Volunteer, Cory Smith, helps to set up the new musical exhibit at the Coos Historical & Maritime Museum on July 19. World Photos by Madeline Steege

NORTH BEND - Young people who complain there is no music scene in Coos County, should have seen what it was like in area's salad days.

With bands in each community and school, as well as performances by popular artists Johnny Cash, Chubby Checker, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, who visited the county, earlier generations weren't lacking from musical entertainment.

The Coos Historical & Maritime Museum launched a new exhibit focused on music, the people who played it and what it meant to the community.

“As I've done research, I noticed that music sort of brought people together,” said Vicki Wiese, the museum's collections manager, who constructed The Long Tradition of Music in Coos County exhibit. “Anything from a picnic to a boat launching, a band would be there.”

The exhibit opened Friday and will run through spring 2008. In honor of July Jubilee, the city's birthday celebration, free entry will be offered to visitors this weekend only.

“Music allowed people who were recent immigrants to the United States to maintain their heritage,” Wiese said, noting that, if nothing else, they could discuss favorite tunes with their new neighbors. “Music is the common denominator.”

Wiese said she chose the topic of her newest show after realizing the extent of musical instruments, equipment and other accouterments in the museum's collection, ranging from an 1880s' era bugle to an 8-track from the 1970s. Other musical items on the museum's crowded shelves include phonographs, gramophones and music boxes.

While the 8-track won't be on display, Wiese said visitors will find an interesting collection of photographs and musical antiques from the 1870s to the 1940s. Of course, Wiese said the best part about the musical artifacts are their back stories. Recalling an old Graphophone in the exhibit, she smiled as she spoke of a young Coquille man who purchased it in 1906 for his mother.

After carrying the 30-pound record player 11 miles to his home, and arriving well after 1 a.m., the man set it on the front porch and cranked it up.

“So his whole family woke up to the sound of this music and set out to find the source of all this noise. They stayed up the rest of the night listening to music and dancing,” Wiese said. She said the story came from a relative who donated the Graphophone. “It's not just a phonograph or whatever. It's part of somebody's life.

“I just think it will be great for kids to come in and see this who have only known CDs to see how technology has changed.”

The exhibit will also dispel any misconceptions about who played music in the county. Wiese said Myrtle Point boasted an all-female brass band in the late 1800s and the former town of Libby had a ensemble made up entirely of 8- to 12-year old boys, who can be seen staring out from a photograph on a museum wall in short pants.

Hannah Contino, a research assistant who has helped Wiese with her five-month effort, said she believes museum patrons will be fascinated by the memorabilia, victrolas and instruments because she is, as well.

“It's fun being able to bring it out of storage and play with it and see what it does, how does it work, what songs does it play” Contino said after cranking the arm of an 1893 music box that played “There's Only One Little Old New York Song.”

Anne Donnelly, the museum's executive director, said the museum's collection is a strong example of local history and of how people used to enrich their lives.

“Obviously music (was) a way to entertain themselves even in isolation,” Donnelly said.

The Coos Historical & Maritime Museum is located at 1220 Sherman Avenue, North Bend. For more information, those interested can call 756-6320.