1904 Season: Difference between revisions
→Olentangy Park Theater: Added Week of May 22 |
|||
| Line 109: | Line 109: | ||
* Eugene Wack, cornet soloist | * Eugene Wack, cornet soloist | ||
* Musical Bentley, musician | * Musical Bentley, musician | ||
* American Vitagraph showing new pictures | |||
=====Week of May 22===== | |||
Acts and performances:<ref>"'The Old Neighborhood' Headliner at Olentangy." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 29 May 1904. Pg. 4.</ref><ref>Ad. ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 30 May 1904. Pg. 9.</ref> | |||
* Callahan and Mack, Irish comedy, in "The Old Neighborhood" | |||
* Frantzmathes and Lewis, rifle and pistol shooting | |||
* The Hollsworths, music and comedy | |||
* Loredo and Blake, comedy acrobats | |||
* Louis Granat, whistler | |||
* Reata Winfield, violin soloist | |||
* Farlardo | |||
* John Cartmell, "The Columbus Boy" | |||
* American Vitagraph showing new pictures | * American Vitagraph showing new pictures | ||
Revision as of 17:12, 22 January 2023
This page is under construction. Please remove this notice when complete.
| Leadership | Joseph W. Dusenbury The Olentangy Park Company |
|---|---|
| New Attractions | Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama Circle Swing Palace of Illusions Arcade Pony and Camel Track Palm Garden The Colonnade |
| Theater Manager | W.W. Prosser |
| Band(s) | Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band |
The Olentangy Park, Theater, and Zoological Garden opened for the 1904 season on Sunday, May 22, 1904.[1][2] Around 30,000 people visited opening day.[3] Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band returned to play afternoon and evening performances.[4] The park was to open on May 15, 1904, but bad weather pushed the opening a week and the theater presented vaudeville.[5]
Park Improvements
The park expanded to comprise over 100 sq. acres. The Ball Grounds were enclosed and a large grandstand was added. The Dancing Pavilion and bowling alleys were enlarged and improved. Rare and interesting birds and animals were added to the zoo, growing it to be three times larger than the previous season.[4] The park spent over $50,000 (over $1.67 million in 2023) on improvements and new attractions.[6]
Bear Attack
Peter Duffy, an attendant at the park's zoo, was attacked by a Himalayan bear when feeding the animals raw meat. Duffy was carrying the meat in a basket when the bear reached out of its cage to grab it. He became angry and opened the cage to confront the bear and take back the meat. The bear attacked Duffy causing lacerations all over his body. Other attendants saved Duffy, who survived.[7]
Passenger Station Restored
The passenger station for the park blew down during a wind storm the prior autumn. The Columbus Railway and Light Company restored the station using a concrete foundation that extended 5 feet into the ground.[8]
Rides and Attractions
New Colonnade
Main Article: Colonnade
The Colonnade was a 270-ft. (82.3 m) long building lined with columns and built to the east of the theater and offered refreshments and amusements."[4][9]
New Funhouses
The Castle Mystic, also called the Mystic Castle, this funhouse was described in the Columbus Sunday Dispatch as "full of mirth and mystery," while Palace of Illusions was "entertaining, mystifying, and instructive."[4] The House That Jack Built was also listed in an ad.[10]
Mystic Castle
Main Article: Castle Mystic
This attraction had the endless tunnel, the haunted swing, the rocky pass, the collapsable platform, the grotto, Kelly's slide, Jacob's ladder, the fountain of youth, the observatory, the magic mirror, the drunkard's pathway, Dooley's art gallery, the mysterious elevator, and other features. It was constructed under the personal supervision of J.W. Zarro of Cincinnati.[9]
Palace of Illusions
Main Article: Palace of Illusions
This attraction had magical illusions, ghost shows, and other "weird and uncanny effects never before seen in Columbus." It was also constructed under the supervision of J.W. Zarro.[9]
New Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama
Main Article: Ye Olde Mill (First)
The Ye Olde Mill or Auquarama was a new water ride where boats with upholstered seats carry riders through "gloomy caverns, fantastic grottos, and unsurpassed scenery" with a torrent of water by an immense water wheel. After floating through subterraneous passages, they emerge into rooms containing electrically lighted scenic effects in scenes showing cotton plantations and Black musicians playing banjos. The next scene was based on Dante's Inferno with weird and ghostly effects, followed by "The Rock of Ages" with water flowing around a rock with a center of natural flowers. From there, riders pass through Arctic regions, then, under the sea with serpents and numerous "uncanny figures of every description." Mirrors were placed to enhance the immersive ride. The ride looped around to the start for the next set of riders.[9]
The ride was constructed under the supervision of C.B. and N.A. McDaniel of New York City and cost $15,000 (over $500,000 in 2023).[9]
New Circle Swing
Main Article: Circle Swing
The Giant Circle Swing consisted of a 75-foot (23 m) tall steel tower (some sources say 90 feet (27.5 m)) which revolves around a vertical shaft. Connected to this shaft at the top of the tower were six radiating arms described as being "like spokes of a great wheel or legs of a gigantic spider. Steel cables extended from the arms to carry cars of passengers. An electric motor at the base spun the arms, cables, and cars with centrifugal force raising the cars over 30 feet (9 m) above the ground at the full speed of 40 mph (64 kph). The circle created at its widest was 120 feet (36.5 m) in diameter. It was built by the North Penn Iron Company of Philadelphia and cost over $8,000 ($266,784 in 2023) to construct.[9]
New Down and Out
Main Article: Down and Out
The Down and Out was a type of slide that was a popular amusement park feature and was also at Steeplechase Park by 1903.[1]
Zoo
Main Article: Zoological Garden
The zoo was expanded to be three times the size. One of the additions included a large pressed brick animal house.[9]
Other Rides and Attractions
- Arcade NEW[4]
- Baby Rack
- Bathing Pavilion
- Boathouse - with electric launches
- Bowling alleys
- Crystal Maze
- Ferris Wheel
- Figure Eight Toboggan
- House That Jack Built NEW[4]
- Laughing Gallery
- Merry-Go-Round
- Miniature Railway - listed as "new"[4]
- Museum of Ornithology
- Palm Garden NEW[4]
- Shooting Gallery
- Swings
Olentangy Park Theater
Main Article: Olentangy Park Casino and Theater
Vaudeville returned for the 1904 season with two sets of performances daily throughout the season.[2] The Dusenbury Brothers made a deal with the Vaudeville Managers Association of America to obtain a vaudeville franchise for Columbus.[11] W.W. Prosser of Columbus was hired to manage the casino and J.K. Burke, former manager of Minerva Park, booked acts from New York.[12][11][4][13] Although the opening of the park was moved due to poor weather, the theater season began on May 15.[5]
Week of May 15
Acts and performances:[14][15]
- Frederick Bond and Co.
- Soto Sunetaro, "The Great Japanese Wonder"
- Mlle Latina, from Columbus, singer
- Mooney and Holbein, Australian tourists, singing, dancing, and comedy
- Georgia O'Ramey, comedy
- Eddie Mack, dancing comedian and monologist, including the one-act comedy, "My Awful Dad"
- American Vitagraph showing pictures such as the great train robbery based on a real robbery on the Northern Pacific Railway
Week of May 22
- The Beautiful Ballet Unique, singing and dancing by eight girls
- Dixon, Bowers, and Dixon, in their famous "The Three Rubes" act
- Smirl and Kessner, comedy acrobats, in a sketch, "The Bellboy and the Waiting Maid"
- The Hollands, comedy acrobats
- Eugene Wack, cornet soloist
- Musical Bentley, musician
- American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Week of May 22
Acts and performances:[17][18]
- Callahan and Mack, Irish comedy, in "The Old Neighborhood"
- Frantzmathes and Lewis, rifle and pistol shooting
- The Hollsworths, music and comedy
- Loredo and Blake, comedy acrobats
- Louis Granat, whistler
- Reata Winfield, violin soloist
- Farlardo
- John Cartmell, "The Columbus Boy"
- American Vitagraph showing new pictures
Music
Wendell S. Powell's Olentangy Band with 30 musicians returned to play afternoon and evening performances at both the theater and the Dancing Pavilion.[4][19]
Outdoor Performances and Stunts
Activities
Other Activities
Ball Grounds
Main Article: Ball Grounds
The ball grounds were enclosed and a large grandstand was added. The park hired N.A. McCoy as the manager of the ball grounds, clubs, and teams from Columbus and the surrounding areas. There were games every day with special games on Sundays and holidays.[4]
- Baseball
- Billiards
- Boating
- Bowling - All year activity
- Dancing
- Dining and Refreshments
- Football
- General Games
- Picnics
- Pony Rides NEW[4]
- Swimming
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Real Opening Day at Olentangy Park Today." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 22 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Vaudeville for Olentangy." Sunday Columbus Dispatch. 6 March 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 23 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 "Grand Opening Olentangy Park, Theater and Zoo." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 24 April 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Amusements: Olentangy Park" The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "Grand Opening Olentangy Park, Theater and Zoo." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 25 April 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "Peter Duffy has Narrow Escape from Angry Bear at the Olentangy Zoo." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 22 March 1904. Pg. 1.
- ↑ "Olentangy Station Restored." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 May 1904. Pg. 10.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 "Olentangy Park, a Coney Island Rival" The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 1 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ Ad. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 24 April 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Vaudeville at Olentangy." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 20 March 1904. Pg.4.
- ↑ "Notes." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 17 March 1904. Pg.4.
- ↑ "Summer Parks Open." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 15 May 1904. Pg.4.
- ↑ "Olentangy Theater." The Sunday Columbus Dispatch. 8 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park: Bill for the Opening." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 10 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "Amusements: Olentangy Park." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 22 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ "'The Old Neighborhood' Headliner at Olentangy." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 29 May 1904. Pg. 4.
- ↑ Ad. The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 30 May 1904. Pg. 9.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park: Its Many Attractions." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. 3 May 1904. Pg.4.