1912 Season

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1912 Season
Leadership The Olentangy Park Company
Joseph W. Dusenbury, president
William J. Dusenbury, manager
Opening Day April 28, 1912
Closing Day September 2, 1912 (theater)
September 22, 1912 (Sundays only)
October 20, 1912 (season)
Theater Manager J. F. Luft
Stock Company Stubbs-Mackay Players
Band(s) J. Wylie Powers Concert Band
Purger's double orchestra
Woodman's Drum and Trumpet Corps
Park Size 125 acres

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] Moving pictures were shown during July.[6]

The park closed daily operation and was open on Sundays starting September 22, 1912.[7] It closed for the season on October 20, 1912.[8]

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

Annexation Plans

There were plans for the City of Columbus to annex the park, but there was pushback by some parkgoers.[9] Clintonville residents filed a complaint because they wanted the annexation to force the park to remove slot machines. The city had already annexed a strip along the west side of High Street, but park manager J. W. Dusenbury fought against having the rest of the park included. Dusenbury agreed to remove the slot machines and other devices that violate the city ordinances except for the theater, which gives a Sunday performance.[10]

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.[11]

May Day / Chamber of Commerce Outing

The North Side Chamber of Commerce Outing on Friday, May 17, featured Theodore Roosevelt as the speaker.[12] 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.[13] Five thousand were given out on the day of the event and another 5,000 the following day.[14] 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.[15] Between 25,000 and 30,000 people attended the event.[14]

Canoe Club Regattas

The Canoe Club held its first big regatta of the year on July 4. Races included: single man in stern, 100 yards; quarter mile, two men; half a mile, two men; swimming race, 50 yards; in and out; and tilting contest. Eighty canoes were entered into the event to win prizes. The races were free.[16] It held another regatta on August 18.[17]

Suffragist Speaks at the Park

Belva A. Lockwood, 82,[18] suffragist, twice candidate for the presidency of the United States, and has a degree of Doctor of Laws, spoke at Olentangy Park on August 2. She was the President of the National Arbitration Society, ex-president and member of the Woman's Press Association, and the first woman delegate from the United States to the International Peace Congress held in Paris in 1889.[19]

The Dusenbury Brothers Lease the Colonial Theater

Olentangy Park manager J. W. Dusenbury made an agreement with the Shubert Theatrical Company of New York to lease and take over the programming at the Colonial Theater in August. The Dusenbury Brothers were also leasing the Southern Theater at the time, meaning they were in control of three of the seven theaters in Columbus.[20]

Injuries

Mrs. Harry Funk received a scalp wound when she was thrown from one of the merry-go-rounds. Dr. R. P. Elder dressed the injury after the ambulance from Pletcher-Brown was able to arrive within four minutes.[21]

Rebecca Hughes, 65, fell down two steps at the park restaurant in early October and broke her left hip and wrist.[22]

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,[23] sang between the two events and between the speeches.[24]

On May 18, Senator Robert La Follette gave a speech about "Rights and Remedies."[25]

For preparation for this season's stock program, two new dressing rooms were added to the balcony, Real Neth installed a new electrical room for electrical effects, and a new property room was arranged to allow Larry Antrim to handle and care for the stage properties. The paint frame, where the scenic artists work, was enlarged so that two "sets" could be painted simultaneously. Gus Schell, the Southern Theater's scenic artist, and Carl Amend, an artist from Schell's studios, were hired to help create the scenic art.[26]

The theater closed for the season on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 1912.[27]

Stubbs-Mackay Players

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

The theater was leased by and the stock company was managed by Harry O. Stubbs and Edward J. Mackay. The theater ticket office was managed by J. F. Luft.[28]

The price of matinee and evening tickets started at 25 cents ($8.13 in 2024) and was no more than 50 cents ($16.25).[29]

The Stubbs-Mackay Players included:

  • Adele Blood
  • Will Deming
  • Maude Eburne
  • George Farren
  • Elsie Herndon Kearns
  • George LeGuere
  • Katherine LaSalle
  • Albert Latscha
  • Edward Mackay
  • John B. Moher
  • Harry O. Stubbs

Shows

Week of May 27: "Lady Frederick"

Week of June 3: "The Dawn of a Tomorrow"

Week of June 10: "The Deep Purple"

Week of June 17: "A Gentleman of Leisure"

Week of June 24: "The Third Degree" written by Charles Klein

Week of July 1: "Seven Days"

Week of July 8: "Bobby Burnit"

Week of July 15: "The House Next Door"

Week of July 22: "A Woman's Way"

Week of July 29: "Mrs. Bumstead-Leigh"

Week of August 5: "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch"

Week of August 12: "Father and the Boys"

Week of August 19: "The House of a Thousand Candles" based on a novel by Meredith Nicholson

Week of August 26: "The Private Secretary"

Outdoor Acts

For the first two weeks, Professor Fink's Comedy Circus of mules, trained dogs, and ponies performed, and the first two Sundays featured the Aerial Derbys on the flying trapeze and Professor Raub and Captain Thomas Longo performing double balloon and double parachute leaps.[30][2][4]

In late May, John Robinson's Circus was hired to present acts every afternoon and night for the rest of the season in the arena in the north end of the park.[31] The first of the acts featured trained lions and leopards.[28]

Professor Raub and Captain Thomas Longo returned on June 13 for the Letter Carriers' Red Letter Day celebration.[32]

Hill and Flournoy's Wild West Shows and Mexican Bull Fight came to the park for four weeks starting July 7.[33]

Desperate Desmond performed the "Slide for Life" from the head to the foot of the Shoot-the-Chutes ride during July and August.[34] The name "Desperate Desmond" was also a name of a comic strip in the Columbus Dispatch at the time.

The LaPlace Musical Comedy Company performed under a tent immediately north of the Dancing Pavilion in August and September. The performances featured various singing and dancing vaudeville acts and exhibitions of hypnotism by Professor Clifford. Performances were ten cents ($3.25 in 2024).[35]

Music

The J. Wylie Powers Concert Band, Purger's double orchestra, and Woodman's Drum and Trumpet Corps played free concerts twice a day.[30][5]

The Ellery Band performed in June.[31]

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.[36]

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. ↑ Advertisement, Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 16, 1912. Page 12.
  7. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, September 22, 1912. Page 5.
  8. ↑ "Olentangy." Columbus Evening Dispatch, October 19, 1912. Page 10.
  9. ↑ "To the Editor of the Dispatch: As To Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, March 21, 1912. Page 4.
  10. ↑ "Demand City Annex Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 31, 1912. Page 3.
  11. ↑ "No More Grizzly Bear at Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 29, 1912. Page 5.
  12. ↑ "Large Crowds Are Expected to Hear Roosevelt Speak." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 17, 1912. Page 1.
  13. ↑ "Olentangy Park: Chamber of Commerce Outing." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 12, 1912. Page 4.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "30,000 Attend May Day Outing at Olentangy." Columbus Evening Dispatch," May 18, 1912. Page 3.
  15. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 17, 1912. Page 22.
  16. ↑ "Canoe Club Regatta." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 21, 1912. Page 14.
  17. ↑ "Hold Canoe Regatta." Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 14, 1912. Page 10.
  18. ↑ "Thinks Women of Ohio Sure to Get Ballot This Year." Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 2, 1912. Page 7.
  19. ↑ Miller, Maude M. "Camp Johnson is Alive with Kids from Tenements." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 22, 1912. Page 5.
  20. ↑ "Dusenbury Bros. Take Management of the Colonial." Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 20, 1912. Page 3.
  21. ↑ "Thrown from Merry-Go-Round." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 20, 1912. Page 5.
  22. ↑ "Breaks Hip and Wrist." Columbus Evening Dispatch, October 7, 1912. Page 1.
  23. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1912. Page 4.
  24. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 1, 1912. Page 14.
  25. ↑ "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 18, 1912. Page 10.
  26. ↑ "Stubbs-Mackay Players." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 23, 1912. Page 14.
  27. ↑ "Olentangy Park: Stubbs-Mackay Players." Columbus Evening Dispatch, Page 18.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Oletangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 20, 1912. Page 8.
  29. ↑ Advertisement, Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 23, 1912. Page 11.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 22, 1912. Page 12.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Ellery's Band Coming." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 8, 1912. Page 10.
  32. ↑ "Everybody Is Invited to Outing of Postmen." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, June 9, 1912. Page 3.
  33. ↑ "Stubbs-Mackay Players." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 8, 1912. Page 10.
  34. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, August 4, 1912. Page 5.
  35. ↑ "Olentangy Park Attractions." Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 21, 1912. Page 12.
  36. ↑ "Ice Hockey Contest." Columbus Evening Dispatch, February 9, 1912. Page 15.


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