Bathing Beach at
Fairmount Park, Kansas City, Mo.
Last year it was the
new auditorium, this year it's the new hotel,
"The Fairmount," built on the
high ground overlooking the lake. Opening
day was May 8th, a warm spring day with the air
temperature at 86 degrees and the water temperature at
70. The Third Regiment Band, conducted
by H. O. Wheeler, began its 4th season by giving two
concerts on Sunday, May 10th, and things were again on
a positive note. Except for some lying
politicians and a few truant kids, there was, as yet,
no crime at Fairmount Park.
The Fairmount Hotel
was built to accommodate the many people from the big
city who wanted to spend a few quiet days in the
country. There were 52 rooms in the hotel and
nine cabins just south of it. Many people found
rest and relaxation in the U-shaped two story
building, with two screened in front porches, used for
sitting and watching the world go by. A cafe
seating 50 people was open, managed by Mrs. George
McLean, who as also in charge of the park cafe.
The Sunday dinner was 75 cents, which doesn't sound so
cheap when the average wage for a 60-hour work week
was just $12.
Washington Park,
which opened May 23rd, had not changed a whole lot in
the last two seasons. The trains now ran every
couple of minutes. Boating, fishing, the bathing
beach, the cafe, and the Shetland ponies for kids were
again the main attractions. The Washington Park
Military Band was very popular, but other that that it
had just about seen its day.
Beginning May 30th
and lasting two weeks, the first annual Chautauqua was
booked at Fairmount Park. It was named after a
lake in New York state, where the first one was held
in 1874 and from there spread all over the
nation. It was kind of like a correspondence
course for mainly adults with a Bible-thumping
theme. Among the many speakers was Methodist
Episcopalian John Vincent, who founded the movement,
and William Jennings Bryant, a young oracle, who was
to be the Democratic presidential nominee for that
year. The "great commoner" debated a
man from Massachusetts named Horr; the subject being
the silver issue. Special train rates for people
within 150 miles of Fairmount were in effect. A
tent city sprang up along the sloping ground just
north of where Ralston Avenue runs into Lexington
Avenue now. Over 100 tents were rented from the
park management and pitched. Most of the campers
cooked under the trees and it took on a picnic
atmosphere. The highlight, at least to the old
Professor, had to be on Saturday afternoon, June 6th
when a pretty young lady by the name of Clevenger
fainted while waiting to recite. Almost 3,000
people received a diploma at the end of the tortuous
affair, which ended on June 13th.
On Saturday, June
20th, the National Circuit bicycle races were held at
Fairmount Park's amphitheater (Roper Stadium).
There were two classes, professional and
amateur. It was easy to spot the pro's in the
crowd: they were the ones with the bruises and
bandages. The event was sponsored by the Kansas
City Bicycle Dealers Association. $600 in gold
coin for the professionals and $235 in silver and
jewelry for the novice, were offered.
Twenty-five professional wheel men from New York City
to San Francisco were drawn to town. The 1/4
mile track was a combination of cinders and dirt and
was described as "one of the swiftest in the
country." Over 2,000 people attended the
events and while no new records were broken neither
were any bones. It rained early Saturday morning
so there were a few spills. Sixty-two locals
wheeled around the oval track competing for prizes
like silver service sets, diamonds, gold watches,
opera glasses, etc.
The weekend before
the 4th of July, the 4th annual picnic for the Kansas
City Railroad Passengers Men was held. They
arrived from all over the Midwest, on Saturday, June
27th. On this day the picnic area of the park
was located where now Willow and Ralston dead end into
Lexington. Rustic tables were covered with food
and were already set up. After lunch, a couple
of hours of speeches, introductions, and much toasting
were in order. At 5:30 those that could still
walk took a dip in the lake and teased the other
bathers. When 7:00 rolled around, the trains
were again boarded and the railroad men began, for
some, a long journey back from where they came.
Following the
fireworks, fun, and festivities of the fifth 4th of
July at Fairmount, the fabulous frolic returned to its
former functions. The heat of July sent many
patrons to the lake to cool off. Boating and a
well-stocked lake guaranteed, at least, a bite on the
end of your fishing line. The Auditorium was in
its second year. Two groups of actors, one local
and one nomadic, merged into the new "Fairmount
Park Stock Company." Together they were
signed to stay the season. Because of its
popularity, "The Merry Wives of Windsor" was
held over for two days and was followed by "The
Lion's Mail," a play about some poor guy getting
his head cut off in France. "Twelfth
Night" finished out the month.
A club house for the
local bicycle enthusiasts was built at the athletic
field and on Sunday, August 2nd, anyone on a bicycle
was admitted to the park free. Many people from
all over the greater Kansas City area wheeled out to
Fairmount Park. A new macadam (a fitted, stone
road) had been built, running from the end of
Independence Avenue to the park, for them to try
out. Competition to separate the bicyclist from
his money was intense. A good bike cost at least
$100 or more, while a buggy, back then, cost
less. On the same Sunday afternoon, the Kansas
City Cyclist Club rode to Parkville and the
Pathfinders Bicycle Club left their clubhouse at 2:15
P.M. for a ride to Washington Park for a dip in the
lake. The Independence Athletic Association
announced that their new bicycle club would hold a
10-mile run out to the Salem Track on the 28th of
August. This event was open to residents of
Independence only. A wheel man of local fame,
Joe Hocker, made the big time. With a little
training he earned the opportunity to race with the
pros. He was invited to join the national
circuit, as he was very impressive that June at
Fairmount Park.
At the park theater,
four new moving pictures, called Vitascope, were added
to the bill, with titles like Corbett vs. Courtney
boxing match rounds, Cissy Fitzgerald, in her famous
wink and kicks, sea waves off Dover, England, and a
fire rescue scene. The auditorium featured live
Vaudeville weekend afternoons, acts like Casino Comedy
Four or the Grierson Sisters, both from New
York. Seven evenings a week the Fairmount Stock
C. put on plays like "The Talk of the
town." Prices were 25 cents and 50 cents.
In mid August, the
park was visited by five adult elephants and after
their Saturday matinee, Professor Lockhart, their
trainer, marched them to the lake for a bath.
Some skeet shooters spooked the pack-o-dermis by
blasting some clay pigeons. If they were to
panic, they would stop the hell out of the park, not
to mention the patrons. "Tails-O,
tails-O!" ordered the trainer and they stomped a
doughnut in the grass. The day was mostly rainy
and cool, but when the sun shined through the clouds,
they took to the water, standing on their heads,
sparring and splashing about. "Elephants
have just as much sense as a man," said Professor
Lockhart.
Getting to the park
for the second Fancy Horse Show, was much improved
over last year's dusty trip. Thanks to the new
fitted stone road from Independence Avenue, many
people no longer had to take the train. The
buggies and bicycles could make the trek without
getting stuck in the mud.
"What a
beautiful park," remarked Dr. Charles S. Turnbill,
a judge for the show who hailed from Philadelphia,
upon entering Fairmount Park. On Saturday
afternoon, September 5th at 2:30 pm, the 2nd Annual
Fancy Horse Show got underway. The elephants led
the parade into the amphitheater, followed by the many
entries, 559, twice as many as last year, and 180 more
than the New York or London horse shows.
Copyright © 2005 John M. Olinskey
