A History of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee: 1892-1920

Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1962 A History of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee: 1892-1920. Jerry Eugene Henderson Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Henderson, Jerry Eugene, "A History of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee: 1892-1920." (1962). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 723. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/723 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This dissertation has been 62—3649 microfilmed exactly as received HENDERSON, Jerry Eugene, 1935- A HISTORY OF THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: 1892-1920. Louisiana State University, Ph.D., 1962 Speech — Theater University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A HISTORY OF THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: 1892-1920 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech by Jerry Eugene Henderson 3. A., David Lipscomb College, 1957 1:. A., Southern Illinois University, 1959 January, 1962 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. Claude L. Shaver, Department of Speech, Louisiana State University, for his encouragement and guidance in the- execution of this dissertation. He wishes also to thank Dr. Waldo W. Braden, Dr. Clinton WT. Bradford, and Mrs. Irene Huenefeld, of the Department of Speech, and Dr. John Olive, of the English Department, for their sug gestions. He is indebted to Dr. Cresap S. Watson, of the English and Speech Department of Louisiana State University in New Orleans, for his suggestions and considerations. The author also wishes to thank Mrs. Gertrude Parsley, Reference Librarian, Tennessee State Library, and Mrs. Imogene Nix, Purchasing Librarian, Crisman Memorial Library, David Lipscomb College, for their assistance in procuring materials, and Mr. Harry Draper, present manager of the Ryman Auditorium, and Mr. Francis Robinson, Assistant Manager, Metropolitan Opera Company, New York, for their encouragement, suggestions and assistance in procuring valuable information. The author is indebted to Dr. Carroll B, Ellis, Department of Speech, David Lipscomb College, for his assistance and considerations. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TA3LE OF CONTENTS CHATTER PAGE INTRODUCTION.................... I I RELIGION AND THE UNION GOSPEL TABERNACLE IN NASHVILLE ..................... ..... 5 Social and Civic Conditions; Educational and Religious Conditions; Revivalism and Sam Jones; Sam Jones in Nashville; Thomas Green Ryman; The Union Gospel Tabernacle; The Union Gospel Tabernacle and the Lyceum; Summary. II THE UNION GOSPEL TABERNACLE AND THE NASHVILLE THEATRE OF THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY . 123 Theatrical Conditions in Nashville and the United States at the Turn of the Century; 1900-1901 Season; 1901-1902 Season; 1902-1903 Season: 1903-1904 Season; 1904-1905 Season; 1905-1906 Season; 1906-1907 Season; 1907-1908 Season; 1908-1909 Season; 1909-1910 Season; 1910-1911 Season; 1911-1912 Season; 1912-1913 Season; 191.3-1914 Season; 1914-1915 Season; 1915-1916 Season; 1916-1917 Season; 1917-1918 Season; 1918-1919 Season; 1919-1920 Season; Summary. CONCLUSION....................................255 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................. 263 APPENDIX......................................269 AUTOBIOGRAPHY ............................. 275 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Since the year of its founding in 1892 the Ryman Auditorium has contributed in many ways to Nashville's cul tural development. The purpose of this dissertation is to make a historical study of the activities centering in the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, from the years 1892 to 1920. Chapter I attempts to explain Nashville as a religious center of the South and shows the Ryman's sup port in this. Chapter II explains the gradual evolution of the Auditorium into a theatrical house in order to satisfy the needs of the city of Nashville for a large assembly hall to accommodate legitimate theatre, concerts and recitals. The major sources of material are (1) the daily newspapers of the period; (2) numerous collections of programs and newspaper clippings pertaining to programs at the Ryman; (3) legal documents of deeds, charters and minutes of meetings concerning the Auditorium; and (4) personal interviews with people who were present at many of the activities during this period of time. The idea of the Ryman Auditorium was originally conceived by Samuel Porter Jones, a revivalist who first preached in Nashville in 1885, and Thomas Green Ryman, one of the converts of this revival. Since Jones did not iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. remain in the city Rym°n was the leader in collecting money and encouraging the people of Nashville to support this "Tabernacle," which would be "strictly religious, non- Sectarian and non-Denominational." The building was called the Union Gospel Tabernacle until the death of Ryman in 1904 when, at the funeral, the people present voted to change the name to Ryman Auditorium. Because of the popularity of the Lyceum and Chautauqua movement throughout the United States the Hyman began to be used for programs other than "strictly religious" nature. At first few activities other than religious programs appeared in the building, but public pressure and the need for money to pay off the Auditorium debts gradually brought a great variety of activities. At the beginning of the twentieth century great changes were occurring in theatre throughout the United States. The legitimate theatre was beginning to dwindle; burlesque was appealing to the coarser crowds; and vaude ville was providing the people with the "undeniable need for family entertainment of broad comedy and sentimental music." Early in the century the movie industry began to affect the theatre to a great extent, and in Nashville theatres were built for movies and legitimate theatres were converted into movie houses. When, in 1920, the Vendome theatre was bought by Marcus Loew and converted into a movie house legitimate drama practically made its exit in Nashville, and the Ryman Auditorium became the v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. only stage for legitimate theatre, concerts and recitals. In 1920 the Auditorium Improvement Company assumed the management of the Ryman and, with Mrs. Lulu C. Naff serving as the manager, paid off the existent mort gage of $6,000 and provided improvements in the building. In 1944 Mr. Oliver Timothy, the only surviving trustee of the Union Gospel Tabernacle, made the directors and trustees of the Auditorium Improvement Company directors and trustees of the Union Gospel Tabernacle and the name of the building was officially changed. From 1920 to the present the Ryman has continued to serve Nashville in legitimate theatre, concerts and recitals, and, since 1941, has become especially famous as the home of the folk-music program, "The Grand Ole Opry." A study of this building is a study of cultural and theat rical advancement during one of Nashville's most changing periods. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INTRODUCTION-! The purpose of this dissertation is to present in a somewhat detailed narrative context a complete record of activities which took place at the Ryman Auditorium, earlier called the Union Gospel Tabernacle, in Nashville, Tennessee, from the time of its construction in 1392 to 1920. The significance of this particular building in the religious life of Nashville during the last ten years of the nine teenth century, and in the cultural and theatrical life from its construction in 1892 until 1920, merits a complete study of its activities. Through a discussion of its im portance as an assembly hall for concerts, recitals, and ^ther cultural programs, it is intended to show that this building contributed much to the cultural development of Nashville during the first part of the twentieth century. Through the evolution of theatrical activities from the legitimate stage, to vaudeville stage, to the movie house, the Ryman was consistent in providing Nashville with pro grams which the city needed. After 1920, when all other theatres in the city had changed to vaudeville and the movies, the Ryman Auditorium remained as the only building to house legitimate theatre and to accommodate audiences for concerts and recitals. Since in 1920 the Auditorium Improvement Company began to manage the Ryman, a 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited

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