Portage County will probably never be confused with Paris or Rome as the culture capital of civilization. Nor will it likely be mentioned in the same breath as New York or Rio in a discussion on lively nightlife centers.
But somehow, folks in these parts have always found plenty of ways to keep themselves entertained. In fact, a turn of the century social creature in the Stevens Point area had nearly as many options to choose from in the arts and entertainment world 100 years ago as he has today.
For starters, playing and listening to music was probably as popular as ever. Pianos were a hot item, and new shipments of the instruments went quickly at area stores and music shops.
Stevens Point also boasted it’s own “Conservatory of Music,” headed by Louis A. Schidlo, a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Munich, Bavaria. Schidlo kept a busy schedule that included lessens in singing, piano, violin and the organ. Vocal and instrumental recitals and piano contests were favorites of the classical music buffs.
Perhaps the area’s biggest cultural hot spot around 1900 was the Grand Opera House, which featured a steady menu of plays, musicals and other theatre productions. The establishment bragged of displaying “the most expensive and talented repertoire companies on the road today.”
If a person could afford the tickets, which went for 10 to 30 cents apiece, that is. Mostly, though, people entertained themselves. Informal gatherings of area musicians, sing-a-longs, and street corner concerts were common place.
One of the top local attractions was the Union Band, which often entertained at fairs and picnics, as well as holding frequent street corner performances. The corner of Strongs Avenue and Clark Street was one of their more popular gigs.
Plays at the Central State Teachers College and Stevens Point High School also attracted crowds, as did summertime barn dances and picnics.
In 1895, citizens were offered the chance to see “living pictures” on the wall at the Normal Gymnasium as the fledgling motion picture industry began to take off. Such silent screen shows could be seen for 25 cents.
The highlight of the entertainment season came during the summer, when the Stevens Point and Portage County Fairs offered a variety of activities, from concerts and dances to livestock and produce shows.