This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website

 

Homecoming Day

 

Repasts, Receptions and Reminiscences

 

Begun in 1902

 

1902

In 1902 Watertown initiated a series of annual Homecoming Days.  These days of reunion and celebration, held in early August or September, were anticipated each summer.

 

This author likes to think that the success of the Homecoming event was a prelude to that of Watertown’s current Riverfest event, also highly anticipated, extremely successful, and held in early August at Riverside Park.

 

1904, 08 10

Watertown Daily Times

 

During the Homecoming held September 4, 1904, Tivoli Island was crowded with 3,000 people, while another 1,500 were at the same time watching the races on a half-mile track in the new fairgrounds. Two clubs - the Thirty Year Club and the Milwaukee-Watertown Club - both consisting of Watertowners living away from the city, were formed around this time.

 

Home-Coming Day!

 

September 4th, 1904 is the date set for the second annual excursion of the Milwaukee-Watertown Home-Coming Club to Watertown.

 

Monday evening president Ernst A. Kehr, Frank J. Toussaint and Jos. Schumacher, of Milwaukee were in the city and made preliminary arrangements for the affair.  Special excursion trains will be run on that date from Milwaukee, and it is expected that large delegations of excursionists will also arrive from Chicago, Madison other cities.

 

There were over 3000 visitors in this city on Home Coming day last year, and September 4th promises to have a much larger crowd.

 

Thousands of former Watertown people who reside all over the United States have been waiting anxiously for the announcement of the date this year, and now that it has been set, they are arranging their affairs so they can be here on that date.

 

1904, 09 08

Watertown Daily Times

 

The second annual homecoming celebration last Sunday in this city under the auspices of the Watertown Club of Milwaukee was a grand success - the attendance was larger than last year, the day was an ideal one so far as the weather was concerned, and good cheer prevailed on all sides. The city was handsomely decorated - business houses, public buildings and residences, - and Main street was nicely illuminated.

 

Over 700 Milwaukee people were present on the occasion and it is estimated that there were at least 3000 visitors in the city, and in the words of The Milwaukee Sentinel reporter: "Watertown proved a royal host indeed to its homecoming sons and daughters."

 

A parade in the morning, a monster picnic at Tivoli Island in the afternoon and evening, and a brilliant illumination of the city's streets at night were the features of the program rendered.

 

A large portion of the visitors began to arrive on Saturday, including over 200 from Milwaukee, but most of them came on Sunday morning trains. The banner delegation left Milwaukee in a special train of six coaches over the Milwaukee road at 8:15 o'clock in the morning, arriving at Watertown at 10 o'clock. This train carried over 500 people, including the officers of the Watertown Club . . .

 

Former Gov. George W. Peck, a member of the Watertown Club, had promised to be present, but as the result of his nomination for governor on the democratic ticket he asked to be excused and "homecoming day" lost its star attraction. Mayor Rose also had promised to speak at Watertown in behalf of the Milwaukeeans, but his trip to Arizona removed his name from the program. Visitors from other cities had come on earlier trains, and when the special train of the Milwaukee delegation arrived over 1,000 people crowded the depot yard to greet them . . .

 

(At Tivoli Island) 3,500 gathered for the afternoon festivities, and this number was increased to over 5,000 during the evening. At 2 o'clock City Attorney Arthur Mulberger called the crowd to order and in behalf of Mayor Wertheimer, who was suffering from a painful cold, delivered an eloquent address of welcome . . .

 

During the afternoon and evening Bach's band gave a concert on the island, and at night the island and the streets of the city were brilliantly illuminated by strands of electric lights. The special train left for Milwaukee at 10:30 o'clock.

 

1905

   Watertown Daily Times 07 27 1905

 

The third annual home coming and excursion of the Watertown club of Milwaukee to Watertown will be held on Sunday, Aug. 6. The train will leave over the Milwaukee road at eight o'clock and arrive at Watertown at 9:20, where the excursionists will be met by a large reception committee of the citizens of Watertown.

 

Ward's military band will play concert music at Tivoli Island at Watertown in the afternoon . . .  It was decided to invite Mayor Dunne of Chicago, Mayor Rose of Milwaukee, and Governor La Follette to deliver addresses to the people at the picnic grounds in the afternoon. There will be a parade of all civic societies of Watertown in the afternoon.

1905

   Watertown Gazette article of 08 11 1905

 

1905

   Watertown Daily Times, 08 12 1905

 

Sunday, August 6, was certainly a gala day in this city it being the observance of the Third Home Coming Day which has become quite a social feature in the experience of the inhabitants of Watertown, and great credit is due the mayor and members of the home club, in making it the grand success it was under the circumstances - and there would have been a much larger attendance had the railroads made special rates for the occasion, which they were precluded from doing on account of the existing laws in the state. As it was, there were at least 700 former residents of Watertown who came to meet relatives and friends and visit the scenes of other days. The delegation from Milwaukee numbered about 500 ...

 

1907

   Watertown Daily Times, 07 19 1907

 

(At last Monday's Council meeting) Alderman Ryan presented an ordinance amending an ordinance governing hack and bus men. It was adopted and now provides that any person can operate buses to picnics, fairs, etc. without obtaining a license and not interfering with the provisions for buses running to trains. The ordinance was amended so hastily in order that visitors here for the homecoming might have necessary accommodations to the picnic grounds and a certain few not have a monopoly in the conveyance of the visitors to the picnic grounds.

 

Homecoming Day, 08 04 1907            WHS_005_188

 

 

1908     Chapter on 1908 Homecoming

 

1909

The grandest of the Homecoming fetes was that of July 31 and August 1, 1909.  Bands went to the stations to meet the trains and welcome former residents. Another floral parade in which carriages and surreys still predominated, and a program, in which Mayor Arthur Mulberger and Judge George Grimm were featured speakers, was followed by amusements of many kinds - band concerts, repasts, receptions and reminiscences. [ Watertown Remembered ]

 

Image Portfolio

Click to enlarge

         

1909        1909, assumed       Homecomers, 1913         

 

Cross-References:

No 1:  Military Band, invitation, Homecoming Day (year uncertain)    No 2       No 3  (2 and 3 are enlargements of 1)

No 4:  Tivoli Island, site of Homecoming celebrations

 

Compiled by Ken Riedl