Bands have always been an important part of our state's history. School and community bands have played during important events such as the State Fair and opening ceremonies of state functions. Bands were even formed in some places we wouldn't expect, such as coal companies and the penitentiary. Through we tend not to realize it, bands and music were involved in a vast amount of our state's history. These bands, as well as the music they play, are part of what makes our state's history so fascinating.
 | Photograph, West Liberty State College band in formation, West Liberty, 1937. West Liberty State Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Moundsville band, Moundsville, n.d. Roscoe Sears Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, First Charleston band led by A. P. Gates, Charleston, n.d. Archives Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Leon Knights of Pythias band, Leon, n.d. Allen G. Thomas Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Circleville band, Circleville, 1909. Dorothy Bennett Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Helvetia Star Band leads the way to the annual church picnic, Helvetia, 1910 circa. David Sutton Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, United Mine Workers of America, Local 1643 band, Monongah, 1925. Coal Life Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Second West Virginia Infantry Band, 1916. Jack Feller Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Wardensville Band, Wardensville, 1931. Geneva Dudley Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Martinsburg band, Martinsburg, n.d. David Winfrey Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Clay County High School band, Clay, 1943. Clay County Free Press Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, West Virginia Wesleyan College band at courthouse, Buckhannon, 1920s circa. Juanita Reger Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Buckhannon-Upshur High School band group, Buckhannon, n.d. Juanita Reger Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Welch High School band, Welch, n.d. Rose Marino Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Ripley High School's first band. First row, L to R: Carrol "Gamp" Litton, Dana Wolfe, Bernice Harpold, Carl Blair, John Karr, Claude Casto, Dwight Skidmore. Second row: John Rymer, Elanore Rogers, Elaine Skidmore, Ruth Lee Miller, Elanore Simmons, Robert Straley. Third row: Doug Combs, Howard Hacker, Rolla Skidmore, Mildred Simmons. Top row: school principal L.B. Moore and Lavelle Shinn, 1931-1932. Jackson County Library Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Ravenswood Junior High School band, Jackson's Mill, 1928-1929 circa. Washington Lands Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Shinnston School band, Shinnston, February 1952. Jack Sandy Anderson Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Military band in parade, "Welcome Vets" banner hanging from building, Piedmont, n.d. Piedmont Herald Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Glenville State College marching band in parade, Glenville, October 13, 1965. Glenville State Alumni Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, West Virginia No. 1 Band, Wevaco, n.d. Carbon Fuel Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Weston High School band and majorettes marching in a Memorial Day parade, n.d. Arch Ellis Collection, West Virginia State Archive |
 | Photograph, Ellsworth Grade School Band, Tyler County, 1940s. D. Mark Wilcox Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, McCanns Run Band, Jane Lew, August 1901 circa. Hackers Creek Pioneer Descendants Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, First Infantry band, West Virginia National Guard, Fairmont, n.d. Marion County Historical Society Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Juvenile symphony orchestra, first grade, South Grafton School, South Grafton, n.d. Taylor County Historical Society Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Burnsville School band and majorettes, Burnsville, n.d. Burnsville Public Library Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Hinton Community Band, Hinton, 1900 circa. Stephen D. Trail Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Coal band on wagon with sign, Mouth of Gauley, Fayette County, n.d. Blizzard Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, New Cumberland High School band, New Cumberland, 1947. Doris Cameron Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Buffalo band, Buffalo, n.d. William D. Wintz Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Calhoun County High School band, 1950-1951. Virginia Buck Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Follansbee Band staged behind crowd on Penn Street at Follansbee Steel, 1943. Jim Mirasola Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Spencer marching band on brick street, Spencer, 1936. Steven Cooper Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Greenbrier Band - Front: Roxie, Opal and Pearl Cottrell; Standing: Martha Douglas, Geneve Cottrell, Mattie Conrad, and William Cottrell, 1917 circa. Helen Grace Hawver Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Camp Caesar, four miles south of Cowen - Director rehearsing six-piece camper band, Webster County, 1930s circa. Hassig Family Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, #11 mine Hungarian band, Gary, August 29, 1920. U.S. Steel Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Band and majorettes performing at the Summersville Dam groundbreaking festivities, Summersville, September 25, 1960. Emil Varney Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, String band at CCC Camp Price, Pocahontas County, 1936. Argil Rexroad/Droop Mountain State Park Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Garnet High School band outside Simpson Methodist Church on Shrewsbury Street, Charleston, 1947. James Randall Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Kermit High School band and majorettes, Kermit, 1951. Woodrow Clay Hamilton, Jr. Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, St. Marys Citizens Band, St. Marys, n.d. Joseph Noel Geiger Jr. Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Charleston, West Virginia band director Robert G. Williams and Congressman Robert C. Byrd flanked by the Charleston High School majorettes and band on the Capitol steps, there to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, D.C., 1956. Joan Hunt Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Weirton High School majorettes at the M. M. Weir Memorial Swimming Pool, Weirton, 1960. Thomas J. Tarowsky Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Clarksburg band majorettes, Clarksburg, July 12, 1963. Clarksburg Exponent Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Belington High School band, Belington, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Bolling High School band at West Virginia State Fair, Fairlea, n.d. Estep Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Governor Gaston Caperton with the Wirt County High School Band, Wirt County, September 26, 1994. Governor Gaston Caperton Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Charleston High School band in front of school, Charleston, n.d. Robert Williams Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Charleston High School band members carrying fellow member on drum, Charleston, n.d. Robert Williams Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, West Virginia University band on Capitol steps, Charleston, 1976. Department of Commerce Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Randall Reid-Smith, Curator of the Department of Arts, Culture and History, in his Barboursville High School uniform, 1974. Yearbooks Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Barboursville High School Band, Barboursville, 1974. Yearbooks Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Washington-Irving High School band in parade, May 8, 1971. Clarksburg Exponent Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Davis & Elkins College Band, Elkins, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Coal River Mining Institute band, Madison, September 9, 1953. Okey DeRaimo Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Elkins High School band, Elkins, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Greenbank High School band, Greenbank, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Greenbrier High School Band, Ronceverte, n.d. Estep Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Greenbrier Military Academy band, Lewisburg, 1958. Estep Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Hampshire High School band marching on field, Romney, n.d., Hampshire County Schools Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Marlinton High School Band, Marlinton, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Mountaineer High School band, Thomas, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Oceana High School marching band at West Virginia State Fair, Fairlea, August 1966. Estep Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Parsons High School band, Parsons, n.d. West Virginia Photo Company, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, West Virginia State Penitentiary band, Moundsville, n.d. West Virginia State Penitentiary Collection, West Virginia State Archives |
 | Photograph, Huntington High School band on football field, Huntington, 1937. Chester Webb Collection, West Virginia State Archives |