Great Western Band Events in the Nineteenth Century

The Great Western Band Carnival was held at the Social Turner’s Hall on February 26, 1889. The February 27, 1889 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that 1,000 people attended the event, which was a Masquerade. Spectators lined the walls and gallery, and several local merchants were also at the big event. Dancers wore brilliantly colored costumes which represented hundred of various characters. Nineteen prizes were given out in a drawing.

Before the Carnival the prizes were on display at J. Krupp & Son’s Furniture Store on Market Street. The Sandusky Register printed the names of all the prize winners. The article began, “If there is one thing more than another that Sandusky prides herself on, it is the Great Western Band, a musical organization that has no peer in Northern Ohio and on the occasion of the band’s annual carnival, citizens attest their appreciation by turning out en masse.”

Ten years earlier, on February 25, 1879, the Great Western Band had sponsored its thirteenth annual Masquerade at Fisher’s Hall.

The program included twenty four numbers that were played, including waltzes, the Virginia Reel, polkas, the Mazurka, and Schottisches. The final number was the Fire Fly Galop.

While no sound recordings exist from the Great Western Band events in 1879 and 1889, by visiting the National Jukebox of the Library of Congress, you can hear examples of the Fire Fly Galop, the Virginia Reel, and several polkas and mazurkas.

German Comedy at Turner Hall

On April 17, 1873 a comedy played at the Concordia Theater of the Turner Hall in Sandusky. The title of the play was Unberufene Dienstbarkeit! oder Ungeheurer Wirrwarr, which translated into English is Unwarranted Easement or Tremendous Confusion. All the members of the cast were of German descent. Players in the comedy included: Herman Dehnel, Lina Thieri, Emilie Doegelman, Mr. Linder, Mr. Streit, Heinrich Dehnel, Mr. Schoenemann, Mrs. Hauser, Mr. Klaus, Mr. Knebel, Miss Spathelf, Richard Riegger and Mr. Dreumus. Music was provided by the Great Western Band.

An article from the April 18, 1873 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that due to inclement weather, attendance was not as high as would have been expected, but “what the audience lacked in numbers it made up for in enthusiasm.” The reporter stated that the comedy was “rendered in a truly artistic manner.” According to History of Erie County, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich, at one time Sandusky had two German theaters, the Volks Theater and the Concordia Theater.

Heinrich Dehnel, whose name was later changed to Henry Dehnel, was one of the performers in Unberufene Dienstbarkeit! oder Ungeheurer Wirrwarr.

Opening of the Social Turners’ Hall, May 31, 1883

On May 31, 1883 the Sandusky Register announced the opening of the Social Turners’s Hall. The Singing Societies Harmonie and Froshinn and Company B of the 16th Regiment of the Ohio National Guard were to appear at the grand opening. Company B of the 16th O.N.G. was commonly referred to as the Sandusky Light Guard.
Roughly translated, the announcement reads:

Opening

of

Social Turn Hall

on

Thursday Evening May 31, 1883

with one

Concert

Drill, Gymnastics and Dance

under cooperation of

Singing Societies Harmonie and Froshinn

and Company B, Ohio National Guard

Floor managers for the event were: Charles Unckrich, John Holzaepfel, John Doerflinger, Henry Neumeyer, August Fettel, and A. P . Lange. These men served on the committee of arrangements: F.J. Holzaepfel, Jacob Deitz, Dan Mishler, C. Schlenk, Ph. Linder, Wm. Allendorf, and F .Beihl. The 1884-1885 Sandusky City Directory states that the “Social Turn Verein,” a variation on the name of the Social Turners Society, was organized in September, 1882. The club met at their hall at 823 Water Street. In 1884, August Fettel was the president of the organization.
The Turner movement was started in Germany in 1811 by Fredrich Ludwig Jahn, who believed in promoting both physical and mental health. The activities of the various Turner societies in Sandusky are discussed on pages 94, 165, and 171-173 of Sandusky Then and Now.