Glenwood Park Pavilion


Springfield Journal Register, date of paper which originally published the following is unknown.



A CORNER OF THE DANCE FLOOR AT GLENWOOD PARK PAVILION
A good many references have been made in this feature to Glenwood Park, noted summer mecca for Springfieldians of the Gay Nineties and a decade or so later, located a few miles southeast of town along the South Fork of the Sangamon, and reached by the Cook Street road. But pictures of the great center of attraction at Glenwood - the dance pavilion - are hard to find today. In fact, the one reproduced above, inadequate as it appears, is about the only one that we have come across to date. It includes only a part of the big dance floor, with its polished surface, its posts and laticed railing, with a vista toward the south showing the wooded slopes leading down on the right to the stream. When the society crowd came out from town, as they did frequently every summer, they usually brought Lehmann's, Blood's or Rawson's orchestra with them and danced the two-steps, waltzes, schottlsches, etc., so popular in that era. Other crowds brought old-time string bands and enjoyed the quadrilles, Virginia reels and other dances of that type. But all enjoyed the charm of the place and the informality of the occasions. Soft drinks and other refreshments were available, and there were bowling alleys on the basement floor of the pavilion for those who enjoyed that diversion. And of course there were ample picnic facilities, and a small stream launch and row boats attracted plenty of patronage. If you like to think back to old Glenwood Park, this picture will bring back fond memories!

Submitted by: Jeanie Lowe.



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