1915 Season

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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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