meticulously maintained the real bandstand and its grounds. Hall had the model bandstand in storage for a while but gave it to Rounds, who sought to preserve it as an artifact bearing local historical significance. "It was too nice to see it deteriorate," Rounds said. "When I heard town historian Sandi Parisi propose the annual Floyd Bennett Day a few months ago, I thought I'd use the model bandstand to create awareness about the holiday." The town government recently endorsed the idea of Floyd Bennett Day being held annually on May 9, the date that Bennett and Byrd are credited with reaching the North Pole. Rounds said he anticipated that Floyd Bennett Day 2023 would include a parade, and his float would be featured. Rounds said that for the recent parade, the bandstand replica was decorated by his partner Laney Morgan, the float's banner was created by Robin Lee, and Toadflax Nursery provided the flowers, plants and bushes that provided the replica's setting. Noting that he has an employee who resembles Bennett, Rounds said he might recruit him to ride the float next May 9, wearing a vintage leather aviator's helmet to depict the famed aviator. Rounds said this is the first time ever he's sponsored a float in a parade, although he has never missed witnessing the annual Memorial Day procession. "It was fun, and hopefully it will help people realize who Floyd Bennett was — Warrensburg's claim to fame," he said.

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Replica of Wbg.'s bandstand could boost awareness of town's history

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