This year, The Chicago Drum Show hosted my museum exhibit celebrating America’s 250th Year Anniversary. The exhibit featured drums that I have collected dating from 1780 to 1976, the time of the American Revolution to the Bicentennial of 1976. The pictured drums represent most of the major wars fought by the United States during this 200-year period. The drums in my collection are described from left to right in chronological order. First on the left, is a drum from the American Revolution made by Henry Fraley of Germantown, PA. This drum dates to the early 1780’s and has a full tack pattern and measures 14 x 16”. Fraley was an officer in the Continental Army working directly under George Washington supplying drums and artillery carriages for the army. Moving from left to right, next is a War of 1812 drum made by Abner Stevens, of Pittson, Mass., dated 1811. The […]

July 2026 Issue