_{"...the new ballroom was capable of comfortably accommodating two thousand..."}

CRYSTAL GARDEN: The doors of Vermilion’s Crystal Garden Dance Hall at Crystal Beach Amusement Park opened in May of the same year that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book “The Great Gatsby” was published – 1925. It was in the midst of an era of “sustained economic prosperity” historians now refer to as the “Roaring Twenties”. It was an exciting time – a “roaring” time: an era of jazz, prohibition, “flappers” (i.e. girls who dared to wear short skirts, bobbed hair, listened to jazz, and otherwise flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior) and “bootleggers / rumrunners”. And at Crystal Gardens – adding to the excitement – many of the greatest musicians of those times regularly performed: Duke Ellington, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Count Basie, Jimmy Dulio, Les Brown, Louis Prima, Lawrence Welk, Xavier Cugat, Guy Lumbardo and numerous lesser known names such as (inset poster) Bob Deikman and his orchestra.

Actually people had been dancing at the park since the middle of another era in American history. American author Mark Twain dubbed it “The Gilded Age” (1870-1900). Somewhere around the year 1874 a Vermilion pioneer farmer named George Shattuck / Shadduck transformed his 23-acre farm on the shores of beautiful Lake Erie from cow pasture into a picturesque public picnic grove and bathing beach. Energized by widespread approval of this basic recreation facility he soon added a beer garden, gaming devices, a dance hall, and the dancing began.

Meanwhile there appeared on the periphery of this scene a young entrepreneur named George Blanchat. Born at Apple Creek, Ohio around 1875, he spent his boyhood days around Millersburg. As a young man he moved to Elyria where he worked as a window decorator for the D. Lewis Company – a dry goods merchant. Later he managed a restaurant in Lorain, and eventually owned and operated Oak Point Park for a number of years.

In 1906 Mr. Blanchat purchased Shattuck’s Park and changed the name to Crystal Beach. [Note: It is said that during an early inspection of the property with his wife, Josephine, she took up a handful of sand from the beach taking notice of its “crystal-like” qualities giving name to the park.] He put in a midway, various concessions and other amusements, added some cottages, improved the picnic grounds, and built a dance hall. In short order Blanchat fashioned the park into one of the best “playgrounds” on the southern shores of Lake Erie.

The original dance hall atop the Casino building that overlooked the beach was eventually destroyed by fire. And though several photographs show it to have been a fine place for couples to shake a leg or two there could be no comparison between it and the new improved Crystal Garden. Bedecked in tones of blushing pink and apple green the new ballroom was capable of comfortably accommodating two thousand (that's right folks - two thousand) dancers on its hardwood floor. A broad promenade that afforded enough room for nearly the same number of people embraced the dance area. Also included were a new refreshment stand, check room, and spacious lavatories. Even as it was being razed during the mid-1960s to make room for a bank, a service station, and access and egress to apartment buildings, it was still worthy of saving. But alas, it was not to be.

Though development is frequently perceived to be the mean stepchild of human affairs, it is nonetheless an unavoidable reality. And Crystal Garden, as well as the entire amusement park, forever disappeared from the landscape of Vermilion, O. But on quiet summer nights when heat lightning flickers in the sky to the north, and the lake is still as glass, some say that if you listen very closely you can still hear the echoes of the old bands at Crystal Garden, and the happy whispers of the lovers from that yesteryear. [Tis either that or Colin Dussault is playing at the Olympic Outing Club again.]

_{Ref: VNPSM Vermilion History Archives; Special Thanks to Zak Dolyk; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal 07/04/13; Written 06/30/13 @ 10:18 AM.}

Vol. IX - NO.11 – Aug. 24, 1905.

COURT NOTES

E.B. Welch has been appointed guardian of H.K. Riblet aged 83.

John E. Bragg has been appointed administrator of the estate of John Henry Behnke. The estate is valued at $2,000.

Frederick Ross Beall, 26, track foreman, Sandusky and Mrs. Anna Zimmerman, 26, Huron. Rev. McIlwain.

LORAIN COUNTY.

The will of Zebulon B. Curtis of Brownhelm, who was 76 year of age, was filed in the Probate Curt Saturday. He leaves to his daughter Mrs. Sarah L. Diver, $1,000 in cash and to his foster son, Charles M. Curtis, lot 43 in the township of Brownhelm, consisting of 55 acres. The balance of his property he leaves to his wife.

The case against Captain Worth fined $00 for keeping a bucket shop at Lorain, has been taken to the circuit court on error. The constitutional standing of the bucket shop will be attacked.

Pleasant Affairs.

Several of the relatives and friends of Mrs. Helen Rose packed their baskets and gave her a pleasant surprise in the form of a picnic dinner at her home on the river road Friday. The ladies spent the afternoon.

Mrs. H.L. Minium entertained seventeen of her lady friends very pleasantly Tuesday evening at cards and flinch. Instead of the usual prized for the best player, a prized was given for the prettiest lady present. All contested and when votes were counted Mrs. John Kuhl was declared the winner, she having received six votes. She was presented a beautiful silver berry spoon.

Died From Lockjaw.

Dewane Carl Fisher, aged seven, of Toledo met with a sad accident about two weeks ago, which caused his death. Monday morning Aug. 21, He was spending his vacation at the home of his grandfather, Mr. John Maberson and while playing with other children in a neighbor’s yard, stepped on a nail. The wound healed and nothing more was thought of it until Friday when his jaws began to set. Dr. Englebry was called and did all in his power to alleviate the suffering. He died Monday morning. The mother Mrs. Lizzie Odell and aunt Mrs. Hummer of Toledo were summoned but did not receive the message in time to see him alive. They arrived Tuesday morning.

Funeral services were held this morning and internment made at Maple Grove cemetery, Rev. Wm. G. Klein officiating.

Big Crowd for Vermilion.

Sunday was a big day for Vermilion. The largest crowd that has been here in several years visited the parks and enjoyed themselves.

At Linwood the Camp Meeting was the attraction and about 1200 day tickets were sold and probably as many more were at the cottages and hotel as nearly every available cottage was occupied.

At Shadduck’s Park the Woodmen held their picnic, which was the largest of the season. The Vermilion Ball Club defeated the Hurons with a score of 9 to 3. It was late at night before the last visitor succeeded in getting transportation to their homes, as every car was crowded to its utmost capacity.

Is It a Fake?

It has been currently reported that several cottages at Linwood Park summer resort have been entered and robbed. In one instance $35 is alleged to have been taken.

Inquiry made of the town officials also of Park officers resulted in no information concerning the matter. They seem to take the stories with plenty of salt.

The officials of the park, it is reported, secured hounds and attempted to track the alleged robbers but failed.

Some one from Lorain as usual has taken pains to enlarge on the subject and report it to the Cleveland papers. The bold attempt at robbery at the park is laughed at by all of whom we have made inquiries.

The park should be guarded as well as any such resort can be and as it is a part of the village of Vermilion, certainly the attempted robberies would have been reported to town officials if true.

Gifts Are All Illegal.

Ohio Court Decides that Carnegie Library Methods Are Wrong.

A decision handed down t=by the circuit court of Lebanon, Ohio, annuls all the condition gifts for libraries in Ohio made by Andrew Carnegie. In all his gifts Carnegie has required that the city benefited shall guarantee a given sum in perpetuity for the maintenance of the library. Taxpayers at Lebanon, where a Carnegie library was to be established, sued to enjoin the council from making the contract with Carnegie to furnish the sum of $1,000 per year to support the library. The circuit court upheld the injunction.

NORTH AMHERST

The Haywood Bros. have purchased three lots in Fairview additions and will build houses there.

The remains of Elizabeth McNeal, a former resident of Brownhelm, were shipped o North Amherst Sunday night from Watertown, Ind. The deceased was 70 years old and died of old age. The funeral services were held Monday morning from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and interment was made in the Catholic cemetery.

BROWNHELM

Born – To Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wittmer, Aug. 15, ’05, a daughter.

H. Sprankle and family of Shinrock were guests at the home of J. H. Baumhardt Sunday.

ASHMONT

Miss Grace Slocum of Berlin Hts. called at her home here Sunday eve.

Little Freda Driver who has been qite sick is better.

F.A. Driver has a new horse.

Norris Baker and sister Marion have been slightly ill for a few days.

REAL ESTATE.

Conrad Bachman, to John H. and Anna E. Barry, part of lot 4, South Street, Vermilion; $200.

Cora A. Thompson to Frederick W. Wakefield, lots 18 and 20 and parts of 10 and 19, Vermilion village; 42,600.

[VV Ed. Note: This last transaction is significant because it documents when, and from whom, F.W. Wakefield purchased the property where he eventually constructed his Harborview home that later the G.L.H.S. maritime museum at the foot of Main Street.]

Business Men’s Picnic?

Have you noticed what delight some engineers on the L.S.& M.S. Ry. take in making life miserable for those living along the line by whistling for every crossing twice over while others forget they have a whistle, especially when the gatemen are off duty.

[VV Ed. Note: Aha! It seems that folks way back in 1905 were also highly annoyed by what they deemed to be unnecessary train whistling. But you really have to wonder if the noise was purposeful on the part of the engineers or if they were just following orders. I suppose the point is moot now. But it is nonetheless interesting to know that the complaints go back over 100 years.]

The summer people are leaving for their homes by every train and the departures now exceed the arrivals. The boys of Troop A, U.B.B.A. of Pittsburg expect to leave for home Friday. They have had a most enjoyable vacation.

Judging from resorts it seems that all favorite summer resorts on the shores of old Lake Erie are doing a booming business this season, financially. Some of the large hotels have had to turn away many desirable guests for lack of room, and proprietors of the many amusements are all wearing broad smiles, so it must also be well with them.

Rube Jones went to Lorain last evening to fish on Susie B.

Mr. and Mrs. Worlie Houseman and daughter Clara of Toledo are guests at the home of E.T. Bottomley and family.

Fairly good catches of fish are reported at Erie and Ashtabula. The fishing at Vermilion is at present no good.

Land has been leased between Lorain and Vermilion for oil purposes. Particulars later. The extent of the proposed oil field is not known but we know we have oil in Vermilion.

A.H. Leimbach has been appointed by the governor to represent the Ohio Good Roads Association at the meeting of the International Good Roads Convention to be held at Port Huron, Mich. Aug. 29 to 31.

[VV Ed. Note: I need mention here that while reading through all these old issues of The News I noticed that starting in about the early Summer of 1905 there was apparently a big push – on a national level – for creating a government sponsored roads program. I’ve not published those reports here because they’re very long and convoluted. What I’m getting at, however, is that the days of horse and buggy are about to come to an end. Though automobiles are usually mentioned in News reports with some derision it’ll be interesting to see how quickly – or slowly – that attitude changes as time passes.]

The Piependeckel crowd, consisting of C.F. Christian, William and Arthur Goerz, Albert Suckow, Wm G. Griesbach, and August Graske, who have been camping at the home of Otto Knott, broke camp and returned to their homes in Cleveland Monday. They made a jolly crowd and enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

The last dance of the season at Shadduck’s Lake Park pavilion will be given Labor Day night, Monday, Sept. 4, 1905. This will be a Confetti and Serpentine dance. Don’t miss it.

Born – Saturday, Aug. 19, ’06 to Mr. and Mrs. Harley Clawson, a son.

Wanted – Good girl for general housework. Seady situation for the right party. Enquire at The Wagner Hotel, Vermilion, O.

For Sale – A good heavy team of Blacks, new Turnbull Wagon and Harness must be sold as I can not attend to them and my nursery stock. – S.C. Myers, Phone 220.

Wanted – At Vermilion Flour Mill, man to work in mill. Must have some knowledge of bookkeeping and make himself generally useful about the mill \; must be willing to work. Apply to F.J. Harpster, Elyria, O., or at mill, with reference.

Norwalk is to have anew industry. It is the Wm. Kavanaugh Co. of Zelienopole, Pa., a large manufactory of oil well supplies. It is to be located near the Norwalk steel plant.

Persons who were especially liberal in their sympathy for Nan Patterson may be interested to know that the young woman has been chased our of New York for helping a Duluth man who has a wife and four children spend his money too freely. – Ex.

[VV Ed. Note: The case of Nan Patterson is, like the case of Cassie Chadwick, very intriguing. It seems that Nan Randolph Patterson, a pretty chorus girl in a 1900 smash Broadway hit Florodora and daughter of a Treasury Department bigwig, insisted she didn’t kill her married boyfriend, a gambler by the name of Caesar Young.

But the evidence against her was strong. On the morning of June 4, 1904, Nan and Caesar were taking a hansom cab to a Hudson River pier where Caesar and his wife were to board a transatlantic ship.

At West Broadway and Franklin Street, a shot rang out from the cab. Caesar lay dying in Nan’s lap, a bullet in his chest. Nan told police Caesar shot himself, upset that she was leaving him. The cops said no way: the bullet entered Caesar from an angle not compatible with suicide. And anyway, Caesar’s gun was found in his pocket. Tried for murder, Nan’s sensational trial attracted a ton of media interest and resulted in two hung juries. In the end, she went free. “The prosecutor concluded that no jury would unanimously believe that such a sweet young thing could commit so brutal a crime,” writes Patrick M. Wall in “The Annals of Manhattan Crime”.]

The investigation of the case of the boiler explosion on the U.S. Ship Bennington has proven that through carelessness the steam gauge was shut off and failed to register and the safety valves failed to work properly. The steam pressure was very great and hence the explosion. The parties directly connected with this piece of carelessness were killed in the explosion.

It is reported that the train crew of the freight No. 36 which collided with 41 near Rocky River, M.D. Kirby, Fireman Burdeck, Conductor Tom Tracy and brakemen John Good and Pete Phillips, crew of the train which caused the disaster at Kishman’s, have been discharged from the employ of the company. Fourteen of the injured Italians of the Kishman wreck have left the hospital at Lorain. The N.P. Ry settled with them by paying on an average of $100 each. They were only slightly injured.

BREVITIES

An earthquake visited St. Louis last week, and terrible storms are reported in St. Paul, Minn.

R.H. Brown of Fremont is the inventor of a new safety razor, which will be manufactured and put on the market in a few weeks.

Capt. C. Moore aged 82, who has sailed the lades for the past fifty years is seriously ill at his home in Detroit.

One more victim of the Kishman wreck has died, Alberta Ganna, an Italian. His death was caused by his ribs being broken and puncturing his lungs.

E.E. Ensign, ex-sheriff of Lorain Col. Committed suicide last week by shooting himself through the head. Ill health was the cause. He was forty-five years old and leaves a family.

A find half tone of Chas A. Heidloff formerly of this place who so successfully managed the four county picnic of the W.O.W. at Shadduck’s Park Sunday appeared in Friday’s World News.

A Kenton farmer disappeared a month ago. This week his remains were found under his barn where he had, it is supposed, crawled in search of eggs. He evidently was caught and could not get out as he had clawed the earth around him.

WEEKS – PARSONS WEDDING.

Very Pretty Afternoon Wedding Occurred
Thursday at the Home of Capt.
Alva Parsons on Walnut Street.

One of the prettiest home weddings of the year took place Thursday afternoon at 5 o’clock at the residence of Capt. Alva Parsons at No. 50 Walnut street. The occasion was the marriage of his daughter, Maud Adelaide to Mr. Charles J. Weeks. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Geo. E. Merrill, of Vermilion. It was a pink and white wedding, the color idea being carried out in the decoration of the rooms, which wee very tastefully arranged. The bride was beautifully dressed in a gown of Point D’Esprit over white satin and carried a large bouquet of white brides roses. The maid of honor Miss Nell Parsons wore a becoming gown of pink lawn [VV Ed. Note: “lawn is a fine linen or cotton fabric ]. The bridesmaids were Miss Anna Baxtine, Miss Helen Noyes, Miss Harriet Taylor and Miss Amy Cherry. Mr. Clarence J. Wright acted as best man.

The bride is one of Oberlin’s well liked and most popular young ladies. Mr. Weeks, who is a clerk at the post office, enjoys the esteem of all who know him and has a host of friends.

After a short trip to Detroit, they will be at home at 41 Walnut street. – The Oberlin Tribune, Aug. 18, 1905.

Ritzenthaler Feigning Insanity.

John Ritzenthaler, the young man who is now in the county jail for attempting to rob a Wheeling & Lake Erie paymaster at Huron, is now said to be losing his mind by persona who have visited the jail lately.

It is said that he is unable to recognize friends and various imaginary troubles disturb his peace of mind. The story further was that no one was allowed to see him and, while not violent, he is gradually losing his strength.

Sheriff Hoffman said that he was aware of the talk concerning Ritzenthaler.

“I am next to him,” said the sheriff. “He is simply feigning insanity. I have a very good evidence that it is all put on.”

Ritzenthaler’s case will come up for trial next month in the common pleas court and Judge Mills has been retained to defend.

_{“Though the theater was long ago razed, the concrete foundation remains.”}

THE CRYSTAL THEATER: It was called "The Crystal Theater. It was built by A.D. Baumhart (VPJ 12-13-03) at the beginning of the 20th century, and was located just south of the M. (Miller) Wilber Hardware Store on the west side of what was · then known as Division Street (now Main) in the old business quarter of Vermilion. Though the theater was long ago razed, the concrete foundation remains and, in later years, has been fashioned into a pulchritudinous outdoor sitting area adjoining the Winterstein Realty offices [VV Ed. Note: Currently a interior design business occupies the building.] and the Main Street Parking Lot Those were the days when the great silent "flickers " of Charlie Chaplin, Clara Bow, Fatty Arbuckle, Lillian Gish, and Tom Mix visited this tiny village of some 1200 souls stealing both hearts and minds, if only for a brief time, from the humdrum of everyday life.

Outside the theater a huge gramophone called one and all to the box office with a song made popular in 1909 called "Oh Pony Boy” a ditty written by Bobby Heath and Charley O’Donnell. While the verse was nothing short of tongue twisting (i.e. "Way out west, in a nest from the rest, dwelt the bestest little Bronco Boy..."/ Don’t say no. Here we go off a cross the plains..."[Note: those familiar with the tune will easily understand its appeal as a veritable fanfare for the theater. It is similar to the ditties used by mobile ice cream vendors.]

Mr. Baumhart had leased the concession to one William (Bill) Leimbach. Warren (Red) Brooks was his projectionist, and Leimbach's young (12/ 13) daughter, Florence, accompanied the silent movie stories as pianist. Her mother would pa y her with pennies she collected from movie patrons each night.

When the transformer on the side of the building could not draw enough electricity from the Lake Shore Electric line that provided power, it was up to Florence and/or other local talents to provide the entertainment.

The picture show cost a nickel and was only open on weekends. Mr. Leimbach worked as an agent for the New York Central railroad during the week. In the photograph the Watchman's tower for the NYC railway is visible at the upper left. The old Congregational Church (now the Millett Auction House) can also be seen in the background.

Also worthy of note in this photo is the sign for the doctor 's office over the door of the stairwell leading to the second floor of the hardware store. Although it's not legible in the picture, it was the office of Dr. Frank Englebry. He was killed in January of 1910 at about midnight while crossing the NYC tracks at Grand Street on his way to deliver a baby.

It may also be of interest to observe something about the fellow who then owned the hardware store, Miller Wilber. Wilber and his wife, Harriet, were the children of Nicholas Wilber who achieved some notoriety in local circles for owning the Swift Mansion, Rosedale, along Gore-Orphanage Road in Swift's Hollow. It was Miller's four children who perished in a diphtheria epidemic when it passed through the village in 1893, and silly rumors surrounding the tragedy persist to this day (VPJ 1-23-03).

But back to the theater: In the end, Mr. Leimbach died prematurely of a heart attack in his early 40s, and the theater was sold and eventually replaced by the Vincent Furniture Store. Florence Leimbach Fowler lived a long and productive life as a prominent Vermilion citizen and musician. And life went on in the place we call Vermilion.

_{REF: Vermilion Bugle: Remember The Old Crystal Theater; Florence Fowler; Sesquicentennial Vermilion, Ohio 1837- 1987; The Way It Was; Betty Trinter, Book II; 1966; National Institute of Health Department of Health and Human Services; Kid's Pages on the Web; Published in the Vermilion Photojournal sometime in 2003.}

BOSTON WIRE STAPLER:This machine is one of the oldest electrically powered machines in the print shop (VNPSM). It is, to apply a terrible pun, a fascinating machine.

In 1896 a fellow named Thomas Briggs invented a new kind of “user friendly” wire stitcher designed for fastening books, calendars, checks, hat boxes, etc. This machine made a staple or stitch as it was called from a coil of wire. He called it the Boston Wire Stitcher and the company was named the Boston Wire Stitcher Company.

Over the years the company continued to grow and the products it manufactured evolve. In 1930 it became the Bostitch® Company. And today many us have one their products on our desks in our homes and offices called a Bostitch® stapler.

This baby in the bindery room of the shop. Someday I’m going to replace the plug, and fire it up. It has the potential of still being a useful piece of equipment. And it’s only a hundred (or so) years old.