Tabernacle and Swans 1945

Description:	Front: Script across top of postcard reads, Winona Lakes Happy Family, Tabernacle in background, Winona Lake, Ind.Back: Body of message reads, Dear Don: The center of attraction at Winona is the great Billy Sunday Tabernacle. It seats 8000 people. It is our privilege to sing in the choir in this tabernacle in the evenings. The choir has over 300 voices. Directed by Homer Rodeheaver. The swan lagoon is one of the beauty spots here. Love, Adda Sibert. Addressed to, Donald Pemberton a/s, Navy V-12 unit, Winchell 218, West Quadrangle, W. of Mich., Ann Arbor, Mich. The writer of the postcard says that he is singing in a choir directed by Homer Rodeheaver. The card is addressed to a man in the military with a postmark date about three months after the end of World War II.The Billy Sunday Tabernacle was the largest venue in Winona Lake. Most estimates say that it could accommodate 7,500 people. The Tabernacle was built on the site of the former tennis courts. J. Earl Henry of the Louisville, Kentucky architectural firm of Nevin and Henry designed the structure. The estimated construction cost was $70,000. When the fund raising stalled Billy Sunday raised money at his campaign stops specifically asking for money for “the work at Winona”. The site was excavated to provide a natural slope towards the east. The building has steel supporting pillars, the side walls were made from rectangular clay tiles and had horizontal door like structures that could be propped open for ventilation. The asphalt shingled roof featured large louvers that had to be opened manually and propped open. The floor was covered with sawdust and the benches were made from unpainted local lumber. When it rained hard the inside noise was deafening. The large platform could accommodate a large choir. Billy Sunday spoke at the first service on August 7, 1920. WMBI, the Moody Bible Institute Radio station had a broadcast booth on the north side of the platform and broadcast live services to Chicago. The Chautauqua acts and the Bible Conference speakers would read like a who’s who and require a book to list and describe. The building was demolished in 1992.
Origin:	1945-08-09
Created By:	E. C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15705coll8/id/765
Collection:	Grace College - Winona Lake Postcards
Copyright:	Contact Morgan Library, Winona Lake, IN for copy and usage permissions
Geography:	Winona Lake (Ind.)
Subjects:	Swans with tabernacle

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