December 17, 2018
This is “Our Past Is Present” from
the Geary County Historical Society.
Today, we
are continuing with our stories about the Christmas season in early Junction
City. During the 1920s the world was
dominated by WWI, which erupted in 1914.
The war had a tremendous effect on Geary County. Junction City played host to, entertained,
sheltered, fed and nursed 60 to 80,000 soldiers in our town at the outskirts of
Fort Riley.
Soldiers who
went abroad brought back with them new cultures and ideas. Some even brought back a spouse.
During the
brief lifespan of Camp Funston, local residents had the opportunity to see,
hear and partake of the legendary musical performance outside of Lindsborg,
Kansas – “The Messiah”. There was also
the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and several concerts by operatic diva Madame
Ernestine Schuman-Heink.
Community
Christmas celebrations during this period included the illuminated Christmas tree
in the City Park in 1917. Special programs, concerts and services were held
around it for soldiers and citizens during the Christmas week. There were solos and choir numbers by area
citizens and churches. Perhaps it was here that Junction Citians
first heard the Christmas hymn by Frenchman Adolphe Adam, the “Cantique de
Noel” or “O Holy Night”, which was introduced into this country by returning
doughboys almost a century after it was written.
Join us for more reflections on Christmas
traditions on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society on
Wednesday.
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