The Rainbow Garden opened May 29, 1926 with Frank Buehler as manager. At first the Garden was open only during summer, since there was no roof over the dance floor, but eventually the floor was enclosed. Tables and chairs were placed outside of the dance floor, and the building could accommodate as many as 4,200 people.

The Kirksville Osteopathic band that opens the summer season at the Garden dance hall was organized by a well known local boy, Raymond Forsythe. Pete as he is known to his host of friends, is a student at the Osteopathic school and for years has been a drummer, first with local organizations and later with organizations with country wide reputations.

The band is composed of students of the Osteopathic school and are known as the syncopation experts of the Middle West. Eight men comprise the band and they operate twenty instruments during the evening. They also have plenty of novelties that go to entertain. Their Lydia Pinkham number will be the rage in Fremont within five days.

[Excerpted from: "New Recreation Center Opens," Fremont Daily Messenger, May 29, 1926]

- Written by Cheryl Laugherty -

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