On July 4, 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Mama and I went to
Kilbourn, Wisconsin, to get away from the noise and heat. I think we ran right
into it. I have this written up
elsewhere.” Moses is referring to his travelogues and their visit to the area
now known as the Wisconsin Dells. Many artists and their families escaped the
heat of Chicago during the summer, venturing beyond city limits to nearby lake
resorts and summer homes. Without any
effective way to cool the air in homes or businesses during the early twentieth
century, cooler breezes near a lake or river offered much needed relief to those
who could afford venturing north. This is one of the reasons that Chicago’s
Palette & Chisel Club members established their summer camp near Fox Lake
Camp 1906.
Map of Kilbourn, WisconsinKilbourn, Wisconsin, postcardKilbourn, Wisconsin, postcardKilbourn, Wisconsin, postcard
Kilbourn, Wisconsin, was due north of Baraboo, home to the
Ringling Brothers Circus at the time. Moses repeatedly visited Al Ringling in
Baraboo from 1904 until 1915 when he was designing elaborate settings for the
Ringlings’ grand circus spectacles. The
city of Kilbourn was located in the area, along the Wisconsin River. First
identified in public records during 1856, the city named after Byron Kilbourn.
Kilbourn was a surveyor, railroad executive, and politician who was also
significant in the founding of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The town of Kilbourn was an ideal location, the midway point on the railway between Chicago and Minneapolis. It was also a well-known resort area known for the picturesque landscape. In 1875, landscape photographer H. H. Bennett established a studio in the Kilbourn, where he captured the nearby sandstone formations that helped publicize the resort town. He distributed his photographs and stereoscopic cards across the United States, promoting the area as a destination location for sightseers. He also offered souvenir pictures of visitors, and was an ever-increasing asset to the area’s tourist trade. The old H. H. Bennett Studio is now a historic site operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Kilbourn, WisconsinKilbourn, Wisconsin, postcard
The name of Kilbourn City was officially changed to
Wisconsin Dells in 1931. Home to boat tours and a variety of popular
amusements, the area continues to attract a mass influx of visitors every year.
It is also the home to Tommy Bartlett’s Water Ski & Jumping Boat Thrill
Show (est. 1952), later known as the Tommy Bartlett Show. Tourism remains a
major contributor to the economy, now advertised as the “Waterpark Capital of
the World.”
I return to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses tomorrow,
after almost a month on the road. Travel
in August brought me from Whitehorse in the Yukon to a small rural town near
Fargo, North Dakota. Unbelievably, cellular service was far better in the Yukon
than northern Minnesota – go figure. My final trip was to the Western Minnesota
Steam Threshers Reunion (WMSTR), a yearly exposition held every Labor Day
weekend near Rollag in Northwestern Minnesota. For 47 years, our family has attended the show. My annual trip to Rollag continues to fuel my
love and appreciation of history. There is nothing like seeing a tractor fueled
by steam slowly inch by, puffing all the way.
2019 at Rollag
My mother was the first person to make history come alive
for me. She has always excelled as a
storyteller, a skill that greatly helped her communicate information to not
only me, but also to her students over the years. The next greatest factor that
contributed to my fascination with history was the Western Minnesota Steam
Threshers Reunion, a unique type of living history museum that features a steam
locomotive, a pioneer exhibit, a horse-power farm, two sawmills, and a
multitude of engines powered by steam, kerosene and gasoline. People come from
across the country to see the power of steam and how it tamed the prairie. The
show has become the largest of its kind in North America.
The WMSTR Railroad’s 353The WMSTR Railroad’s No. 3, also known as the Porter Engine
My father was the first of our family to venture to this four-day event with his good friend and co-worker Ray Granstrom during the 1960s. He helped install the Corliss engine, a massive machine with a 17-foot flywheel.
The Corliss Engine at WMSTR
By 1972, my mother and I attended the show for the first time and instantly became hooked. I have only missed four shows since 1972. Two of those times were when my children were mere infants, and I refused to let their little lungs get a good dose of airborne particulates wafting from various steam engines.
Plumes of black smoke pour from hundreds of steam engines on the grounds at WMSTR
In the beginning, camping was primitive, with outhouses and limited access to running water. As a small child, this was an added bonus, no shower for almost a week! Our friends and family always knew that each Labor Day weekend we were working on the show grounds in some capacity. Over the years, our work changed as our roles shifted within the organization. My father started out in the Blacksmith shop, making little rings out of nails. He later ran the sound system in the Threshermen’s Memorial Building (TMB) before becoming the official Hobo on the WMSTR railroad.
Ray Waszut is the WMSTR Railroad Hobo
My mother started out doing a variety of thankless jobs that
no one wanted to do, including cleaning toilets. At the time, playing music on
the grounds wasn’t considered “work” and each member had to sign up for a
specific job. Progress was slow, but eventually the contributions of musicians
were recognized, sadly a little too late for many. My mother went from
borrowing Arne Gunderson’s accordion in 1972 to play in the Quonset building,
to running the entire music program on the grounds. The greatest lesson that I
learned from her over the years was how to make everyone feel respected and appreciated,
regardless of their skillset. She still
encourages young musicians, cajoles older ones, and makes sure that everyone
has a chance to be in the spotlight.
Lou Waszut and Donna Peterson grew up miles apart. yet did not meet until 1972. They played music for years and remain close friends. The two would eventually become honorary Steam Queens.
My mother now plays accordion in the Mercantile Building for
eight-hours every day of the show. My father is still a drummer, but now only
accompanies her on nursing home day. Over the years, my parents have played
with a variety of musicians on the show grounds, at parades, across the country
and at home in the Twin Cities. I grew
up listening to musical selections that spanned genres and decades. Whether is was polkas, waltzes, old time,
country, or pop, I intimately knew all of the melodies and lyrics for each.
There is something to be said about being an only child in a room full of
musicians. I spent countless hours sketching in the corner with laughter and
music in the background.
Our eldest child, Isa, singing in the Mercantile Building for the WMSTR. 2016
I watched friendships develop between musicians whose
political and religious views were diametrically opposed. Fights occasionally
erupted over a variety of social issues, but they would eventually subside, each
friendship continuing on as before. They all shared the common language of
music and this single commonality overrode a multitude of differences. I miss hearing
the peacemaking and an overall desire to respect each other despite their differing
views. Music bridges the gaps between individuals.
My own work on the grounds shifted over the decades
too. By the age of seven, I was scooping
ice cream and selling balloons. As a teenager, I worked alongside Maxine and
Edra in the Ladies Boutique, selling handmade trinkets and chatting with
visitors. These service jobs taught me how to handle both people and money, an
invaluable asset that would greatly assist me later in my career. Other jobs included
setting up and running the soundboard in the TMB under the direction of my
father, as well emceeing the style show.
Music program in the TMB at night.
It was the latter that shaped my public speaking skills and
ability to think quickly on my feet in front of a crowd. Beginning as a model at the age of four, I
was first handed the microphone as a pre-teen to describe my historic outfits. By
my late teens, I was co-emceeing of the style show and describing a variety of
outfits that randomly appeared on stage. By the age of twenty, I was sole
emcee, upping my game and providing historical context for the shifts in fashion. Instead of having models appear in random
outfits, I started to have groups come out, each representing the various
fashion trends for every decade, starting in the 1870s. We spruced up the stage and I donated some
backdrops. For years, my mother and Donna Peterson also rushed over to provide
background music, appropriate songs for each decade.
As the style show themes increased in complexity, so did my
preparation. Over the years themes included, a Century of Progress, Women’s
Rights, Courtship Through the Ages, World Fairs, Military Attire, and much
more. My husband became integral to the
style show, prompting other men to join in, always a very rare resource. Both
of our children also joined in. Our eldest, Isa, and Andrew performing duets
between decades. However, after twenty years of preparation, study, selecting
historic outfits for random individuals, pairing groups of models, and
emceeing, I passed the baton to another; I was burned out.
The style show strengthened my ability to discuss a topic
and improvise for almost two straight hours without any intermission. The whistle of the steam engines and noise
from the passing machines would compete with every show, training me to pause
and make sure the audience could clearly understand me. I learned not to rush and acknowledge those working
on the show, whether they were a dresser, model, musician, or sound technician.
WMSTR, 2017
I never used notes for the show, unless I was reading a specific
quote that pertained to the times. Occasionally an outfit was assembled without
my knowledge, a surprise that mismatched several eras at once. This opportunity trained me to think quickly
on my feet and not get flustered. In the end, I learned about American history
and how to communicate interesting information to others, all the while entertaining
them.
Times have changed on the grounds; the old time fiddle
jamboree has disappeared, replaced with more contemporary country music. There
are very few of the older musicians left.
The farmers who would dutifully show up with their fiddle to jam are a
rare sight. Yet, I still hear the echo of every musician that played with my
parents. Although many are no longer known or remembered, they are still part
every show for me.
Looking across Gunderson Lake at the WMSTR showgrounds
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, President of Historic Stage Services, and Jenny Knott, Rosco Project Manager, taught another painting class as part of the annual conference and trade show for CITT/ICTS Rendez-Vous 2019. In the past, we have taught historic and contemporary techniques for drapery painting and foliage. This year, we were inspired by Klondike history, teaching “All That Glitters is Not Gold: Painting the Magic.” We simultaneously explored historic gold-painting techniques and metallic finishes for decorative objects.
Our studio was the old Whitehorse Fire Hall, now a performance space. Located along the fast-flowing Yukon River, for short breaks, we were able to step outside and enjoy the view of old pilings that once supported the piers where riverboats stopped to deliver supplies.
The Old Fire Hall where the CITT/ICTS scene painting class took place.The Yukon River near the old fire hall in Whitehorse.Walking path along the Yukon River in Whitehorse.
After arriving in town and prepping for the workshop, Jenny and I were able to rejuvenate our batteries. Prior to my arrival in town, Jenny visited a local glass studio and bumped into the owner. An invitation was extended to Jenny; traveling north to kayak at her nearby cabin. I was fortunate to be a lucky recipient of the kindness, and the two of us paddled around a lake during the evening of my first full day in the Yukon.
Our visit to the rustic cabin, north of Whitehorse.Wendy Waszut-Barrett kayaking in the Yukon.Kayaking in the Yukon.Kayaking in the Yukon.A view on our trip back from the cabin in the Yukon.Fireweed in bloom.
There is something to be said about a gesture of kindness from a stranger, especially one at this magnitude. It immediately shapes your perception of the area and the people. The friendship and kindness extended by the local residents of Whitehorse is quite astounding, and humbling. The experience of kayaking on a serene lake, exploring the shoreline and hearing the loons was magical. I have not been so relaxed in years, with no solid plan or agenda. The beautiful log cabin had neither running water nor electricity, but there were welcome instructions, a gorgeous view, and the much-needed serenity. If ever I needed validation of being on the right track, doing the right thing at the right time, this was it.
Jenny and I ended up scheduling a “hot date” to create glass at Lumel Studios, our host’s company. We spent an hour, shaping and blowing glass in the shapes of paper weights, balls and bowls. What a transformative experience!
Wendy Waszut-Barrett making glass at Lumel Studio in Whitehorse.Jenny Knott blowing glass at Lumel Studios in Whitehorse.
I have never stopped being a student. I love learning and working with my hands. Whether it is tuck-pointing, landscaping, gardening, embroidery, or other crafts, there is an energy that emerges when completing the project. This is intensified when learning with phenomenal instructors. The hour spent at Lumel Studios was a golden moment, that is now stored in my treasure box of memories.
I cannot stress enough how wonderful CITT/ICTS is for my spirit. Kindred spirits and positive personalities that celebrate the moment while planning for the future. It is always an impressive and inspirational event.
I am taking a break from posting photographs of historic scenery until early September, as I am out of the country again. I am teaching a scene painting class with Jenny Knott of Rosco for CITT/ICTS (Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology).
This year, the national conference is in Whitehorse, a small city of 30,000 citizens in the Yukon.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
From here, I venture south to Canmore and Banff, and then west to the Fargo-Moorhead area for the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion. To keep me busy on my travels, I am transcribing the last four handwritten diaries of scenic artist Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934). See you in September with a new backdrop theme!
Until then enjoy today’s my post to FB Page Dry Pigment, where I daily post images and painted details of historic scenery. Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923. These posts will also resume in September.
Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Backside of backdrop. Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.Scenery by Toomey & Volland for the Scottish Rite in St.Louis, Missouri, 1923.
While looking for additional information pertaining to
Thomas G. Moses’ Kansas exhibit at the 1911 Chicago Land Show, I came across an
interesting article about a panorama painted for the Omaha Land show that
opened in the Omaha Coliseum on October 16, 1911. It was the artist that caught
my eye, a new name for me. As I
researched his history and artistic philosophy, it prompted me to include him
in the storyline. Arts education for children and its benefits for society are
not a new concept, individuals have been fighting for the inclusion of art
classes in American public schools for over a century. What my generation once
took for granted, daily arts classes, metallurgy, or woodworking, is not
necessarily part of out children’s academic experience anymore.
Here is the article published in the “Daily Bee” that
initially brought George L. Schreiber to my attention (“Vale depicted in
Panorama,” Omaha, Nebraska, 11 October 1911, page 5):
“One of the first big exhibits for the Omaha Land Show which
opens in the Coliseum next Monday arrived from Salem, Ore. The displays are
representative of eight counties in the Willamette valley.
A novel and interesting feature will be the panoramic
painting depicting the characteristics of the fertile land in the valley. The
panorama was painted by George L. Schrieber, who is already here to install the
big canvas. As a painting it is a work of art and it is bound to attract much
attention. Electrical effects to show the variation of the light from the break
of day until sundown will make the canvas all the more realistic. W. T. Groves,
who will have charge of the soil products display from Willamette valley, has
arrived in Omaha and is awaiting the arrival of the exhibit. He will display
fruits, grasses, forage and garden products, demonstrating the wide diversity
of crops raised in his section of the country. In addition to the exhibit there
will be a lecturer here to give illustrated talks on the Willamette valley.”
In additional to this grand painting, the article continued,
“The Bolster-Trowbridge Company has announced that it will give away a carload
of grape juice to the visitors at the Land Show. The liquor will come from
California, where the company has large interests. The wines made in California
are regarded highly among connoisseurs and the Trowbridge-Bolster booth at the
Land show will no doubt be found every attractive to many visitors.”
Of Schrieber’s work, “The Statesman Journal” reported “a
representative of the Kansas City exposition was enthusiastic in his praises of
the display and was very anxious to have the same exhibition at Kansas City”
(Salem, Oregon, 7 Nov. 1911, page 1). There was a Land Show in Kansas City the
following year.
Little is known of Schreiber, beyond a dozen newspaper
article that provide a peak into his life in Chicago, and later, Salem, Oregon.
Although few, the story is compelling and tells of his passion to teach art. In
January 1894, Schreiber taught semi-weekly courses on the history of art at the
Chicago Art Institute( Inter ocean, 24, Dec. 1893, page 15), His classes were held
at the Newberry Library Center, using Mrs. D. K. Pearson’s collection of Braun
photographs. For the Columbian Exposition,
Schreiber was selected to do the painted decor for the Children’s Building,
illustrating the decorative movement in education (Chicago Tribune, 11,
February 1893, page 9). What is fascinating is that Schreiber’s work was
directed by a committee of kindergarteners.
In 1896, Schreiber was on the advisory committee of artists,
alongside James William Pattison and Caroline D. Wade for the juries of
selection and admission to the Chicago Institute of Art (Chicago Tribune, 26
July 1896, page 42). The following year, he exhibited several pieces at the
annual exhibition of the Cosmopolitan Club held in conjunction with the
chrysanthemum show at Battery D. He showed a large number of works combining
the figures of children in landscapes. The “Chicago Tribune” reported that
Schreiber also exhibited “a portrait of himself, a figure of a mother caressing
her child, and a fantasy of a Japanese girl surrounded by chrysanthemums” (7
Nov. 1897, 43).
The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9 The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9The Children’s Building, Columbia Exposition, from the “Chicago Tribune,”11 Feb 1893, page 9
It was his participation in the 1900 national conference for
the Mothers’ League in Chicago that caught my eye, however. Schreiber was one
of the featured speakers for the event and his topic was “What Shall Art Mean
to the Child?” (The Saint Paul Globe, 22 July 1900, page 21). For the remainder
of his life, Schreiber was an advocate for art, giving many lectures on the
benefits of art, not only on children, but also the life of the community. His
passion for arts education brought him to the public schools in Salem, Oregon.
By 1911, Mr. George L. Schreiber was listed as the
supervisor of drawing in the Salem public schools (The Capital Journal, Salem
Oregon, 22 Sept, 1911, page 5). His
assistant was Miss Virginia May Mann and the two were quite a pair, enriching
the lives of the area’s children. “The Capital Journal” reported that Salem is “probably
the only city in the state which the pupils are not required to buy textbooks
in drawing, the teacher himself being the textbook. The school board furnishes
the drawing paper, clay, charcoal, and materials for basketry, and the pupils
buy their own watercolors at the bookstores. Drawing is one of the most
practical and useful studies in the public schools, and one in which the pupils
are becoming more interested.” In addition to drawing, the pupils of the
grammar grades were taught sewing and woodwork, the former to the girls of the
seventh and eight grades, and the latter to the boys of these grades.
In a 1912 article, Professor George L. Schreiber delivered
an address to the men of the “Salem Six O’clock Club.” His talk explored the
influence of art and the effect it has on the life of the community. The speech
is really quite wonderful, especially with Schreiber’s primary point being,
“The child or the man who has once opened his eyes to beauty is safe to trust
because he thereby becomes a caretaker.” I believe that the sentiment holds
true today, especially when you look at the individuals who are attacking the
necessity of art in public education or any sort of funding for the arts. In
1912, Schreiber also addressed the beautification of public spaces, public
parks and the corresponding result of civic pride in one’s environment;
artistic endeavors enrich a community and bring individuals together. Schreiber’s
closing remarks in the “Salem Six O’Clock Club” speech stressed, “If we have
faith in our community, let us then invest it with our faith and clothe it with
beauty, and, in the years to come, when our heirs shall possess it they will
say, ‘Our fathers have builded well; they have given us a fair inheritance.”
We live in a time when the arts are a constant target. Will
our children and grandchildren feel that we have given them a “fair
inheritance.” I hope so.
In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Lawrence, Kansas, yielded a
Masonic job, which meant a lot of work for the Land Show.” Land shows were held
for the purpose of exhibiting and explaining the agricultural and other
resources of the states with exhibits that included lectures and the
distribution of information.
The Chicago Land Show, 1911.
Scenery for Lawrence Scottish Rite was a little free
advertising for Sosman & Landis, leading to the Kansas exhibit for the Land
Show in Chicago. On Nov. 8, 1911, the “Evening Telegram” reported that Charles
I. Zirkle of Topeka was leaving for Chicago to “install the Kansas Land Show
exhibit” (Garden City, Kansas, page 3). Later, Zirkle spoke at the “Kansas
Realty Men” convention in Topeka, delivering the same daily lecture from the
Chicago land show that promoted settlement and travel to the Kansas (Parson
Daily Sun, Parsons, Kansas, 29 Dec. 1911, page 4).
In 1911, Land Shows were held in Minneapolis, Houston, Los
Angeles, New York, Omaha, Pittsburgh, and Salt Lake City. Of the Land Show in
Los Angeles during 1911, the “Los Angeles Times reported, “The big railroad
companies interested in the settlement of the West immediately grasped the
possibilities of the show and bought space in the Coliseum Building and spent
many thousands of dollars in getting together splendid exhibits of fruits,
grains and vegetables from districts along their line.” (5 Nov. 1911, page 21).
A general sales agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad said, “The big land
shows are a wonderful illustration of newspaper initiative and railroad
co-operation,” explaining that when the land shows commenced, Chicago was then
“the great land distributing center of the country.”
Advertisement for the Omaha Land Show from the “Omaha Daily Bee,” Jan 19, 1911, page 16 Advertisement for the Omaha Land Show from the “Omaha Daily Bee,” Oct 18, 1911
For the Chicago Land Show, the “Chicago Daily Tribune”
advertised the event as “the greatest exposition in Chicago since the World’s
Fair” in 1893 (Nov. 16, 1911, page 20). The exposition was held in the Chicago
Coliseum on Wabash Ave., near 16th St. and exhibiting space was valued
at $47,000 and filled with the finest produce of the land from fifteen states,
inviting men and women of Chicago to exchange their steam-heated flats for
rural homes.
The Union Pacific Railroad exhibit at the Chicago Coliseum was
installed at an expense of $20,000, consisting of three specially prepared
rooms and thousands of feet of moving picture films. Of the exhibit, the
newspapers described, “Continental moving picture travelogues are to be
operated in the rooms, illustrating mining and agricultural industries in the
territory through which the railroad furnishes transportation (Nov. 16, 1911,
page 20).
Local advertisements urged, “Come down and talk to the men,
who like yourself, could not get ahead in the big city and who gave up their
jobs, went West and South and are now independent of the landlord.” Each day of
the Land Show, one farm was given away
to a lucky visitor. Other daily prizes included potatoes; 40,000 of which were
distributed on Idaho day at the expense of the state. The State of California
shipped in seven carloads of fruit and one
carload of violets to be presented to female visitors on California day.
An advertisement for the Chicago Land Show, from the “Chicago Tribune,” Nov. 16, 1911, page 20
The first Land Show was held during 1909. In 1911, it was estimated that $33,000 were
spent by the management and exhibitors in decorating the interior of the
coliseum, with the entire collection of exhibits valued at $150,000, the
spending equivalent of over $4,000,000 today. Of the $150,000 in 1911, $47,000
worth of products was sold during the show, and increase from $34,000 in 1909.
Of the Salt Lake City Exhibits, the “Los Angeles Times”
reported, “According to the Salta Lake Tribune, the Commerical Club and the
Utah Development Company of Salt Lake are arranging one of the best exhibits
that Utah can produce for tge land show here.‘The results of the exhibit sent
to the last land show at the Los Angeles were so successful that it is proposed
to make the best of this opportunity.’ Says the Tribune. Elaborate and
extensive preparations are in progress in Salt Lake City for a series of
excursions from the city during the land show, and it is expected that hundeds
of members of the Commercial Club and other organizations will come here
especially to attend the exposition. General Manager Wilson is in receipt of a
letter from Frederick Thompson, scenic artist, who designed Luna Park,
Dreamland and A Trip to the Moon at Coney Island, stating that he will submit
plans for decorations and entertainment which he expects to surpass anything
heretofore attempted in the West” (“Los Angeles Times” 5 Nov. 1911, page 21).
In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Lawrence, Kansas, yielded a
Masonic job.” The scenery and stage
machinery were similar to that installed at Scottish Rite theaters in Wichita,
Kansas, Winona and St. Paul, Minnesota, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Grand Forks,
North Dakota, Tucson, Arizona, and the list goes on. Although smaller in scope
than some of the other scenery collections, the same counterweight system (Brown’s
Special system) was installed, with the lines spaced on four-inch centers. Like
many other Scottish Rite Valleys in the first two deacdes of the twentieth
century, funds were pouring in and men with vision planned massive edifices to
accommodate the ever-increasing membership. Unfortunately, this period of
unprecedented growth often meant that no plans were in place for extended
periods of membership decline or financial challenges.
The Masonic Temple in Lawrence, Kansas, once home to the Scottish RiteThe Scottish Rite theater, used for 94 years before the building was sold.The painted front curtain of the stage at the Lawrence Masonic Temple, painted by Sosman & Landis and mentioned in the memoirs of Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934).Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.Scenery produced by Sosman & Landis for the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1911.
Ninety-two years later, the building was on the market,
citing those two exact issues. It was one of the early Scottish Rite theaters
to change hands, signaling the start of a shift within the Southern
Jurisdiction. At the turn of the twentieth century, the Kansas Scottish rite
was riding the crest of expansion in the Southern Jurisdiction. They were at
the forefront of a new movement as Scottish Rite theaters and degree
productions spread like rapidfire. In 1911, there were seven Scottish Rite
Valleys in Kansas, located in Kansas City, Fort Scott, Salina, Topeka,
Lawrence, Wichita, and Leavenworth. In
1919, the “Lawrence Daily Journal-World” reported, “Largest Class in History”
(28 January 1919, page 1). The article noted, “With the addition of more
candidates for the Scottish Rite degrees, the mid-winter class now being
conducted thorugh the mysteries of higher Masonry, has now become the largest
class in the history of the Lawrence Scottish Rite bodies. There are now 119
candidates in the class.” This was a new trend, adding a mid-winter reunion to
the standard fall and spring schedule.
The need to add an additional reunion each year to accommodate increased
numbers of candidates shows how rapidly the Scottish Rite Rite was expanding
in, Kansas. The “Fort Scott
Tribune,” reported “The four bodies of
Scottish Rite Masonry have just adopted plans for a reunion which will be
somewhat a deviation from former reunions and an innovation in Masonry. A
midwinter reunion is to be held next year, the dates being February 12, 13 and
14th” (Fort Scott Tribune, 19 Dec. 1911, page 6).
Almost a century later, Kansas was again riding the crest of
another Scottish Rite wave – one of declining membership, lost properties and missing
artifacts. In May 2003, the Scottish Rite building was placed on the market. So
what happened in Kansas?
Faced with aging membership and
ever-increasing costs, Lawrence-area Freemasons have decided to sell the
majestic Scottish Rite Temple, 1001 Mass.
“This isn’t something that any of us want to do. It hurts,”
said Tom Wilkerson, the organization’s executive secretary. “But we’ve
projected out the costs of operations, and we know we can’t continue to draw on
our resources like we have. It has to be done.”
THE ASKING PRICE:
$775,000.
The buyer will have the option of also buying the buildings
that house the Scottish Rite office and the Variety Store at 1005 and 1007
Mass., respectively.
‘We’ll entertain any proposal received,’ Wilkerson said. [my
thought: bad move to put that in print].
Built in 1911, the Egyptian Revival-style building features
several meeting rooms, a 275-seat auditorium and balcony, and, in the basement,
a dining room that’s 55 feet wide and a half-block long.
A kitchen, too, is downstairs in an area carved out from
underneath the sidewalk alongside the north side of the building. The building
does not have an elevator.
Suspended above the auditorium’s stage are 55 backdrops —
each painted long ago by art students from Kansas University — that are raised
or lowered in accordance with the particular Scottish Rite ceremony being
performed.
“We’ll keep those,” Wilkerson said.
GENERATING INTEREST
The building is listed with Coldwell Banker McGrew
Real Estate.
“There’s been quite a bit of interest in
it,” said Doug Brown, the Realtor assigned to the property. “The fact that the
building has historic significance and that it’s on Mass. is quite a draw for
investors.”
Brown said the building was “incredibly well-built” and
could be converted to a variety of uses.
“The upstairs, maybe, could be turned into apartments; the
downstairs to retail,” he said. “It would be a great place for receptions.”
“Or an upscale restaurant,” said Carol vonTersch, president
of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance. “There’s been talk of that in the past,
but, at the time, the Masons weren’t ready to sell.”
The Alliance, vonTersch said, hoped to work with whoever
buys the building.
“It’s a very important building in the downtown area. People
remember that building,” she said. “We’re exceedingly concerned about what’s to
happen to it, I can assure you of that.”
It’s not yet known where the Masons will go after the
building is sold.
“A committee has been appointed that’ll make that decision,”
Wilkerson said. “A lot of it’s going to depend on whether the buyer wants the
buildings next door. If they don’t, we’ll probably move into where The Variety
Store is now; if they do, we’ll either buy a building or build something new.”
OLD
Wilkerson said about 500 men and women belong to the masonic
lodges and auxiliaries that use the temple. Most are unable to attend the
monthly meetings.
“Our mean age is 66,” he said of the membership. “That’s pretty
old.”
Wilkerson attributed the decline in membership to lackluster
recruiting and increased demands on members’ time.
“It’s a sad thing to say, but being in a fraternal organization
takes away from a person’s family time and, over the years, that’s just gotten
harder and harder to do,” he said. “All the service organizations are going
through the same thing.” [my thought: not a great advertisement to join].
Wilkerson says the Mason’s reputation for secrecy far
exceeds reality.
“Actually, we kind of joke about that,” he said. “Our
meetings are closed, that’s true. But if somebody really wanted to know what
was going on, they could just go to the library. Books have been written about
it.”
Wilkerson said there’s nothing secret about the building.
“We rent it out for receptions and things,” he said. “And before we decided to
sell, we’d talked about opening it up to public for tours or ham-and-bean
lunches.”
On June 24, 2005, the same newspaper reported that the
Lawrence-area Scottish Rite Freemasons were saying goodbye to their 94-year old
building and holding an open house and formal relocation ceremony at the new
Lawrence Masonic Center, at 1601 W 23rd St., citing, “The 5,500-square-foot
store-front-style space is more practical and cheaper to lease and operate than
the old building at 1001 Mass., which was purchased by Lawrence developer Doug
Compton.” The article noted, “Local Freemasons are hoping the new building and
new look will help attract younger men to the organization.” Now, I don’t
know about you, but meeting in a shopping mall would not necessarily be any incentive
for me to join the Fraternity, but then, I am not potential candidate material.
Here is the link to the full article: https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/jun/24/freemasons/
Of the new location, the “Lawrence Journal-World” reported,
“Their new building features an entrance that leads into a commons or reception
area, complete with
a conference table and chairs. Nearby is a large room that can be used for
dinners and banquets. There is a library, a storage room
and a large meeting room near the back with a skylight over the venerable
master’s chair at one end of the room. The building will serve as a meeting
place for 362 Scottish Rite members with several Lawrence-area Masonic orders.
It was chosen after attempts to find a suitable building that could be
purchased failed. ‘We were going to buy, but everything was so expensive,’ said
Danny Keller, the assistant personal representative for Lawrence Valley. ‘We
had a lot of problems, so we just decided to lease for a few years.’
When I visited Lawrence last summer, we drove by the Masonic
Center, now just down the street from the previous shopping mall location. It remainded me of the many pole barns that
store tractors in the Midwest. For an
organization that often links its history to the operative masons and cathedral
builders of Europe, it is a little embarrassing to see the Scottish Rite eagle
on a small window surrounded metal siding.
I was unable to venture inside, but there was no indication of a theater
or fly tower in sight. When Wilkerson explained that the Scottish Rite was
going to retain the 55 drops from the old temple, I have to wonder where they
are now.
The new home for the Scottish Rite and other Lawrence-area MasonsThe Scottish Rite eagle attached to the side of the new Masonic Center in Lawrence, Kansas.
On July 14, 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I went to
Chattanooga, Tenn., to make some sketches from Missionary Ridge, and took a run
up Mt. Lookout – believe me it is my last.
I don’t care for the sensation of the incline. I got some good photos and had Mr. Reif’s car
and chauffeur to take me anywhere. I
went the limit and saw everything, and made three pencil sketches. Closed another contract on the strength of my
sketches – $1,800.00.”
View from Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Moses was referring to Charles Reif, president of the Chattanooga
Brewing Company. Reif was the son of Brewery founder George Reif who
established the business in 1890. A George immigrant, Reif came to America in
1861, settling in Cincinnati where he worked at a meat packing plant. George
invested in beer, becoming a major shareholder in Jung Brewing Co until it was
sold in 1889. By 1890, the Reif family moved to Chattanooga, where George became
one of the principle men who bought the brewing business of Conrad Geise &
Co. The business was soon incorporated, as the Chattanooga Brewing Co. George
remained the president the company until his passing in 1899, when control of
the company was passed to his son, Charles, born in 1865.
Advertisement with George Reif listed as President and Manager. Son, Charles Reif is listed as the Secretary and Treasurer.
By 1911, the Chattanooga Brewing Co. was quite large,
distributing approximately 150,000 barrels of beer annually. Chicago hosted an
International Brewers’ Congress during October 1911 that was devoted to showing
visitors various beer exhibits. The Chattanooga Brewing Co. was one of many companies
who contracted Sosman & Landis to create their exhibit for the Brewer’s Show,
held at the Chicago Coliseum. Of the Chattanooga Brewery Co. project, Moses
wrote, “Our Chattanooga picture came out best of all. It was a perfect representation of the city
and the surrounding country.”
Chattanooga Brewing
In the spring of 1911 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Early in April
I started on the designs for the Brewers’ Show, in which they wanted to
demonstrate that beer is a food and not a beverage.” Other exhibitors with
exhibits by Sosman & Landis included the Schoenhoffen Brewing Company and
the Dubuque Brewing and Malting Company.
“Our Beers are Pure Liquid Food” “Chattanooga Brewing Co. advertisement.Advertisement from the “Jackson Daily News,” 10 Aug 1910, page 6 (2)
As the work for Brewer’s exhibits commenced, Moses wrote,
“We started Brewer’s work at the 20th Street studio, with an extra
number of men…The Brewer’s Show opened October 12th with enormous
crowds. Had a lot of trouble getting our
work into the building….Sosman was well pleased, as there was a good profit in
the work. Some of the brewers thought I
had overcharged them.” In the end, the Brewery Show of 1911 was a success. By
October 23, over 94,000 patrons attended the exposition and consumed over
500,000 glasses of beer (Statesman Journal, 24 Oct, 1911, page 9). Sosman &
Landis secured $25,350.00 in contracts for the event, today’s equivalent
purchasing power of $683,361.28 – a sizable amount of work. For the opening of
the show, the “Chicago Tribune” quoted Henry E. O. Heinemann, secretary of the
exposition, “Thousands of dollars have been spent for the foundations alone, so
tons of brewing machinery must be properly set. An army of painters,
decorators, scene builders, and machinists was busy all day and far into the
night getting everything ready for the opening” (12 October 1911, page 7).
The success of the Brewer’s Show did not last long, however,
as change was in the air. The Chattanooga Brewing Co. only operated until 1915,
when Prohibition forced them to close their doors. The brand lay dormant for
decades until recently. In 2010 the company was resurrected at 1804 Chestnut
St. In Chattanooga, Tennessee. Here is the new website if you are thirsty and in
the area: https://www.chattabrew.com/
When Western
Scenery Co. made an appearance in Lincoln, Nebraska, during 1911, the “Lincoln
Herald” reported, “In the past 10 years
the subject of scenery painting has attracted the attention of the most
skillful painters in the world. The demand is for a much higher grade of
artistic painting especially in localities where artwork is appreciated.
Lincoln is fortunate in having Western Scenery Co., formerly of Chicago,
located here, at 2042 O Street under the management of Mr. C. L. Dodson” (March
3, 1911).
A year earlier, the business directory section of the “New
York Dramatic Mirror” listed ten scenic studios: H. P. Knight Scenic Studios
(New York), Sosman & Landis Great Scene Painting Studio (Chicago), M.
Armbruster & Sons (Columbus), Ormston Scenic Construction Co. (New York),
the O. H. Story Scenic Co. (Boston), Inc., P. Dodd Ackerman Scenic Studio (New
York), Schell’s Scenic Studio (Columbus, Ohio), the Myer’s Company, Inc.,
Scenic Studio (Steubenville, Ohio), Howard Tuttle (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), H.
Fredericks (New York), and the C. Wash. Valentine Scenic Studios (Brooklyn,
NY). Individual advertisements included Edward Fourneir (Minneapolis, MN), W.
H. McConnell (Minneapolis), and H. Maurice Tuttle (Milwaukee).
There were many other scenic studios at the time not listed
in the “New York Dramatic Mirror,” such as Toomey & Volland, Lee Lash, and
New York Studios. Keep in mind that by
1910, Sosman & Landis studio was celebrating three decades of business,
having installed stock scenery collections in thousands of theaters nationwide.
During the period from 1880 to 1894 alone, they had delivered stock scenery
collections to 4000 theaters nationwide.
Although scenic art production was nearing its peak in the
United States, change was in the air. The same year that the Sosman &
Landis shops were manufacturing hundreds of painted scenes in Chicago, a new
type of drop curtain arrived at the Blackstone Theatre. One January 13, 1911,
the “Fremont Tribune” of Fremont, Kansas, reported, “The new Blackstone theater
in Chicago possesses the finest stage curtain in the United States, if not the
world. It is a solid piece of imported tapestry and cost $15,ooo without
including the duty” (page 5). $15,000 in 1911 is equivalent in purchasing power
to about $404, 436.32 in 2019. The article continued, “There are only two other
theaters in the world that have curtains of the same kind, and neither of
these, it is said, is a fine a piece of work as Blackstone’s. One of these
curtains is at Milan [Italy] and the other in [Moscow] Russia. No Paris
playhouse has such a curtain, and there is none in England. The curtain was
woven especially at Aubusson, near Paris. It is the largest single piece of
tapestry ever imported into this country, measuring 30 ½ by 42 feet.”
Postcard depicting the Blackstone TheatreImage of the $15,000 tapestry drop curtain, from “Fine Arts Journal,” Vol. 24, No. 4, pp.280-281
The work began in the studio of M. Lemaille in Montmartre,
Paris, two years prior to delivery. From a small cartoon, a full sign-painting
was created for the tapestry artisans. The actual weaving did not commence
until June 1910 at Aubusson. The tapestry was a partial reproduction of a
famous tapestry owned by Napoleon that depicted a group of young people dancing
on the green in the time of Louis XII.
The April 1911 publication of “Fine Arts Journal” included
the article “A $15,000 Tapestry Drop Curtain” (Vol. 24, No. 4, pp.280-281). The
Blackstone Theatre was credited as being “the most modern and the handsomest
playhouse in America,” erected by Chicago businessmen at a cost of $500,000 in
Hubbard Place between Michigan Boulevard and Wabash Avenue and adjoining the Blackstone
Hotel. Charles Frohman, Klaw and Erlanger were the lessees with Harry J. Power
as manager and Augustus Pitou, Jr. as business manager.
It was William J. Sinclair, director of the Hasselgren
Studios, who conceived the idea of having a drop curtain of tapestry. Hasselgren
Studios was a furniture company and celebrated interior-decorating firm that
operated between 1911 and 1937 in Chicago. The firm was famous for their fine
art work in mansions, hired for decorating. The artistic staff included scenic
artists who painted ceiling murals on canvas that were shipped and hung in
distant locales. They were also well known for their Oriental rugs, too, many
of which were woven in Persia and would take years to complete. (Quad City Times, 24 May 1953, page 4). The
company went bankrupt in the 1920s, with much of the stock being sold to John
A. Colby and Sons. The order for the Tapestry drop curtain was placed over two
years before delivery and necessitated a full-sized “cartoon” for the design. The piece was completed only a month before
its arrival in the United States and the duty was noted as “a small fortune.”
Hasselgren Studios advertisement in the “Chicago Tribune,” Feb 12, 1911, page 21Hasselgren Studios advertisement from the “Chicago Tribune,” Jan 31, 1915, page 44
What should be contemplated after thinking of this
substantial purchase is the significance of the proscenium opening. Although
the auditorium was ornately decorated with Ivory, dull gold and green, the
“Fine Arts Journal” explained that the color scheme was “specifically designed
to harmonize with and display the beautiful tapestry drop curtain.” As in many
cases with previously painted drops curtains, the entire auditorium functioned
as a frame for the artwork hanging in the proscenium. The architectural elements were simply
supportive to whatever was suspended in the focal point of the auditorium – the
proscenium.
In 1911, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I did a good curtain for Lincoln, Nebr.” As I started combing through newspaper records for a drop curtains in Lincoln mentioned during 1911, I came across several interesting articles, including one drop curtain for Leavenworth prison. It is difficult to verify Moses’ work without a secondary source, such as a newspaper clipping, so I am uncertain the exact nature of his project. I often feel that I am grasping at straws in the dark, until a little gem pops up out of nowhere.
Postcard from Lincoln, NebraskaPostcard showing a birds-eye view of Lincoln, Nebraska, 1914
Fortunately, while looking in Lincoln newspapers for information, one article came to my attention. It was published in “The Lincoln Herald” on March 3, 1911, and brought a new scenic studio to my attention. The headline of the article was “Western Scenery Co. C. L. Dodson, Manager. ” Here is the article in its entirety:
“In the past 10 years the subject of scenery painting has
attracted the attention of the most skillful painters in the world. The demand
is for a much higher grade of artistic painting especially in localities where artwork
is appreciated. Lincoln is fortunate in having Western Scenery Co., formerly of
Chicago, located here, at 2042 O Street under the management of Mr. C. L.
Dodson.
Postcard showing O Street in Lincoln, Nebraska, 1910
It is the purpose of this company to make a specialty of
scenery and curtains for theatres by the most approved and up to date methods,
They receive many inquiries and orders for this class of work and are at this
time painting a drop curtain for the opera house at Harper, Kansas, which, when
completed will be a high grade piece of work. Mr. Dodson is widely known
throughout the west as a master of the art and has made curtains for the opera
house at Beatrice, Wilber and many other towns in the west. He employs only
competent men who are reliable in their work. For more detailed information
call, phone address Western Scenery Co. 2041 O Street, Bell A2594.”
Advertisement for Western Scenery Co.
There is a great possibility that Moses was one of the
“competent men who are reliable in their work” that Dodson employed during a
particularly busy period. However, little is known of the Western Scenery Co.
of Lincoln, Nebraska. Two Dodson’s lived in Lincoln in 1911, with C. A. Dodson
residing at 108 North 27th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln
Journal Star, 21 June 1911, page 7). Were there a C. A. Dodson and a C. L.
Dodson? Near the end of summer in 1911, however, another advertisement appeared
in the “Lincoln Star.” “Dodson &
Dodson” advertised as “Scenic Artists, Opera House scenery, aluminum curtains,
stand alone stuff a specialty. We book vaudeville attractions. 108 North 27th.
Bell A2594” (6 August 1911, page 12).
Advertisement for Dodson & Dodson in Lincoln, Nebraska
As I continued to search for clues about the Dodsons, C. A.
Dodson was described as “artist, genius, dope-fiend, and much married man”
(Lincoln Star, 23 Feb. 1909, page 3). Reading the various newspaper articles
about Dodson’s drunken episodes, however, was like watching an artist’s life
slowly go down the drain. It was the
time when alcohol addiction was perceived as a character flaw and not a
disease.
The earliest article that I came across was published on
Dec. 26, 1908. C. A. Dodson. Described
as an “individual whose uncontrollable thirst and passionate love of ‘dope’ has
made him a derelict…he was arrested yesterday on a charge of taking a ride in a
cab when he didn’t have coin to pay for the privilege.” On February 1, 1909,
the “Lincoln Journal” reported, C. A. Dodson, the man with an uncontrollable
predilection to alcoholism and unending spasms of delirium tremens, is in the
city jail. He was able to walk without staggering a few days ago, so was
released from the county jail. He immediate secured a job of decorative
painting at Friend. At that place he imbibed again and his subsequent antics so
horrified the populace they hired a keeper for him, put the couple on the next train
and sent them to Lincoln, where Dodson was released again. The police soon
gathered him in again as in his usual conditions.”
A similar story about Dodson was published a few months
later, on February 2, 1909, in the “Lincoln State Journal” (page 10):
“C. A. Dodson, a scenic artist, who has been of late a
frequent occupant of the city hall, and who has been sent to the insane asylum
as a dipsomaniac was brought into the police yesterday afternoon by a resident
of Friend who had come across Dodson in that city acting in a peculiar manner.
The man from Friend said that the citizens of that place had been much alarmed
by the actions and had requested that he be taken to the Lincoln police and an
attempt made to have him taken again to the asylum. The doctors at the asylum
say that Dodson has reached the incurable stage of dipsomania and that it is
useless to send him for treatment. Dodson is also a dope fiend as well as a
systemic drinker, being a user of morphine and cocaine. Chief of Police Cooper
said yesterday that he was at loss to know what to do with the man, as he was
no sooner released from the custody of the police that he was back in jail in a
lamentable state. It was the opinion of Judge Risser that Dodson should be
permanently assigned to one of the state institutions as he was now so far gone
nervously that he was no longer able to care for himself and really needed a
constant guardian. Dodson was sent to the county jail yesterday afternoon and
Judge Risser purposes taking his case up with the insanity board with the view
of having him permanently committed to one of the state institutions.” Sadly,
later that year, Dodson was accused of beating his wife and received jail time
(Lincoln Star, 7 Dec, 1909, page 1). The article reported, “On complaint of his
wife that he had been coercing her to give him all the money she made as a
department store clerk that he might use it to purchase whiskey, and that he
had been guilty of beating her, C. A. Dobson was Tuesday sentenced to thirty
days in county jail. For some time Dodson has been known to the police as a
shiftless citizen, who cares little for work and less for keeping poverty from
his home, and when he was brought before the police magistrate Tuesday on the
charge of wife-beating he was given a moderate sentence.” For a little context,
Dodson’s first wife, Mary E. Dodson, filed for divorce against C. A. Dodson on
May 18, 1895 (Kirwin Globe, Kirwin, Kansas 5 April 1895, page 4).
In 1913, Dodson was still spending spells in jail for
drunkenness and threatening his wife with physical harm (Lincoln Star, 5 Oct.
1913, page 4). He made headlines again, this time for picking up a heavy
cuspidor and hurling it into the midst of a group of prisoners. It struck Robert Robinson, a veterinary
surgeon, who was serving a similar sentence, and split open his ear.
By 1915, the “Nebraska State Journal” reported, “C. A.
Dodge, paroled on April 6 from the state insane asylum, was picked up on the
street yesterday afternoon in a drunken conditions. When examined at the police
station he was found to be suffering from his former trouble and the hospital
authorities were notified. He was returned to the asylum last night” (19 Nov.
1915, page 4).
In 1916, the “Lincoln Journal Star” reported, “C. A. Dodson,
a patient at the asylum, escaped from the institution early Monday morning. He
was found by the police at 9 o’clock near Eighteenth and G streets and was
taken back to the hospital” (10 July 1916, page 10).
Postcard showing the Lincoln State Penitentiary, ca. 1930s.
There was not much to discover about Dodson after 1916, no
death notice or any other asylum escapes. It is just such a sad story, yet a
small blip in the life of American scenic art.
