By Ellen Hankes

While we see photos of the elaborate corn carnivals in Gibson City in the early 1900’s, little information is available on the equally celebrated Chautauqua events which followed the demise of the corn carnivals. Honoring the agricultural bounty and offering a county fair-like atmosphere, Gibson’s corn carnivals started in 1900 and continued through 1915. As long as the town’s merchants made money, the corn carnivals continued. By 1915, many area young men had gone off to serve their country in World War I. Communities like Gibson City needed to come together in less elaborate, simpler ways than the likes of corn carnivals.

Meanwhile, Chautauqua programs were well developed community events consisting of lectures for adult education and entertainment. The Chautauqua concept was developed in New York State beginning in 1874 and was named after a lake in that state. Communities in the midwestern states were eager to access adult education as they had fewer higher education institutions than the eastern states. 

Chautauqua events were being held in area communities, including Paxton. In March of 1916, interested Gibson City citizens met in the Masonic Hall above the Lamb Funeral Home and Furniture Store (the building known today as the Loy’s Building). Association membership would consist of those who agreed to buy five or more season tickets to the 1916 Chautauqua program. 

The first Gibson City Home Chautauqua was a five-day affair in July, 1916, held in Mellinger Park which is now known as North Park. A big tent was erected to provide shade for the lectures and entertainment. Single admission for each session was 25 cents. Two daily sessions were held. Some of the content came from the “Chautauqua Platform” which offered set programs. 

Events at those inaugural sessions were as follows:

• Opera
• Magic
• “Great Farmers Address” by Judge A.E. Chamberlain of Chicago
• Royal Hawaiian Sextet
• “Jewish Contribution to Civilization” lecture
• 10-piece symphony
• Republican Hour and Democratic Hour
• “Women and the World’s Work” lecture
• “Dreams and Visions” lecture
• Politician and former Secretary of State Honorable William Jennings Bryan

Unlike, the previous corn carnivals, the first Gibson Chautauqua was a financial success with a small balance of $13.78 remaining after all the bills were paid. The leadership reorganized and the Gibson Home Chautauqua Association was formed. Elected as officers were W.S. Lamb, President; Bryson Strauss, Vice-President; John C. McClure, Treasurer; and Miss Chloe Rady (Barrow), Secretary. A group from Gibson City traveled to Lincoln, Illinois to inspect their 12-year-old Chautauqua pavilion. The Lincoln pavilion was a steel structure constructed by a bridge builder. After consideration, the Gibson Chautauqua Association contracted the Decatur Bridge Company through Mr. Frank Ives to build a similar, smaller circular structure 100 feet in diameter with only one supporting column in the center of the building. There was to be a conical roof with asphalt shingles. The floor was basin shaped and covered with a sawdust carpet.  The large stage had four dressing rooms behind. Sides would be enclosed with wood and glass. Construction proceeded with the grand pavilion that would seat 1500-2000 at no cost to the public. After only the first Chautauqua operation, the newly formed Gibson Home Chautauqua Association secured a bank loan to build a pavilion in the park. Guarantor’s notes were sold to area banks at 6% interest.

Before the structure was completed, the president of the Gibson Chautauqua Association passed away. W.S. (Wallace Shumway) Lamb died unexpectedly at age 54. Less than one year after the Gibson City’s first Chautauqua, the dedication of the of the W.S. Lamb Pavilion in the city park was celebrated.

The new pavilion was ready for a bigger and better Chautauqua the second year.  Now an 8-day event could be held in the new permanent pavilion. Season tickets were available to 600 guarantors at a cost of $1.50 for the entire 8 days of education and entertainment. When those 600 guarantor season tickets were sold, additional ones were available for $4.50.

The Gibson Home Chautauqua continued with annual education and entertainment through 1924. After a two-year break, a local Chautauqua was held again in 1928. With a loss of nearly $150, it was doubtful the local business people would support yet another year of Chautauqua activity. The Gibson City Chautauqua Association lacked financial support and still owned a pavilion suffering from a lack of upkeep in a city park.

The glory days of the Gibson Home Chautauqua Association came to an end in 1929 when the Association turned over its pavilion to the City of Gibson. By 1936 J.R. Lowry, editor of the Gibson Courier, referred to the pavilion as a white elephant to the city that was “Dead as the Dodo.” Lowry described the pavilion as a “huge structure of steel, wood and glass with flapping doors.” Three years later, a Champaign, Illinois architect submitted to the city plans for pavilion renovation but no further action was taken at that time. 

In 1943 the Gibson City Lions Club suggested city eliminate the pavilion sides. The city removed the doors and lower windows and planned to repaint the entire structure and put in a floor. The city gave also gave notice that it was accepting bids for the reroofing of what was referred to once again as the Lamb Pavilion. Another active community organization, the Junior and Senior Womans Club of Gibson City brought life to the Chautauqua program in 1947 by sponsoring a series of Chautauqua programs to raise money for supervised programs. 

By then, Gibson City had hosted Chautauqua events intermittedly over a span of more than three decades. During those years two world wars had taken their toll and the Great Depression had left its mark. Radio programming and movies replaced the interest in live entertainment. The widespread use of the automobile made the Gibson City resident more mobile. Institutions of higher learning were more prevalent in the Midwest. 

Even with the dramatic changes the in the first half of the twentieth century, the enthusiasm for community education and entertainment continued. Countless volunteer hours and support of area businesses has not changed after nearly 100 years. The North Park Pavilion, as it is known today, is the home to ACT Theater Company performances, Concert in the Park, Christmas in the Park, family reunions, and much more. Today, over a century later, the original Chautauqua Pavilion still stands as a legacy of the Chautauqua program in Gibson City. 

Resources:  

Ferati, Ferki, The Rise and Decline of the Chautauqua Movement and its Lessons for 21^st Civic Adult Education, University of Pittsburgh, 2017.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 10, 1916.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 12, 1943.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 17, 1916.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 22, 1968.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 23, 1928.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 23, 1928.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, August 5, 1943.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, July 20, 1916.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, July 5, 1917.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, May 25, 1939.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, May 29, 1947.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, May 8, 1947.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, October 1, 1915.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, September 26, 1929.

https://www.newspapers.com, Gibson Courier, September 26, 1929.Wikipedia, Chautauqua.