History

The Northern Hills Community Band has been bringing concert band music to the Black Hills for more than a century. Press releases from the Band's history detail the origins and evolution of the Northern Hills Community Band:

"Early records trace formation of the Deadwood Municipal Band to the 1880s, confirming that the organization has existed now for over a century. One of the more noteworthy performances was held in 1911 when the Band was called to perform for President Taft. During the 1940s and 1950s, the Band established its excellent musical reputation, when it was directed by the late Porter Melton. Porter produced a band for several decades which was legendary in the mid-west; this reputation continues today. Many members of the Band who played under Porter reside elsewhere now but return to the Black Hills every year to perform with the organization during the Days of '76 celebration in Deadwood.

In 1982, due to municipal budgetary problems, the City of Deadwood, South Dakota found it necessary to discontinue funding of the Deadwood Municipal Band. Several years prior, the Homestake Mining Company had also discontinued a band which it had supported for decades. At this time a group of veteran individuals who had played in the bands for many years formed a non-profit corporation called The Northern Black Hills Society for the Preservation of the Performing Arts (NBHSPPA), whose purpose would be to solicit contributions in creation of an endowment fund to provide for the perpetual funding of a continuing band to be called the 'Northern Hills Community Band'. This organization is a tax exempt organization and contributions are tax deductible."

A brief look back through The Band's history:

1891: Deadwood Band at Custer Exposition


1911: Deadwood Band with President Taft in front of the Franklin Hotel in Deadwood


1918: Homestake Band in Newell


1940s: Deadwood Band at the Days of '76 on Deadwood's Main Street


1956: Homestake Band at the Days of '76 on Deadwood's Main Street


1984: Northern Hills Community Band Fourth of July Concert in Lead