1918 Season

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1918 Season
Manager(s) Will D. Harris (operating lessee)
Will D. Harris Amusement Company
Joseph W. Dusenbury
Will J. Dusenbury
The Olentangy Park Company
Opening Day March 31, 1918 (Sundays)
May 5, 1918 (three days a week)
May 26, 1918 (daily)
Closing Day September 2, 1918 (Saturday & Sunday) October 1918
New Attractions Ye Olde Mill (rebuilt)
Over-The-Top
The Whip
Stock Company Grau Musical Comedy Company
Stock Manager Matt Grau
Band(s) Philip Cincione Band
Harris' Olentangy Park Orchestra (directed by Charles Parker)

Olentangy Park opened its season on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1918. It was open on Sundays only at first.[1] Due to demand, it opened on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays after May 5, with the Dance Pavilion open only on Sundays.[2][3] The park fully opened for daily operation on May 26, 1918.[1] Charles Parker and his new fifteen-piece orchestra, "Harris' Olentangy Park Orchestra," performed in the Dancing Pavilion while Philip Cincione's Band gave free concerts throughout the season.[4][5] Parking for automobiles was free, and 11,000 people visited on opening day despite it being so early in the year.[6][3]

Will D. Harris and his new company, Will D. Harris Amusement Company, leased the park from J. W. and W. J. Dusenbury, and their company, the Olentangy Park Company, maintained ownership. Harris organized the Will D. Harris Amusement Company in order to take over the management of the park,[7] signing the lease in January 1918, starting on March 5, 1917, and lasting four years and eight months. The total rental was $125,000 (over $2.6 million in 2024).[8]

The park ended daily operation for the season on Labor Day, September 2, 1918, switching to Saturdays and Sundays only until October.[9][10]

Improvements to the Park

Manager Harris spent $250,000 (over $5.2 million in 2024) on improvements for the 1918 season[1] adding two major attractions, Over-The-Top and The Whip, and rebuilding Ye Olde Mill.[11][12][4] The rides were repainted and checked for safety and the Swimming Pool was painted inside and out with white enamel.[13]

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

Rides and Attractions

New Over-The-Top

Main Article: Over-the-Top / The Racer

Manager Harris began building the Derby Racer.[14] Later named Over-The-Top, the racer roller coaster had two cars started at the same point in time, and the occupants of each raced to see who would win. Only four of these types were constructed in the world when the building began. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch claimed it was "one of the most expensive park rides that have been invented."[11] It was 82 feet tall and 1.25 miles in track length.[14]

New Whip Ride

Main Article: The Whip

The Whip was a flat ride where riders got whipped around the corners where they changed direction.

Rebuilt Ye Olde Mill

Main Article: Ye Olde Mill (Second)

Ye Olde Mill was redesigned and rebuilt further north than the original ride with its name that burned down in 1911. The ride was built along new lines, and electrical lighting was installed throughout the ride, where riders encountered weird scenes.[11] It was the only ride in the country at the time to use concrete channels for the water to carry boats "through the brilliantly-lighted and wonderfully-decorated channels, which extend in a zig-zag way for almost a mile."[12]

List of Rides and Attactions

Activities

List of Activities

Musical Performances

Charles Parker created a large new orchestra named "Harris' Olentangy Park Orchestra." They performed in the Dancing Pavilion ballroom while Philip Cincione's Band returned this season and gave daily free outdoor concerts.[4][5]

Theater Performances

Matt Grau gathered the Olentangy Park stock under the name of "Grau Musical Comedy Company"[15] and the season was to begin the week of Monday, June 10, 1918,[16][17][18] but the first show opened on Monday, June 3.[15] Grau wanted musical comedy acts all season and spent close to $10,000 ($208,305 in 2024) per week to secure the actors.[18]

Before opening, the Northwood Avenue School presented "The Fairies of the Seasons" on May 17, and child star Verna Fulton performed "The Pipes of Pan."[19]

Indianola School performed "Bargain Day at Bloomstein's" starring Carrie Kilbourne and twenty-nine other dancing girls on June 1.[20]

The theater company moved to the Grand Theater, owned by Will D. Harris, to continue performing through the winter.[21]

Dispatch Contest

There were twenty-three pieces of a photograph in the May 26 issue of the Columbus Sunday Dispatch of "the pretty maidens from 'The Grau Musical Comedy Club.'"[22] Readers who cut out the twenty-three pieces and place them together properly could send them in to Dispatch with the advertisers' information to be entered into a contest with the following prizes:

  • First place prize - One entire box for three performances on June 3, June 10, and June 27, an $18 value ($375 in 2024)
  • Second place prize - One entire box for two performances on June 4 and June 11, a $12 value ($250)
  • Third place prize - One entire box for Wednesday night, June 5, and two box seats for June 12 and June 19, a $10 value ($208)
  • Fourth place prize - One entire box for Monday night, June 3, and two box seats for June 10, a $8 value ($167)
  • Fifth place prize - One entire box for Tuesday night, June 4, and two box seats for June 6, a $6 value ($125)
  • 25 other winners a varying amount of orchestra seat tickets for different performance dates, ranging from $1 to $3 ($20.83 to $62.49)

Winifred S. Fink was awarded first prize on June 2.[23]

Members

[15][24]

  • Roger Gray, lead actor/comedian, director
  • Berta Donn, lead actress
  • Ferne Rogers, actress/prima donna
  • Flavia (or Flavio) Arcoro, actress
  • Della Rose, actress
  • Mary Dunigan, actress
  • Arthur Burckly, actor
  • George Natanson, actor
  • Ditmar Peppen, actor/comedian
  • Margaret Crawford, actress
  • Dan Marble, general utilities
  • Ralph Nichols, orchestra leader
  • Sid Riley, scenic artist
  • Earnest Rand, costumer
  • Henrietta Hausen
  • Rajal Cuttes
  • Chorus of 16 women and at least eight men

Berta Donn was only 18 years old and was described as "very pretty."[18]

Performances

Tickets were 25 cents to 75 cents ($5.21 to $15.62 in 2024).[25]

Dates Performance Writer Genre Headliners Notes
June 3 - 9, 1918 "The Firefly" Comedy Berta Donn [15]
June 10 - 16, 1918 "The Red Mill" Comedy [26]
June 17 - 23, 1918 "A Modern Eve" Comedy [26]
June 24 - 30, 1918 "Robin Hood" Comedy [27]
July 1 - 7, 1918 "Princess Pat" Comedy [27]
July 8 - 14, 1918 "Naughty Marietta" Comedy [28]
July 15 - 21, 1918 "The Folly of Columbus" Comedy [29]
July 22 - 28, 1918 "Little Boy Blue" Comedy [30]
July 29 - August 4, 1918 "The Only Girl" Comedy [31]
August 5 - 11, 1918 "The Chocolate Soldier" Comedy [32]
August 12 - 18, 1918 "The Red Widow" Comedy [33]
August 19 - 25, 1918 "The Mikado" Comedy [34]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "The New Olentangy." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, March 23, 1918.
  2. ↑ "Park Open Three Days Weekly." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1918.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Free Parking for Automobile." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 16, 1918. Page 20.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Good Music for the Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, March 31, 1918.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Big Orchestra for Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 11, 1918. Page 22.
  6. ↑ "Olentangy Opens Earliest of Most American Parks." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 6, 1918. Page 12.
  7. ↑ "Incorporate Park Company." Columbus Evening Dispatch, January 16, 1918. Page 9.
  8. ↑ "Park Lease Filed." Columbus Evening Dispatch, January 18, 1918. Page 14.
  9. ↑ "Park Open Till Labor Day." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, August 25, 1918.
  10. ↑ "Park and Its Days." Columbus Evening Dispatch, September 7, 1918. Page 12.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Lavish Park Plans." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, September 23, 1917.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Park Novelties." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, March 31, 1918.
  13. ↑ "Real Opening of Park Season." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 26, 1918.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Are You Going Over the Top?" Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 27, 1918. Page 12.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Park to Open With 'The Firefly.'" The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 19, 1918.
  16. ↑ "Tenor Lend for Park Stock." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 24, 1918. Page 18.
  17. ↑ "Park Stock Plan." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 5, 1918.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Picking for Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 12, 1918.
  19. ↑ "Child Dancer in Fairy Operetta." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 17, 1918. Page 19.
  20. ↑ "Pupils to Play at Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 30, 1918. Page 18.
  21. ↑ "Park Cast to Stay," The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, August 4, 1918.
  22. ↑ "Olentangy Park Theater." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, May 26, 1918. Page 25.
  23. ↑ "Winners in Theater Advertising Contest." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 2, 1918. Page 8.
  24. ↑ Maxine, David. 2020. "The Pandemic Performance of 1918." The Wizard of Oz on Broadway, November 26, 2020. Accessed on May 14, 2022. https://www.vintagebroadway.com/2020/11/ [1]
  25. ↑ "Park's Great Opening Day." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 27, 1918. Page 16.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "'A Modern Eve' This Eve." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 17, 1918. Page 18.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "DeKoven Breaks Record." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 29, 1918. Page 10.
  28. ↑ "Rotarians Make Merry." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 9, 1918. Page 16.
  29. ↑ "Olentangy Park Company to Play Winter Run at Grand Theater." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 10, 1918. Page 18.
  30. ↑ "Park's Future Repertory." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 13, 1918. Page 10.
  31. ↑ "From Two Continents." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 27, 1918. Page 10.
  32. ↑ "Theater is Comfortable." Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 1, 1918. Page 16.
  33. ↑ "Sweet Outlook for 'Chocolate.'" Columbus Evening Dispatch, August 5, 1918. Page 14.
  34. ↑ "Bargain Swimming Tickets." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 31, 1918. Page 18.


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