A brief history of the Glen Oak Park Pavilion Building
1895 – Cornerstone laid. Estimated construction cost of $22,324.00
August 1896 – construction completed. Pavilion Building turned over to the park board at a final cost of $23,945.70
1936 – A collection of South American and Rhesus Monkeys are displayed in the Pavilion basement. They are moved to the bandstand in 1937. The Grandest Views:”The Band Stand near the Glen Oak Pavilion, no longer home to musicians, was converted into a home for the monkeys and birds in 1937″
1952: Museum opens in the basement of the Pavilion. JW:”It was spread out over a few small rooms, was mostly glass display cases holding Indian artifacts and stuffed animals. This museum closed when Lakeview Museum opened and everything from the basement was moved out there.” Lakeview opened in 1965
1980: Park District Offices are moved into the Pavilion Building.
Peoria Park Board Second Annual Report:
This building is located almost in the center of the Park at the intersection of two driveways and at one end of the play ground. This building, as designed and intended, is to furnish a shelter in case of sudden showers, the furnishing of meals or lunches, all kinds of refreshments will be kept for sale (not intoxicating), toilet rooms for ladies and gents, a dancing hall for the young folks, pleasant verandas with comfortable seats for the old folks, or anyone wishing to rest themselves; in fact all conveniences that are attached to a well-appointed hotel. The building is so placed as to be near the band stand and on concert days or evenings will afford a very delightful place for people to hear these concerts. Surrounding the building is two driveways, also a driveway leading into the portecochere, making ingress and egress to the building to and from carriages very simple. Near the pavilion and on the west side there has been constructed a hitching place for the benefit of those who wish to hitch their horses.
The plans of the pavilion were drawn by Messrs. Reeves & Baillee, of Peoria. The dimensions of the building are 108 feet by 95 feet, including verandas, which are on all four sides of the building; the verandas are 14 feet wide.
The first story, or basement, contains a large dining room, kitchen, laundry, pastry room, bicycle storage room, a large room for athletic goods, boiler and coal room, a public toilet room, refrigerators and closets.
The second story, or first floor, contains a large hall to be used as an ice cream parlor, or dancing hall when desired, a ladies’ parlor; also gents’ waiting room. Each of these rooms have the necessary toilet rooms attached; a check room for checking bundles or baskets. At one end of the large hall is situated a serving room with necessary counters and dumb waiters leading down to kitchen. There is also a large stairway leading from the hall to the dining room below.
In the third story, or second floor, are situated on the east side of the building; the living rooms of the person who has charge of the pavilion; these consist of three bed rooms, a living room, kitchen, bath room, closets and toilet rooms. The building is heated with hot water, and the ladies’ parlor, gents’ parlor and hall are supplied with large fire places. The outside of the building is finished with split boulder work for first story and brick veneering on the second story. The roofs are of slate. The whole making a very substantial and artistic building.
The contract for pavilion was let to Mr. Henry Wiechmann, of this city, he being the lowest bidder, for $22,324.00. Time of completion was June 1st, 1896, but the winter being very bad, work was delayed some two months, so the work will not be completed until about September 1st.
The subcontractors of the pavilion are:
Klingle Bros., Heating.
A. Lucas & Sons, Iron Work.
Truesdale Mfg. Co., Mill Work.
F. McLaughlin, Plumbing.
F. Meyer & Bro., Roofing and Tin Work.
Crawley and Fitzpatrick, Electric Work.
A. Trefzger, Plastering.
Sources:
Karrie A. Alms
JW of Peoria History.com
The Grandest Views, by Monica Vest Wheeler
1980 Illinois Parks and Recreation publication, available online via Northern Illinois University.
