1912 Season

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1912 Season Season
Leadership Joseph W. Dusenbury
Will J. Dusenbury
Stock Company Stubbs-Mackay Players
Band(s) J. Wylie Powers Concert Band
Purger's double orchestra
Woodman's Drum and Trumpet Corps

The Olentangy Park and Theater opened for the 1912 season on Sunday, April 28, 1912.[1] The opening featured a free circus, outdoor acts, band and orchestra concerts, drum and trumpet corps, and double balloon ascensions with double parachute leaps.[2][3] Since it rained on opening day, the same program was held the following week.[4]

The park was open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with special events on Sundays.[5] In the area damaged by the 1911 fire, open-air vaudeville and outdoor acts were performed.[1]

There were plans for the City of Columbus to annex the park, but there was pushback by some parkgoers.[6]

Notable Happenings

Grizzly Bear Dance Ban

The dancing style and trend called the "Grizzly Bear" was banned within a day of the park's opening by park manager W. J. Dusenbury, who assigned police officers to enforce the ban.[7]

May Day / Chamber of Commerce Outing

The North Side Chamber of Commerce Outing on Friday, May 17, featured Theodore Roosevelt as the speaker. Schools were closed at noon to allow students to attend. Ten thousand new pennies by the Philadelphia Mint were distributed throughout the park for the children to find.[8][9] Other parts of the program involved "Lil," the G.O.P. elephant with a band and escort; a circus parade; a parade of Woodmen Drum and Trumpet Corps; concerts by the Powers' Band, Purger's Orchestra, Old Guard Rifle and Drum Corps; free vaudeville in the theater; songs by Prof. Hoenig's choir of boy singers; acrobatic acts; balloon races; and a boxing match between Roy Glick and Harry Sully.[10]

Rides and Attractions

List of Rides and Attractions

Theater, Vaudeville, and Stunt Performances

Olentangy Park Theater

Main Article: Olentangy Park Casino and Theater

For the International Labor Day celebration on May 5, the Socialist Dramatic Club performed "Under the Lash," a labor drama by C. F. Quinn to benefit their party's campaign fund. Hon. Emil Seidel, ex-socialist mayor of Milwaukee, and other prominent leaders spoke at the theater. The German Glee Club, "Forward," composed of twenty singers,[11] sang between the two events and between the speeches.[12]

On May 18, Senator Robert La Follette gave a speech about "Rights and Remedies."[13]

The theater opened for the season on May 27, 1912.[4]

Acts

Week of April 28

  • Fink's Comedy Circus of mules, trained dogs, and ponies
  • Aerial Derbys - flying trapeze
  • Professor Raub and Captain Thomas Longo - double balloon and double parachute leaps

[14][2]

Week of May 5

International Labor Day celebration

  • Fink's Comedy Circus of mules, trained dogs, and ponies
  • Aerial Derbys - flying trapeze
  • Professor Raub and Captain Thomas Longo - double balloon and double parachute leaps

[4]

Music

The J. Wylie Powers Concert Band, Purger's double orchestra, and Woodman's Drum and Trumpet Corps played free concerts twice a day.[14][5]

Activities

An ice hockey contest was held at the park in February 1912, featuring a match between the East High Shepherds and the North Side Maroons.[15]

List of Activities

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 14, 1912. Page 5.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 25, 1912. Page 14.
  3. ↑ "Olentangy Park Opening." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, April 28, 1912. Page 5.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 29, 1912. Page 12.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 12, 1912. Page 4.
  6. ↑ "To the Editor of the Dispatch: As To Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, March 21, 1912. Page 4.
  7. ↑ "No More Grizzly Bear at Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 29, 1912. Page 5.
  8. ↑ "Olentangy Park: Chamber of Commerce Outing." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 12, 1912. Page 4.
  9. ↑ "Large Crowds Are Expected to Hear Roosevelt Speak." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1912. Page 1.
  10. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1912. Page 22.
  11. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1912. Page 4.
  12. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 1, 1912. Page 14.
  13. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 18, 1912. Page 10.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 22, 1912. Page 12.
  15. ↑ "Ice Hockey Contest." Columbus Evening Dispatch, February 9, 1912. Page 15.


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