HALTNORTH'S GARDENS, located at the northeast corner of Woodland and Willson (now E. 55th St.) avenues, was a popular German beer garden where Clevelanders could enjoy a picnic or an evening of beer and entertainment (see GERMANS). Accounts vary as to when the establishment was founded; however, it likely opened in the early 1870s. Prior to that, owner/founder Frank Haltnorth (1825-82) operated an identically named establishment on nearby Kinsman St., as well as a tavern called The Wilhelm Tell on Water (now W. 9th) St. Construction of the new facility may have been spurred by Cleveland’s prohibition of Sunday alcohol sales (at the time, Woodland and Willson lay just outside Cleveland city limits).
Before moving to Woodland, the Kinsman St. location was periodically cited as a trouble spot. The CLEVELAND LEADER declared in 1863 that Haltnorth’s was a gathering place for thieves, pickpockets, and prostitutes; and attempts were made to prevent the streetcars from running there on Sunday. However, tensions eased later in the decade and, by the time Haltnorth’s was reestablished on Woodland, it was considered a reasonably safe and welcoming destination.
Surrounded by a tall wooden fence, the wooded venue featured an ornate pavilion surrounded by fountains, statuary, patio, and a small pond viewable from a rustic bridge. From June through September, a stock company presented light opera in the pavilion, which seated 600-800 people. Myriad organizations held meetings and other events there, including Yiddish dramas, summer (“pops”) concerts staged by the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, and presentations by various German singing societies.
In 1905, the Haltnorth’s Gardens site became home to the Coliseum Theater, where opera, plays, and occasional variety shows were staged. By 1912, the Coliseum was shuttered and a new Haltnorth Theater—designed by Walker and Weeks—was built nearby, where it remained until the 1960s.
Updated by Christopher Roy 13 December 2024
