This
March an email from Bill Voos reminded me of some
boyhood adventures we had many years ago.
To Bob Mar 5, 2007
"There was another abandoned grandstand just west of
Heman Park on Olive Street Road. Do you remember it?
I rode my bicycle there, too, but I don't know it's
history. (I know that you have a lot of memories of
Heman Park and the pool.) "
I sent out
a letter to my septuagenarian alumni asking if any
remembered the huge old concrete bleachers or seating
stands in the woods at the west end of Heman Park.
Bill Voos's comments triggered that semi dormant area we
all have, where we keep tired old jokes with different
punch lines, and well stored childhood memories that are
waiting for the some trigger to release the one thousand
and one tales..
I remembered the two mile hike to Heman Park to swim
during the summer days. I was usually with Bill Reed,
Bob Smith, Ralph Smith, Bill Voos and other Wellston
School friends. This was during the 1942-1946 time
frame. The stands that Bill mentioned, I did
recall them, as more than once, we would detour over to
look at nearly hidden abandoned concrete structure. We
would make up stories about what they could have been
used for. What was this place? The
grandstand curved, it was not straight like bleachers
and wide at the upper end, maybe a little more than half
a football field wide. When we were there, the
place was not really a pleasant place, I am
to this day glad we were in a group and not alone.
Trash on the ground and graffiti on the walls told us
the most recent visitors to the site, were not someone
we wanted to meet. The ground area was overgrown.
The small trees and bushes, kept the stands hidden from
public view. The strange stories we created made us all
uncomfortable. We would leave with a quicker step
than we used walking in. You just store away the memory
of what you saw, without labels or definition, just
something you saw when you were roaming with your pack
of friends.
Now 63 years later, I "Google it!", I check "books on
line", I check "Newspaper Archives" on line. This old
archivist is going to find out what this place really
was. I had recently researched the race track and
an amusement park that were about a half a mile away, so
I could rule that out. The Creve Couer streetcar
still ran right by the place when we were in school on
Midland Avenue. The location was near
Midland and Olive Street Road. I also researched
Sanborn maps through my library on line... below is a
bit of history in snippets and clippings of the Garden
Theatre. The Theatre opened big and crashed when
the market crashed.
To Bob Haefner Mar 18, 2007 from Bill Voos. " I was only
actually back into the grandstand area a few times and I
don't remember any identifying marks except a lot of
ugly graffiti."
I found a lengthy newspaper article in the New York
Times written Jul 12, 1925... and mailed extracts from
it to Bill. We were bringing back memories from swimming
trips and bicycle trips to Heman Park and exploring
"ancient ruins"
To Bob Mar 31, 2007 "First, thanks for the map of my
"old stamping grounds". It brought back a lot of
memories of happy times long past." -- "The
article on the theater is great! I had no idea it was
used for that purpose. I thought it was another race
track. Do you think it was the fore-runner to the Muny
Opera? I was only there a few times and there wasn't
much to see except the overgrown concrete structure that
I realize from your article was part of the theater
seating unit. When I was there, a lot of graffiti had
been scrawled on the concrete posts - most of it pretty
raunchy - and there was a lot of litter and debris on
the ground. All in all, it wasn't a particularly
inviting place then, except it stimulated my curiosity
wondering about it's history. Now, it is neat to finally
hear its real story. It must have been quite an
attractive place."
(If you want to read more details about the St.
Louis Muny and the Garden Theatre the article here is
full size, and has information about the Muny and the
Garden Theatre, plus it names some greats in the theater
world of St. Louis and beyond. NY Times Jul 12, 1925)
(Adobe PDF) Set image at 60%, for easier
viewing
A great review by Olin Downes of the New York Times
Publish date July 12, 1925
1.
Important Names for the Garden Theatre:
Flint Garrison - "One of the wealthy
men of the city", "one most interested in
the Fashion Show, to the extent that Mr
Garrison conceived of a new theater", " -a
theater that owes its beginnings to the
advertising activities of businessmen."
Joseph Solari - "Scenographer", "A
genius with lighting" , "Creates an
"atmosphere" secured entirely with
lighting". |
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2.
Important things to know about Fashion and Theatre
in St. Louis:
Flint Garrison - Editor of the "Drygoodsman"
a nationwide fashion newspaper. (
1958 Obituary in the New York Times is here: )
Flint Garrison - Creator of the semi
annual "St. Louis fashion Show" a ten day event. It
brings over 1000 buyers twice a year to the center
of the Garment World in the United States.
Flint Garrison - Creator of the
Garden Theatre "set in a parkway outside of St.
Louis, in University City, with thick woods for
background, playing fountains and shrubbery outside,
and the stage almost embraced by great trees that
rise from each side and nearly meet over the classic
portals" (Trees were insured for $50,000). See
NEWS clipping on the right.
1889 - Beginning in about 1880 and continuing
for almost 100 years, St. Louis’ garment district is
one of the largest in the country. Many of the
nation’s leading companies produce their clothing
here.
1880 - The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra was
founded, making it the nation's second oldest
symphony.
1919 - The St. Louis Muny opened.
1922- September marriage of Flint Garrison to
Edna Davis
1923-1924 - Theatrical director Joseph
Solari and fashion expert Flint Garrison conducted a
search for their dream of a theater. They found the
spot near the intersection of the Creve Coeur
streetcar tracks, on Midland Avenue and Olive Street
Road in University City. The 11-acre
site was bought by Flint Garrison & Associates,
which consisted of a number of civic leaders.
1924 - March 19 On March 19, 1924, a contract
was drawn up with Lotz Construction Co. to build the
Garden Theatre
1925 - The "Garden Theatre" opens and is
privately owned. "Not a municipal
theater, but one so contrived that that the artistic
control of the theater rest in the hands of Mr.
Garrison and Mr. Solari."
1925 - The Garden Theatre was
operated in University City, Mo., 1925-1929, and was
promoted largely by St. Louisan Flint Garrison. The 1925 season opened with Margaret Anglin as
Electra. Following "Electra," the Garden presented
"Hansel & Gretel," and closed the season with a fashion
pageant.
----- incomplete
Snippets of information from reviews and
books ---
The Garden Theatre opened on schedule. Eager
first- nighters flocked to watch
the superb acting of Margaret Anglin, but
they were hardly prepared
for the --
-- ramps led to the auditorium itself.
Guests found themselves on a broad promenade
somewhat about midway of a concave hillside curving
into a 240-foot arc at its upper rim, and
diminishing below to an 80-foot curve outlining the
"apron" uniting the audience and stage. Flanking the
stage,
---But wonderment became awe as the stage
was flooded with light for the opening of Sophocles'
Electra. ---
-- As the opening lines of the Greek classic
began, the guests had yet another surprise. The
beautiful words winged their way clearly to the
topmost row of seats, though there were no loud
speakers, -----
-- The stage had no footlights! The Garden
Theatre had introduced a revolutionary system
whereby the stage was lighted by long-distance
projecting spots fastened to pylons at either end of
the stage, controlled from a pit in the center, in
full view of the audience. From this pit Solari,
famous for using light as "paint box of color,"
could watch the pictures he was creating. As the
opening lines of the Greek classic began, the guests
had yet another surprise. The beautiful words winged
their way clearly to the topmost row of -----
1927 - The last of the Garden Theatre fashion
shows was given in 1927.
1928
- Stars Leon Errol, Vera Myers, Irving
Fisher and Lillian Crossman were treading the boards
at the Garden Theatre
1928
- December 12, 1928 Decatur Herald,
(announcement of a marriage for November 1929)
"Miss Mary Garrison daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Flint
Garrison of St. Louis, and Nelson J. Riley of
University City, MO" ---
"The brides father is editor of the Drygoodsman, a
publication for St. Louis dry goods stores, and he
owns the Garden theater built in St. Louis a few
years ago.
1929 -
The final season of the theater, 1929,
opened with Leon Errol in "Louis XIV," followed by
Charles Ruggles, Roger Gray and Gloria Foy.
1929
- In 1929, the Theatre Society of St. Louis
was incorporated to operate and direct the Garden.
But with the Depression, the theater fell on hard
times.
1929
- The stock market crashed on October 28 th
and 29 th. To make matters worse, banks had invested
their deposits in the stock market. Now that stocks
were obliterated, the banks had lost their
depositors money! The stock market crash of
1929 launched the Great Depression. The Depression
was the time from October 1929 to the mid 1930’s.
1931
- "1931 - The Garden Theatre Company offered
the eleven-acre tract to University City,
for $85,000, suggesting that the land might
be used as an addition to Heman Park, from
which it is separated only by a city street.
The University City authorities refused the
offer, on the grounds that it would cost an
additional $40,000 to put the property in
shape for use."
1933
- "In 1933 what had been the beautiful and
serene Garden Theatre Tea Terrace, beneath
the auditorium on Flint Garrison's hollow
hillside, came to brief life as a night
club. The weed -grown Terraces were cleared
as a dance floor, the fountains were made to
play again, and a bar was stretched across
the one time dining area ........... they
made the issue a loving tribute to Flint
Garrison and his works, ...from the dream of
the gentle genius and stalwart intellectual,
Flint Garrison. ." (excerpts from a
book)
1951 - The Concrete stands, "Flint Garrison's
Hollow Hillside", are still on the map. The drainage
canal was not there in 1925-1929 Map is on this
site as an Adobe .PDF and you can Zoom in to see the
detail if you wish.
1951 Garden Theatre Map (PDF)
1951 Garden Theatre Map (PDF) There is also a
Google Earth view of what the site looks like today.
2007 Garden Theatre Map
2007 Garden Theatre Map
1958 to 1960 The concrete stand are demolished,
the area was not used as an addition for Heman Park. The
memories remain. The history can be found.
Charles Ruggles |
Leon Errol
Click image to
enlarge |
click map to
enlarge
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This little story was
one of many from the
adventures and faded memories of
several young boys in and around Wellston, a tiny
part of St. Louis County, Missouri in the
early 1940s. Youngsters in their 70s
and 80s today.
We had
our bicycles, exercise, fresh air and fun!
Didn't everyone?
If you
remember this old place at Heman Park,
drop me a note.
Bob Haefner eMail
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Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge
Los Angeles Times Aug 23,
1925 Click photo to enlarge
Los Angeles Times Aug 22, 1926
Click photo to enlarge
Click image to
enlarge
Click image to
enlarge
Christian
Science Monitor 1927
Click image to enlarge
New York Times
1927
Click image to enlarge
1925
Fashion Show
Click image to see vintage adv.
Margaret Anglin
as Electra.
Click photo to
enlarge
Los Angeles Times Apr 10,,
1927
Click photo to enlarge
Marion Telva
Click photo to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge
A very poor
picture of part of the guest seating
area,the light director's pits, the stage,
and the lights on the forested hill used a a
backdrop.
Alexandra
Carlyisle
Click on photo to enlarge |