Tivoli

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown heroes who have made a difference

Description:	One typed page including engraving; brief history of the Trivoli, a theater in Terre Haute, Indiana. WABASHP R OFIAi hometown h heroes who h difference. A series of ttributes tto h f ib t t h have made a diff dVALLEYL E SThe Tivoli legant and incomparable were two words used to describe the magnificent Tivoli at its grand opening on Sept. 6, 1875. Capt. Philip H. Monninger, proprietor of Monningers Winery and Summer Garden located 20 blocks north of Wabash Ave. on Seventh St., spent nearly a year building the two-story entertainment mecca modeled after exclusive suburban retreats found near prominent European cities. Construction began on Sept. 23, 1874. The name was chosen carefully. Tivoli, Capt. Monninger asserted, means Photo courtesy of the Vigo County Historical Society palace of pleasure. At least 1,200 people attended the well-advertised launching, which lasted until midmorning, Sept. 7, when the musicians finally crumbled from fatigue. Guests began to arrive late in the afternoon. Carriages and buggies of every variety lined the country road that is now Seventh St. for nearly two miles. The dust was suffocating and so dense, wrote a Terre Haute Express reporter, that several persons riding were run into by others in carriages. Those who fought the crowd were rewarded. Free food and wine were offered although the elegant west banquet room did not open for supper until 11 p.m. More than 800 bottles of wine were consumed during the celebration. While awaiting dinner, guests had multiple entertainment choices. The central attraction was the 63-foot by 43-foot ballroom, exquisitely painted and papered, with a 20-foot ceiling. German bands played enchanting music continuously but, according to the Express, it was too crowded to dance with any degree of satisfaction. On the east side of the building was a large mens billiard parlor. The main entrance faced south. Outside was a fine garden brilliantly illuminated by six ornamental gas lights personally fabricated by the proprietor. A hat room and a ticket office flanked the entrance. On the buildings north side was a ladies bowling alley, 85 feet long and 12 feet wide. Upstairs, a hallway encircled the ballroom, providing an overhead view of activity below and access to 30 more rooms, each about 12 feet square, which could be used as wine rooms, private dining rooms or sleeping rooms. Six well-furnished wine-tasting rooms were located downstairs as well. According to the Terre Haute Gazette, The Tivoli is built in such a manner as to preserve its architectural beauty and answer also the purpose for which it was built. Its original cost was $75,000. A favored destination since 1863 for those seeking a glass of wine amid cool country breezes from the grape arbors and vineyards, Monningers Summer Garden was embellished by The Tivoli until Dec. 12, 1876. Early that morning it was totally engulfed by flames. No water source was near. Two tramps who had been denied lodging allegedly left a cryptic note claiming credit for the arson. Another building called Monninger Hall was erected on the site in time to host gymnastics competition at the 10th Biennial Indiana Turnfest in August 1882. A few years after Capt. Monningers death in 1907, the winery closed but the largest wine cellar associated with it later was transformed into an underground restaurant-night club known as The Devils Den.EAlways Close to Homewww.first-online.com MEMBER FDICYoull find First Financial Bank in these and other cities and towns near you: Terre Haute 238-6000 Brazil 443-4481 Rockville 765-569-3171 Clinton 832-3504 Sullivan 268-3331 Marshall, Illinois 217-826-6311 Robinson, Illinois 618-544-8666
Origin:	2006-07-25
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/1466
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Theaters Entertainment Wine industry Vineyards Social Life

Further information on this record can be found at its source.