website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
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.
John Keck also
helped to organize the Concordia Society.
Frederich Misegades was
charter member
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.
1900c
E. J.
Brandt was president of the Concordia Musical Society.
1902
01 31 The Kinodrome
show commenced a three-night engagement at the Concordia Opera House,
January 30th. A few
words explaining what the Kinodrome show is. The Kinodrome is the
moving picture machine now in universal use in the leading vaudeville theatres
in the country. We mention this to
demonstrate the high order of the pictures this machine must exhibit to retain
its prestige and constant use in the theatres it is at this time being operated
in. The Kinodrome
show is an exhibition of moving pictures sent on tour under the direction of
the company operating these various machines in the manner stated. It has been found necessary to gain public
favor and interest in our moving picture exhibitions at various theatres, to
obtain at all times scenes and incidents of having things up to date, and in so
doing we have accumulated the largest and most varied stock of animated
pictures in existence. Up to the introduction
of the Kinodrome show on tour the public outside of
the cities had only a slight knowledge of what is being accomplished in motion
photography, the rapid advancement, ingenuity and quality of highest
photography being obtained in the mysterious art . . . The exhibition promised
is of the most interesting kind, and should be seen to be appreciated. Seats now on sale at Gamm's. Admission 10, 20, and 30c. Saturday matinee. WG /
Cross
References: Info
on Kinodrome; Link to chapter on Classic Theater.
1903
11 17 Lecture on Charlemagne . . . the bowling
was source of some annoyance WDT
1916
The Elks Lodge purchased the old Concordia Opera
House on Jan. 5, 1916.
