1896 Season
| Leadership | Columbus Street Railway Company |
|---|---|
| Opening Day | June 12, 1896 |
| Closing Day | By mid-October |
| New Attractions | Bowling Alleys Dancing Pavilion Merry-Go-Round |
| Band(s) | Fred Neddermeyer's orchestra |
| Park Size | 31-50 acres |
Opening on June 12, 1896,[1] was the first season the park operated after being named Olentangy Park.[2][3] There was one fare to the park on the city streetcar system at the cost of 25 for $1 ($37.45 in 2024), and admission cost 5 cents ($1.87 in 2024) for walkers and cyclists. Cyclists were about to check their bike in a shed near the entrance.[2] The streetcar that took riders to the park was called "The Electra."[4][5] The famous Gothic gateway entrance with its castle-like features welcomed visitors at the southeast of the property.[3] Those who chose to walk and bike were also accommodated, including an area to check in and secure their bikes. The park had 31[6] to 50 acres of woodland and open areas. A power plant was built prior to opening to supply electric power exclusively for the park grounds. At least 20 arc lamps[7] were placed in sections of the park, and the grounds and entrance were lit with incandescent lighting. Security was provided by at least two officers in the park patrolling at all times.[2] Rides to the park were in such high demand that the Columbus Street Railway Company increased the number of North High Street cars, providing a car every 3 minutes during the season instead of every 10 minutes.
The park was nearly washed away and thousands of dollars of damage was caused by flooding in July.[8]
The park closed by mid-October 1896.[9]
Before Being Named
The land just north of North Street between Olentangy River and High Street, four miles north of the state capitol building, was known as "The Villa." A mill called the Pioneer Mill was at the end of North Street on the river and was not running by 1891. A bathhouse was north of the mill along the river, and there were stairs leading up the bluff to the Olentangy Villa restaurant. It had bar rooms, a concert hall, and a kitchen surrounded by a porch. To the northeast, there was a storage building with open horse sheds on the north and south sides. An open wooden bridge went over the ravine. At the mouth of the ravine on the river existed a boathouse with an open porch on the west. In 1891, the second floor was used for carpentry. Near the south end of the plateau, there was a drive with two club rooms closer to High Street.[10]
Naming Contest
The Columbus Street Railway Company bought the land on which "The Villa" tavern stood on January 20, 1896, from operator Robert M. Turner.[3] They announced a naming contest, and the first to enter the chosen name would receive $50 ($1,872 in 2024) in transportation.[5] By March 1, they received over 5,000 names, 1,181 of which were unique. The winner went by the name "Volunteer," and since thirty others suggested the same name, they all received 100 rides in a leather-bound coupon book. The winner also suggested Whetstone Park, Iroquois Park, and Hiawatha Park. The highest number of names suggested by one person was sixty-six names by a 66-year-old woman. The park remained under this name until its closing season in 1937.[6]
Rides and Attractions
The Columbus Street Railway Company spent $30,704 ($1,149,720 in 2024) on construction for the park and $26,489 ($991,887) in added street car equipment.[11] The earliest draw to the park was its natural forest and river scenery with winding paths and a bridge over the ravine. The Old Mill - an actual mill - was also still operating on the Olentangy River and could be visited.[3]
Boathouse and Bowling Alleys
See full articles: Boathouse & Bowling alleys
The Boathouse rented out canoes and Naphtha launches, operated by someone with boating experience to help visitors. The Naphtha launches were shaded electric boats, twenty feet long and cushioned. Their small motors could go 6-10 miles per hour. In the afternoon, the river was naturally shaded by trees, and at night, the area was lit by lights suspended at intervals across the stream.[3] First-class bowling alleys were installed in the boathouse.
Cafe
The first building visitors saw after crossing the bridge over the ravine was the cafe. It served light refreshments and soft drinks. It was a large structure with covered porches and comfortable chairs. Restrooms were available behind the cafe.[12]
New Dancing Pavilion
See full article: Dancing Pavilion (1)
The Dancing Pavilion stood 24 feet (7.3 meters) high and had a hexagonal shape with 61 feet (20.3 meters) of dancing space. The floor was made of polished close-grain Georgia pine. Lit by incandescent lights along the arches, there was an arc lamp in the center. The band played from a kiosk of Turkish construction[2]
New Merry-Go-Round
See full article: Merry-Go-Round (1)
The electric[3] merry-go-round was described as having "beasts and birds and dreadful-looking animals."[2] It was built by E. Joy Morris.[13]
List of Rides and Attractions
- Bandstand
- Cafe
- Boathouse
- Bowling alleys NEW
- Dancing Pavilion NEW
- Merry-Go-Round NEW
- Swings
Music and Performances
Fred Neddermeyer's orchestra provided music for the dancing pavilion and events, including the Pugh Vidette Band for the Fourth of July.[4]
Al G. Field's Big Band played on Sunday, August 9.[14]
Activities
Dining
Once visitors entered and crossed the bridge, they would see a café offering light refreshments and soft drinks of all kinds. Alcohol was not permitted. At the time, it was thought too close to restaurants to offer a full restaurant in the park. The café was large and offered shaded porches and comfortable chairs for visitors to eat brought lunches. Toilets were available in rooms in the rear of the building.[2]
List of Actvities
Events
- Tub Races
- Open-air preaching by Preacher Schuh
- Sword contest by world champion Randolph
- Swimming exhibition by Officer Richard "Dick" Owens of the Columbus police force
References
- ↑ "Olentangy Park." Illustrated Guide to Columbus 1899. Page 26.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Olentangy Park Opened." Columbus Evening Dispatch. June 13, 1896. Page 5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Barret, Richard E. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1. April 1984. Page 5-8.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Columbus Evening Dispatch. June 27, 1896. Page 10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Advertisement. 1896 Makio Yearbook. January 1, 1896. Page 346.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "The Villa Renamed at Last." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 2, 1896. Page 7.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 16, 1896. Page 6.
- ↑ "Columbus Bridges in Danger." The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio). July 25, 1896. Page 1. Accessed through Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-columbus-bridges-in-dan/163598637
- ↑ Columbus Evening Dispatch. October 15, 1896. Page 4.
- ↑ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. Sanborn Map Company, 1891. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_002/.
- ↑ "Bitterly Cold Weather." The Columbus Dispatch. January 25, 1897. Page 3.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedopening - ↑ Manns, William. "E. Joy Morris - Philadelphia's Forgotten Carousel Builder." Carousel News and Trader. March 1989. Vol. 5. Issue 3. Page 5-14. https://carouselhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Carousel-news-and-trader-march-1989.pdf Special thanks to the members of the Carousel Figure Identification Facebook group.
- ↑ Advertisement. Columbus Evening Dispatch. August 8, 1896. Page 7.