1915 Season: Difference between revisions

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On Saturday, May 22, the Jeffrey Choral Society gave free entertainment in the [[Theater]] for Jeffrey Manufacturing Company employees.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Olentangy Park|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = May 14, 1915|page = 24}}</ref>
On Saturday, May 22, the Jeffrey Choral Society gave free entertainment in the [[Theater]] for Jeffrey Manufacturing Company employees.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Olentangy Park|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = May 14, 1915|page = 24}}</ref>
The Public School Boys Orchestra, directed by W. D. Campbell, performed on Monday, May 31.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Olentangy Park|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = May 28, 1915|page = 24}}</ref>


==Activities==
==Activities==

Revision as of 06:42, 9 February 2025

This page is under construction. Please remove this notice when complete.

1915 Season Season
Leadership The Olentangy Park Company
Joseph W. Dusenbury, president
William J. Dusenbury, manager
New Attractions Roller Skating Rink (Portable)
Sea-Land-Whirl
Theater Manager Fred Kimball
Stock Company Mary Servoss Company
Band(s) Cincione's Italian Union Concert Band
Park Size ~100 acres

The Olentangy Park and Theater opened for the 1915 season on Sunday, April 25, 1915.[1] Cincione's Italian Union Concert Band provided the music on opening day.[2] Opening for Sundays only at first, more than 20,000 people visited the park on opening day.[3] The park was open daily beginning May 23[4] after the main season being postponed from May 9.[5] The park was "nearly 100 acres" and more than 100 different kinds of amusements.[6]

Billy O'Hara started a "Jitney Bus" business and transported visitors to the park along with the High Street and Oak Street streetcar lines.[7][8]

For ride and attraction changes, see the Rides and Attractions section.

Notable Happenings

Dispatch Contest

The Columbus Dispatch held a contest on Sunday, May 23, where readers could cut out twenty-two pieces of a photo of Mary Servoss of the theater's stock company printed throughout the advertisements and classifieds in the newspaper, assemble them, and send them into the publication for a prize.[9]

The prizes included:

  • First prize: One entire box for the first performance and two box seats for the rest of the season - $34 value ($1,062 in 2025)
  • Second, third, and fourth prize: One entire box for the first performance and two orchestra seats for the rest of the season - $20 value ($625)
  • Fifth prize: Two orchestra seats for the season - $15 value ($469)
  • Sixth and seventh prize: Six orchestra seats for the opening performance - $3 value ($94)
  • Eighth, ninth, and tenth prize: Four orchestra seats for the opening performance - $2 value ($62.50)
  • Eleventh through twentieth prize: Two orchestra seats for the opening performance - $1 value ($31.25)

Automobile Contest

The Ohio Auto Sales Company held a drawing for an automobile and other prizes at the park on June 25, 1915. Entry tickets were given upon purchase of their products at nine participating stores.[10] The prizes included:

  • A $785 ($24,530 in 2025) Dodge Bros. Auto six-Passenger Touring Car
  • A $400 ($12,500) Choice Building Lot in Highland Gardens Addition, purchased from the Dominion Land Company
  • A $75 ($2,344) Cabinet Victrola
  • A $37.50 ($1,172) Wardrobe Trunk made by the Stallman Trunk Company
  • 50 prizes each of $5 ($156) leather suitcases

Rides and Attractions

New Roller Skating Rink

Main Article: Roller Skating Rink (Portable)

A Kenyon Portable Roller Skating Rink was built just north of The Fun House[11][12][13] and operated by E. W. Nelson of Washington Court House, Ohio.[14] The structure was a Kenyon Portable Rink measuring 130 feet (39.6 meters) by 50 feet (15.2 meters).[15] It was described as being under canvas, but Kenyon Rinks were portable buildings. By July, the park listed the rink for sale "on account of death."[16] Nelson planned to open a new skating rink later.[17]

New Sea-Land Whirl

Main Article: Sea-Land-Whirl

The Sea-Land-Whirl was similar to a Merry-Go-Round, with six boats, each having steps and sitting up to ten passengers. The boats hung on axils and revolved around a center pole while the boats rocked back and forth, creating a rowing sensation.[18] Cars were made to "represent vessels for navigating water or air, and are to rock, or oscillate mechanically"[19] and give an imitation of a ride on the rough sea.[20]

It was created by the Sea Land Whirl Amusement Service Company[21][19] and was located in the park's north end.[22]

Motion Pictures

Motion pictures were shown in the Theater on Sundays after the first two weeks.[23]

List of Rides and Attractions

Theater, Vaudeville, and Stunt Performances

Olentangy Park Theater

Main Article: Olentangy Park Casino and Theater

Motion pictures were shown in the Theater on Sundays after the first two weeks.[23]

Rex Beach's big photo-production, "The Spoilers," with William Farnum, was shown on May 23.[24][25]

The feature photo-play, "The Dollar Mark," with Robert Warwick in the leading role, was shown on Sunday, May 30, 1915.[26]

Mary Servoss Company

The Mary Servoss Company performed every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from May 31 to Labor Day.[23][24]

Members

  • William H. Barwald, stage director
  • Robert Elliot, leading actor
  • William H. Evarts
  • Marcella Forrester
  • Donald Gallaher
  • Virginia Howell
  • Ruth Hunter
  • Charles Husted
  • Manart Kippen
  • Robert M. Middlemass
  • Edna May Oliver
  • Anthony Schaefer, scenic artist
  • Mary Servoss, leading actress
  • Hazel Turney
  • Gavin Young, stage manager

Shows

Week of May 31: "Within the Law"

Music

Cincione's Italian Union Concert Band provided the music on opening day[2] and the following week at the North Band Shell with Frank Carbone and H. J. Selby orchestras.[5]

On Saturday, May 22, the Jeffrey Choral Society gave free entertainment in the Theater for Jeffrey Manufacturing Company employees.[27]

The Public School Boys Orchestra, directed by W. D. Campbell, performed on Monday, May 31.[28]

Activities

List of Activities

References

  1. ↑ Advertisement. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. April 11, 1915,. Page 5.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. April 18, 1915. Page 5.
  3. ↑ "April Weather Records Broken by Sunday's Heat: Park Reaps Benefits." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 26, 1915. Page 3.
  4. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 8, 1915. Page 18.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 29, 1915. Page 18.
  6. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 5, 1915. Page 18.
  7. ↑ "Regular 'Jitney Bus' Line to Be Launched." Columbus Evening Dispatch. February 13, 1915. Page 3.
  8. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 24, 1915. Page 10.
  9. ↑ Advertisement. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 23, 1915. Page 7.
  10. ↑ Advertisement. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. January 3, 1915. Page 20.
  11. ↑ "Park Opening." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 11, 1915. Page 43.
  12. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 18, 1915. Page 45.
  13. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 25, 1915. Page 44.
  14. ↑ Reynolds, Earle. 1915. "National Skating Association News." The Billboard, June 12, 1915. Vol. 27. Issue 24. Page 29.
  15. ↑ Fitzgerald, Julian T. 1915. "Skating Rink News." The Billboard, April 3, 1915. Vol. 27. Issue 14. Page 29.
  16. ↑ The Billboard, July 3, 1915. 27 (27): 86.
  17. ↑ Fitzgerald, Julian T. 1915. "Skating Rink News." The Billboard, October 30, 1915. Vol. 27. Issue 44. Page 30.
  18. ↑ "Has Proposition for New Factory." The Tribune (Coshocton, Ohio), September 16, 1914. Page 1. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80087755/has-proposition-for-new-factory/.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "'Whirl' Is Big Success at the Fair." The Tribune (Coshocton, Ohio), October 11, 1914. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80087879/whirl-is-big-success-at-the-fair/.
  20. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 18, 1915. Page 45.
  21. ↑ "Corporation Is Dissolved." The Tribune (Coshocton, Ohio), September 9, 1915. Page 1. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80087241/corporation-is-dissolved/.
  22. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 25, 1915. Page 44.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 22, 1915. Page 18.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. April 25, 1915. Page 5.
  25. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 9, 1915. Page 5.
  26. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 24, 1915. Page 16.
  27. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 14, 1915. Page 24.
  28. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 28, 1915. Page 24.


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