Erected and dedicated in 1915, the bandstand in Trowbridge Park, formerly City Park, honors Ira C. Trowbridge, founder of Waseca. His daughters, Ella Ward and Augusta Jenkins, provided funds to build it as a memorial to their father and to further the city’s cultural activities. The 28-foot by 20-foot structure, which cost about $1,500, was built of stuccoed concrete and was absolutely fireproof. Its distinctive design featured a band platform enclosed by high, solid walls and a tin roof cast to resemble clay tiles. The basement contained toilet rooms, a storeroom, and a confectionery stand. The park and bandstand were at first popular Sunday night gathering places, but as technology advanced, residents increasingly listened to music on the radio at home or went to juke joints around Clear Lake. By the 1950s, the bandstand was rarely used and had begun to decline.