Stacey E. Plaskett

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 8121, legislation I introduced to designate the Christiansted Bandstand in Christiansted, St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands of the United States as the Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Huffman, along with the members and staff of the House Committee on Natural Resources, for their consideration of this bill and for advancing it to the floor. I appreciate their thoughtful attention to a matter that means a great deal to the people of St. Croix, and I look forward to working with Members on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation to the President's desk. The Christiansted Bandstand is one of the most significant cultural landmarks in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Located in the heart of Christiansted, it has served for over a century as a gathering place for residents and visitors and as the center of St. Croix's musical and civic life. H.R. 8121 would designate that landmark in honor of the man most responsible for its character and continuity, Peter G. Thurland, Sr. Mr. Thurland was born on February 19, 1892, in Christiansted, St. Croix, then the Danish West Indies. On March 31, 1917, he performed with the Christiansted Industrial Brass Band at the formal transfer ceremony on the Christiansted Wharf, present at the very moment the Virgin Islands became part of the United States. Following the transfer of the Danish West Indies to the United States, he enlisted in the United States Navy on June 12 of that same year and served as a member of the Navy Band. During his service, he was instrumental in the physical construction and design of the Christiansted Bandstand. He performed there with the Christiansted Navy Band until his honorable discharge in September 1921. In 1938, Mr. Thurland founded the St. Croix Community Band, which performed free monthly concerts for three consecutive decades. He trained generations of young musicians and led the band until 1968. He was also a master craftsman and cabinetmaker. His work can still be seen throughout our island. Mr. Speaker, my own parents talked about the many activities the bandstand represented for children growing up in the town in the 1930s and 40s. One of our most iconic period painters, Leo Carty, used the bandstand in some of his most memorable paintings. My own children have played around the bandstand without a marker to explain who built the gathering spot. A naming with a marker sharing the creator and the history of the bandstand can only bring our island closer together. This legislation was first introduced, as you have heard, from Congressman Ron de Lugo in the 103rd Congress. I am proud to bring it again in the 119th Congress. The Thurland family has long advocated for this recognition, and their persistence reflects the esteem in which their grandfather, their patriarch, is held across St. Croix. Peter G. Thurland, Sr., helped construct the Christiansted Bandstand, served his country with distinction, and dedicated decades to the cultural life of St. Croix. His name belongs on that landmark. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8121.