This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Concordia
Opera House
1862
Concordia Society formed in 1862
under direction of Max Gaebler. Gaebler served for many years served as
musical director of the Concordia Musical Society.
1874
In 1874 a German singing group, the
Concordia Music Society, purchased and named Concordia
Island. The society had been formed in 1862 under direction of Mr. Gaebler.
Concordia Island served as a host to many saengerfests,
music festivals in which most of the singing organizations of the state would
take part. Local citizens held picnics and heard frequent band concerts on Concordia
Island. Unions, clubs, and trade guilds from throughout the state rented the
island for annual gatherings.
Concordia members landscaped the
island, planting many trees and shrubs of various varieties, some of which are
mature trees today. Members constructed numerous buildings including a
beautiful central pavilion. The island
was graced with one of the first fountains in this area. Located in front of
the pavilion, it sent sprays of water splashing into a circular basin in the
center of which stood an ornamental statue. A secluded water tank kept the
fountain at play, while a windmill pumped water into the giant container. It
also had a circular bandstand with beer, candy and ice cream sales on ground
level and quarters for musicians on the second floor.
1888
Concordia Opera House was constructed
in 1888. Is the current home of the
Watertown Elks Lodge.
1900s
Watertown Daily Times, 09 10 2007
During the early 1900s, the Concordia
building housed two theaters - the Empire and the Colonial - which featured
both film and vaudeville acts.
The performers in the opera house
circuit would change wardrobes in the attic of the building because the area
next to the stage was too small. The
actors may have also slept in the attic between shows.
In three sections in the attic, some
of those actors carved their names into the roof. 1905, 1906 and 1907 is when they had painted
their names and dates.
1903
Watertown Daily Times, 11 17 1903
A large audience assembled last
Thursday evening to hear the lecture on Charlemagne. The use of Concordia Opera
house has been generously donated, as the capacity of the assembly room was
altogether insufficient. The hall, however, was poorly heated to the discomfort
of many, and the bowling was also the source of some annoyance. The next
lecture takes place Thursday, Nov. 19, the subject being Lorenzo di Medici.
1916
The Elks
Lodge purchased the old Concordia Opera House on
