Peacock Gardens in Danville Opened in 1934 and closed in 1942.
The location " Just off route 11, north of Danville, on the left as you turn to go over Grovania Hill To Catawissa", was formerly known as Montour Park. Montour Park was a
On June 14th 1934, 500 attended the grand opening of Peacock Gardens, in Grovania (Between Bloomsburg & Danville)
"NIGHT OPEN THURSDAY Floor Show And New York Orchestra Will Feature First Night. With a floor show and orchestra from New York City as its opening attraction the Peacock Gardens, this section's newest night club, will open Thursday night at Montour Park in the remodeled dance pavilion.
Several months have been devoted to turning the spacious building into the most beautifully decorated restaurant and dancing space in this part of Pennsylvania. Lester Herr, of Bloomsburg, brother of Max Herr, Mill street, women's apparel merchant, is proprietor
The grove surrounding the building has also been equipped with tables and converted into an attractive garden for refreshments. The ceilings and wall of the building have been repainted and papered and the floors sanded. New furniture and equipment have been installed, and a modern kitchen and grill installed. Dressing rooms for the members of the floor shows, and sleeping quarters for employees, have been provided.
The enterprise gets its name from main decorating motif, which consists of large paintings of peacocks about the walls. The orchestra pit has been decorated, a large crystal ball suspended from the ceiling and individual lights placed on each table. Sea food will be a specialty. No reservations will be made for the opening night, the management said, but arrangements will be made to give prompt service to all comers" - The Danville Morning News, June 13 1934
Nearly 500 were turned away on opening night, for lack of space. The entertainment that night was Buddy Harrison's Radio Band.
================
"A giant metal peacock mounted on a Model A Ford chassis helped publicize the late Lester Herr's Peacock Gardens, as it was drive around the Susquehanna Valley. two windows cut into the fowl provided a view to the rear"
Many of our local trolley lines created amusement parks as an incentive for trolley travel. The North Branch Transit [trolley] created dance halls. Their first was Columbia Park, midway between Bloomsburg and Berwick. In the 1920s, they opened Montour Park in Grovania - between Danville and Catawissa.
At their Columbia Park location, there was a swimming pool and a small zoo. It was a popular picnic spot. At Montour Park, there was no land available for outdoor amusements, the spot was limited to a dance hall.
The club featured live peacocks in the garden, and many paintings of peacocks inside.
A 14 foot mechanical peacock, covered in light gauge wire and lavishly painted in yellow and lavender, was used to promote his club.
The venue was open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for dinner and dancing, and was a popular venue for weddings, class reunions, and banquets.
Herr sold his peacocks to a farmer, and closed his club in 1942.
September 1944
By 2009, only a small section of the foundation remained.
==============
READ MORE
===============
There was also a game farm named "Peacock Corners". Located outside of Lightstreet, there were bears, deer, exotic birds, and other wild animals.
This Peacock is at the library in Danville, but they are uncertain of where it came from
Mr. Lester Herr Mr. Lester Herr, a well known resident of Bloomsburg, died at 10:30 a.m., yesterday, in Bloomsburg Hospital where he had been a patient for a week. His death followed a lengthy illness. A native of Russia and the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Israel Herr, he came to this country with his family when a child and resided for some years in Lock Haven. From there he moved to the Benton area where he was employed in the store of his late brother Max Herr. Following his return from service in World War I he owned and operated a men's shop in Lock Haven. He came to Bloomsburg a number of years ago and for some years operated the Peacock Gardens midway between Bloomsburg and Danville and also developed real e estate interests.
A member of Beth Israel Synogogue, he was also a member of the F. and A.M., St. Mary's Caldwell Consistory and Irem Temple Shrine, Bloomsburg. He was interested in horses through much of his life and affiliated with the Columbia Horsemen's Club. Surviving are three sisters, Miss Rae Herr, with whom he resided: Mrs.
Henry Baer and Mrs. B. W. Krauss, all of Bloomsburg, and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held art noon Monday at the Baker Funeral Home, with Rabbi, Emanuel Kramer, of Williamsport, officiating.
Burial will be made in Beth Yehudi Cemetery, Lock Haven. The family has requested that in place of floral tributes, memorial contributions be made to the cancer society. There will be no viewing..
Danville News June 1934
August 4th 1939
Her also ran the cafeteria for Kennedy Van Saun
October 1942
Where exactly was the building? Closer to Rt. 11 or at the intersection up the hill?
ReplyDeleteWondering if there are any remains of the original building still visible today.
ReplyDeleteI remember this place as a kid in the 1970s was next to my grandfather's farm as him and my grandmother talked may of times of going there. It's been long gone and what's sits there now is a tree trimming service.
Delete