That’s how the Salina Journal described the city’s celebration in July 1941 that featured a Coronado Entrada pageant with a cast of more than 500 Salinans.

With war raging in Europe and China, what did Salina have to celebrate in 1941 just months before Pearl Harbor and our entry into years of conflict, death, and destruction? The peculiar

timing was coincidental because the story of this celebration began much earlier in 1935.

Salina’s 1941 Coronado Entrada Celebration

Half a century after Columbus found land that became the Americas, the Spanish in today’s Mexico were told by a Spanish explorer that gold was to be found to the north in a land they called Quivira. In 1540 Vasquez de Coronado was sent to find the Seven Cities of Gold with a troop about 400 Spaniards and about 1,500 Indian allies.

They trudged through today’s New Mexico, sent scouts into today’s Arizona (the first Europeans to see the Grand Canyon), then across the Texas Panhandle into Oklahoma, and finally in 1541 into central Kansas, the land of Quivira (probably the region containing Lyons, Lindsborg, maybe Salina or Abilene). Finding no sign of gold, the survivors returned to Mexico in failure.

But Coronado had “entered” the new land and conducted an “expedition” for gold. Both terms are meanings of the Spanish word “entrada.”

What about this is there to celebrate by Americans, by Salinans, 400 years later (the “cuarto centennial,” to mix Spanish and English, as the Journal routinely did instead of the English “quadricentennial”)? An article in a 2008 Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper gave a rationale: “Primarily because it represented the first large-scale attempt by Europeans to explore the interior of the future United States.”

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Super-Spectacle

Show of Shows Parade of

ParadesGala Celebration

GIGANTIC stage300 feet long

and 45 feet high

$100,000Coronado Entrada

This by itself would not have led to Salina’s “Show of Shows” in 1941. But the Spanish established a governing settlement, today’s Santa Fe, NM, with a well-traveled route between it and Mexico City – the Camino Real, the Royal Road. Modern roads follow the same general route, although greatly smoothed and paved, and some of it even became part of Route 66 in 1926 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. So New Mexico had more to celebrate (the beginnings of statehood) in 1941 than did Salina. But Salina wouldn’t turn aside.

Let me quote extensively from that New Mexican article.

The July 4, 1941 Journal gave more background to Kansas’s involvement.“It was in 1934 that the first committee was named for mapping and marking the route of

Coronado’s tragic journey to Quivira, and that year directors of the Kansas chamber of commerce officially endorsed a Coronado cuarto centennial celebration Kansas for 1941.

“Paul Jones, chairman of the Kansas Coronado commission, and Roy F. Bailey, vice-chairman, took the road on speaking tours which carried them into every corner of the state with the story of Coronado and the cuarto centennial celebration, still seven years distant. As time lengthened Kansas people became increasingly interested, and out over the northwest territory

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The idea for a major commemorative exposition was born on the University of New Mexico campus, and it was led by the school's energetic and history-minded President James F. Zimmerman. He proposed an elaborate statewide celebration that would awaken the general population to the priceless heritage of New Mexico's long and thunderous history. To gain public support, Zimmerman pointed out that the event would have both high cultural value but also significant economic benefits. In 1935 UNM made its case before the Legislature and obtained passage of a special act creating a state commission to handle the planning and fundraising for the Coronado program.News of what was going on in New Mexico soon reached the other four states through which Coronado had passed. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas wanted to have a part in the action, so they quickly set up their own commemorative commissions. Not to be outdone, the U.S. Congress passed a law establishing a national Coronado Exposition Commission and appropriated $200,000 for federal participation. New Mexico, having been the cradle of the entire enterprise, remained the center of activity from which other states took their cues. The focal point became an outdoor pageant titled "A Coronado Entrada," with a cast of hundreds, many mounted on horseback and all costumed and armed as authentically as possible. The lengthy drama with all the speaking parts ran to 132 printed pages. The celebration officially opened on May 1, 1940, at the Coronado Monument north of Bernalillo. That was believed to be the site where the expedition had spent the severe winter of 1540-41. A host of dignitaries, both local and from out of state, were on hand. A new museum was dedicated at the monument. Pueblo artists on invitation unveiled copies of original kiva murals they had done, and a ceremony was conducted under direction of the Inter-Pueblo Council. After performances at Bernalillo, the pageant went on tour, visiting New Mexico's larger towns. Everywhere the crowds were huge. The schedule was extended over the next two years to include the other four Cuarto Centennial states, which eagerly awaited the Coronado Entrada.

club women began giving Coronado teas in Spanish costume while their husbands discussed the approaching celebration. The movement grew. It was talked about in other states. And this week it was culminated with a historical pageant surpassed by none other.”

Salina’s presentation of the pageant was actually the next to last of many presentations. The cities putting on the show that I have read about are these: Bernalillo, NM (1940); Colorado Springs, CO (July 1940); Lyons (May 1941), Lawrence (June 1941), Pittsburg, Salina (July 1941), and Independence (August 1941). There have been others but I haven’t found their names. After the show at Independence the costumes were divided among the five states for museum pieces. The scenery and equipment, no doubt well worn, were just scrapped.

Apparently, money from the federal government created the set (15 tons of sectional steel and 4,500 pounds of canvas scenery), the costumes ($18,000 which is about $300,000 in today’s money), and paid the director and stage hands who traveled from city to city. Salina’s merchants put up money for the local presentation expenses and hoped to be repaid by ticket sales. The Journal repeatedly refers to the pageant as a “$100,000 spectacle” but never explained this figure. I suspect it refers to the federal money put into the stage, costumes, support staff, and traveling expenses, perhaps the payment to the author of the pageant.

Organization

The earliest mention of “Coronado Days” I found in 1941 Salina Journals is in a May 3 article describing a Pony Express Celebration. The article was about the Pony Express Day but the principle headline oddly ignores the Express and looks toward the Coronado Days coming up: “City Turns To Its Coronado Days In July.” That article on the Pony Express Day ended with this sentence: “The day was sort of a starting gun for the coming Coronado Cuarto Centennial celebration this summer.” There may have been public mention of Coronado Days earlier than May 3, but I only looked at Journals a few days earlier.

Certainly a great deal of organization had been going on long before May 3. A George C. Dickens was the managing director of the federal Coronado commission. At the end of May he spoke at an alumni dinner at Kansas Wesleyan (who hosted the pageant on their football field) and explained the interest the federal government had in the celebration. “Stressing the good will value of the extravaganza, he pointed out that it has already done much to further Latin-American and Mexican-American relations and that it can do much more to cement friendship between the United States and her southern neighbors.”

There was a Coronado Cuarto Centennial commission of Kansas and, like each other city I presume, there was a Salina Coronado committee. The June 30, 1941 Salina Journal gave this list of names: “The Salina Coronado exposition is headed by an executive committee with Roy F. Bailey as general chairman. Working on that committee with Mr. Bailey are Carol S. Byers, vice-chairman, and Charles T. Smith, Don Sedwick, W. H. Montgomery, H. B. Eagle, Sam L. Robbins, Frankl Stiefel, Gene Johnson, Charles Hinnenkamp, Vic Smith, Fred Zumwalt and Charles H. Bren.”

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The June 3, 1941 Salina Journal had the first photo promoting the upcoming Coronado Entrada. This must have been from some earlier production of the pageant in another city. It depicts the “thrilling scene” when Coronado says farewell to his wife, Beatriz.

The June 4, 1941 Salina Journal tells how the city got involved:

Almost all names in the various Journal articles were unfamiliar to me, but here mention is made of Jack Kelly as the director of the casting committee with (Mrs. Paul Kuhn, Leo Sullivan, Mrs. Harry Detwiler, and Mrs. and Mrs. Paul Kramer). “More than 30 men and women were there and each civic organization was then given the responsibility of furnishing a definite number of men, women, boys and girls for the July production.”

At an early meeting “Mr. Brooks explained the Coronado Entrada and its magnitude – the beautiful lighting effects and the stage construction with its huge ramp which gives the effect of hills, the massing of great groups of performers for vast scenes, the fights which portray historical episodes in Coronado’s journey to this section of the country – in other words the whole drama of the Entrada, or Coronado’s entrance into Kansas.”

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Wheels began moving in Salina Tuesday night in the first actual preparation for the big Coronado Entrada here July 2, 3 and 4. Representatives of clubs, lodges and churches of the city met with the director, Chester H. Brooks, who arrived late in the afternoon, and with the casting director, Jack Kelly, of the high school faculty, and his committee. More than 500 men and women for the big mass scenes were arranged for and tentative selections made for the 54 principals in the cast.

This photo of pageant director Chester H. Brooks is from the July 2 Salina Journal. It was never clearly stated in any Journal but the implication is that he directed the pageant in each of the cities. A search on the web found him directing three other different pageants in the 1930s, so it seems to have been a specialty for him.

Putting the Show Together

By June 4, the principals (those 54 with speaking roles) had been tentatively chosen along with the rest of cast of 500. Rehearsals began on June 9 in the Washington High School gymnasium. “The cast is supposed to have 311 men, 193 women, 15 small girls and 13 boys, besides the 54 speaking parts. Included are 68 soldiers.” That adds to an ideal of 586 whereas other articles give 520 and 550 in reality. All this while the population of Salina was only 22,000.

An emphasis was placed on using experienced horsemen after the Coronado actor and his horse fell six feet off a ramp during a rehearsal at Lawrence (June 2). The actor (KU’s track coach) was injured and his place was taken by the actor who had already performed the role at Lyons. “Coronado must be able to put his big white horse up an inclined ramp 12 feet high and in one spot only five feet in width, the entire stage being built to resemble a trail leading up a mountain side. It was on this ‘trail’ that Bill Hargiss of Lawrence – and several other Coronados – have come to grief.”

Committees were formed for publicity, cavalades to surrounding towns, and ticket sales. Citizens were asked to add to the general festivities: “Salina, as a city, and the surrounding community, is being asked to don dress suitable to such a celebration, costumes of that ancient Spanish era is possible, but at least western to give authenticity to the celebration. Men will again [as for the Pony Express Day] wear whiskers, this time more typical of the Spanish dons, and another few days is expected to see the city in gala array and in the midst of many kinds of activity preparatory to the big Spanish fiesta of those three days in July.”

On June 4 it was announced that there would be three street dances downtown with Spanish and western costumes encouraged. Ending an article summarizing all these preparations for the Entrada, the Journal simply said “this is really going to be a deal.”

The next celebration event was announced on June 9: the eventual selection of an Entrada queen. Details were not given at this time but the selection method turned out to be quite unique.

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The role of Coronado was assigned to Dr. L. F. Eaton, it was announed on June 11. (On the web I found that in 1964 Eaton was president of the Salina Chamber of Commerce.) Mary Belle Hepperly was picked to play his wife, Dona Beatriz. More than 300 came to the high school gym for the first meeting of the general cast but Brooks wanted another 92 to fill all the roles of Pueblo Indians, bringing the cast to 550. No previous Entrada pageant had had such a large cast.

Among the cast I noted the familiar names Charles Shaver, Jr. and George Sawaya. Shaver (1890-1961) was the prominent Salina architect responsible for much of the “look” of Salina through such buildings as the Watson Theater and United Building with their art deco style. Sawaya played Andres Docompo (a Portuguese soldier and gardener who wound up traversing the wilderness back to Mexico on his own) so I presume this was the father of the then-11-year-old George Sawaya who later became the actor known as George Murdock.

Getting Ready

June 14, 1941 Journal:“Here are the first tickets to the big Salina Coronado Entrada July 2-3-4 being sold Friday night by Miss “Alice Dearsmith to R. H. Lively. The ticket sale officially opened then after 37 candidates for Coronado Senorita had received instructions on the contest. A drawing was then held to see who would sell the first four tickets to R. H. Lively and Miss Dearsmith was the lucky girl, putting $2 in the Entrada kitty. At the left is Miss Shirley Shaver and in the background, left to right, Retta Schrader and Jeanne Moseman.”

Rehearsals shifted from Washington high school to Memorial Hall. They were open to the public so far. Principals rehearsed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; the rest of the cast on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Selection of the Entrada queen was linked to ticket sales. “Tickets to the Entrada will cost 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. Those who want to get reserved seats can do so by paying an additional 25 cents but this is optional. Reserved seats go on sale at Low’s and the Planters State bank after June 25. For each 50 cent tickets she sells the Senorita contestant received 500 votes, and for box seats, 1,000. The girl with the most votes reigns as Coronado’s queen and can have any one of several big vacation trips, or $100 in cash. A large number of other prizes are also being offered and runners-up in the contest preside as court attendants at the Entrada.”

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June 14, 1941 Journal:“Bearded villains appeared on the streets this afternoon as the vigilantes raided the downtown section in search of hairless victims for the vigilante court. ”

June 16, 1941 Journal photo:“A figure calculated to inspire fear in the heart of the beardless is Wilber A. Sears, 130 West Jewell, pictured above with his sharp, sharp dagger. Member of the vigilantes committee which is busy these days hailing [sic] the luckless before the Entrada court, Sears said, ‘Yes, they itched for a while. They were eight weeks old the thirteenth,’ speaking of his Spanish whiskers”

Boosters and Dancers

The June 23, 1941 [as German troops invaded Russia] Journal gave rehearsal times for fiesta dancers, all soldiers, Aztecs and principals, Quiviran Indians, and Pueblo Indians. It also announced that “no less than 200 Salina people will ride in the [June 25] Coronado cavalcade which will carry word of the approaching Entrada to northwest Kansas towns, putting on a 30 minute show at eight of the stops. ‘We need cars, plenty of cars,’ was the word of Vic Smith, chairman of the cavalcade committee. ‘We want at least 50 and more if possible. Why, it will take 17 cars and trucks alone to carry our stage properties, sound equipment, stage and actors.’” This show included “Spanish dances by Senorita Simon Hernandez and Senor Pablo Montoy, backed by a Spanish orchestra. Along with this will be numbers by three cowgirl singers, a 12 piece “monkey band,” with Neanne Moseman as twirler, and a specialties by Betty Schultz, accordionist and Chet Gowen with his violin. Gowen will be the master of ceremonies.” (Chet Gowen was a KSAL radio announcer at the time.) The cavalcade of cars was to be “led by a state highway patrol car with another in the vanguard.” (The route is shown in red on the map below.)

A second cavalcade on June 27 went north of Salina, visited 16 towns over a 300-mile route (the blue loop in the map).

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Meanwhile the first street dance on June 17 featured a 20-piece orchestra. The dance “floor” was Santa Fe Ave. from Iron to Walnut, covered with corn meal. There was an exhibition of Spanish dancing by professionals. Here’s the Journal’s caption to the photo not published until June 23:“Here is just a small section of the crowd which thronged Salina’s

pavement last Tuesday evening for the first of the pre-Entrada street dances and a throng even larger is expected for the second free dance Tuesday evening on Santa Fe, north of Iron. As an innovation a sure-enough old fashioned square dance will be added to the modern numbers already on the program.”

The scene for the second street dance was moved to between Iron and Ash on Santa Fe. “The band this week will play both modern and old time numbers, the latter being by popular request from the first dance last Tuesday, and there will be a sure-enough square dance of the heel scrapin’ dosi-do variety. Several callers have already been secured.”

The Parade, Tickets, the Queen, Dancing

The June 24, 1941 Journal predicted that the coming Entrada parade that would make a circus parade be “mere peanuts.” “Set for 3 oclock the afternoon of July 3, the Coronado parade

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will embrace not only Spanish effects but pioneer vehicles of all types, western attire, buggy rigs, ‘Senoritas’ and ‘Senors’ on horseback, mounted cowboys and cowgirls, every variety of floats and even “hard time vehicles.’ Cash prizes of $15, $10 and $5 will be paid for the best three pioneer vehicles; $15 and $7.50 for the two best hard time vehicles; $10 for the best driving rig; $5 for the best Spanish costumed woman rider and horse; $5 for the best Spanish costumed man rider and horse; and $5 each for the best cowgirl and cowboy.” [The Journal consistently used “oclock” in all the 1941 Journals I looked at so I’ve kept that spelling in the quotes.]

“There is no doubt but that the people of the Salina vicinity who attend the Coronado Entrada will see a show which will stand out in their memory as the show of shows. We would like to have along with that, a parade that will go hand in hand in the memory of the people as having seen the parade of parades.”

Ticket sales so far had brought in $1095 with Miss Dorothy Eagle leading the sales in the contest to be queen. Another week of sales was yet to go. “The high scoring girl will not only be crowned queen of Coronado’s court on the opening night of the three-day Entrada, July 2, but will have her choice of big vacation junkets or $100 in cash. Numerous other prizes are offered and the five next high ranking girls will preside as attendants to the queen.”

The second street dance this evening “is being arranged to please jitterbugs and old timers alike, according to Wendell Elliott, chairman, who announces that such all time favorites as ‘Diane’ and ‘Stardust’ will feature the program. For those of the old school a real old time fiddler will take over with orchestral background and for the new a modern maestro of the violin has been secured.” Any type of dress goes: “Spanish, western, frontier, Indian, or any other outfit not in violation of local indecent exposure laws.” Another 400 pounds of cornmeal was put on Santa Fe to smooth the brick pavement and park benches was on the sidewalks for the comfort of those not dancing.

The second street dance made news in the Journal on June 25, 1941. It was called a “record crowd.” “The boys and girls really let down their hair and tripped the light fantastic, everything from modern moods to the good old fashioned square dance. Because so many turned out the Coronado dance committee has decided to hold another next week.”

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Far Flung Boosters

The first Coronada Entrada booster caravan had almost 100 costumed Salinans in 23 cars and traveled in 330 to 14 towns, giving a half hour show in the 8 county seats -- all in one day from 9 AM to 10 PM. They got “a warm reception in every town along the way.” “The Coronado cavalcade carried its own stage, sound equipment, stage effects, orchestra and show in cars and trucks decorated in the royal red and gold of Coronado.”

Photos from the stop in Russell finally made their way into the Journal three days later. The caption was extensive: “Last Wednesday when the first Salina Coronado cavalcade traveled north and west it was received with a hospitality that will be an ever-lasting and joyous memory to those on the tour. Here are scenes at Russell, showing crowds that gathered to surround the Salina visitors, and, below, a close-up of John Maronde, president of the Russell chamber of commerce, and Dean S. Landon, mayor of Russell, with Roy F. Bailey, vice-chairman of the Kansas Coronado commission, at the mike. Maronde is holding the cane later presented to Mr. Bailey and inscribed to commemorate the Coronado cuarto centennial and the Salina Entrada.” Russell’s hometown boy Bob Dole was 8 years old then; did he see the show? (The family of Arlan Spector didn’t move to Russell until 1947.)

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The second street dance on June 24 drew a bigger crown than the first dance. “Several thousand spectators thronged Santa Fe during the evening and hundreds of couples danced to everything from modern music to tunes of the square dance period. More people in Spanish and frontier costume, more whiskers, more fun – that was the story of Tuesday night.”

The Stage and Rehearsals

The June 24 Journal reported that “A new note of excitement was added today by the fact that work has begun on the huge Entrada stage. On Glenn Martin field at Kansas Wesleyan university the stage mechanics have started, the wheels are rolling and before the opening day July 2 all will be ready on the 300 foot stage where more than 500 people of this community, in elaborate and authentic costumes, will re-enact the scenes of 1541 when a gallant of old Spain sallied forth on a long trek into the new world.”

On June 26 rehearsal continued without stop in Memorial Hall, this time with the entire cast doing the first “big walk around.” Rehearsals were now closed to the public.

Another Parade

The announcement was made that there would be two, not just one, Entrada parades. Wednesday, July 2 would have a “youth parade.” “All boys and girls from 8 to 16 are being encouraged to take part. The first section of the parade will be devoted to bicycle riders and the more decorations junior can plaster on his trusty wheel, the merrier the day will be. The second section will be for boys and girls with ponies. After that will come the kids with pet stock, youngsters on foot, and what have you.” The expectation was that “not less than 2,000 youngsters will take part in the youth parade next Wednesday afternoon, and special invitations are extended to the country boys and girls as well as their city cousins. Such organizations as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs, midget baseball teams, the Sacred Heart School band, the Legion drum and bugle corps, and any other youth organizations will be represented and march in groups.”

The July 3 parade organizers got permission to use Agricultural Hall in Kenwood Park as a place for building parade floats. Livestock for both parades can be tended to at the Hall.

The Stage and Scenery

June 27’s Journal says that the stage was now ready on Kansas Wesleyan’s Glenn L. Martin field. Director Brooks saw the grass, unusually green this far into summer because of rains, and said “We have never had a better setting.” Tonight was the first walk-around on the field instead of in Memorial Hall. The special lighting and scenery won’t be used until next Monday, two days before the first performance.

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“Those who will ride horses in the $100,000 production plan to canter out Saturday and Sunday and accustom their steeds to the sloping pathways leading up into the stage setting.

“Emphasis was laid by the director today on the fact that hereafter the rehearsals will not be open to the public.

“Nothing to faintly approach the Coronado Entrada stage has ever been seen in this part of the country. At first glance it appears as a massive group of steel towers rising 40 feet above the turn of the Wesleyan athletic field, but these are only supports for the huge canvas backdrops which form the background for the production. One canvas is 80 by 40 feet in size.

“Constructed of tubular steel in cube shaped sections, the towers present a modernistic skyline varying in height and dimension to conform with the requirements of the stage settings. At the top of each tower, set upon huge rollers, are painted backdrops representing the Grand Canyon and other scenic wonders which Coronado marveled at during his daring journey into the new world.

“Those mountains on wheels are so constructed that they can be rolled silently into place by a few workmen as scene follows scene. Through them runs the planked ramp leading upward on several levels until at one point horses and riders will be 16 feet above the ground as they follow the paths simulating mountain trails. Over one high ramp Don Jarvis and Dan Cain will stage a breath taking race putting their horses up an incline six or eight feet above ground, across a wide platform, and down the other side.

“It was Castaneda, a soldier under Coronado, who chronicled the story of his general’s exploration, and it is Castadena in the Entrada of 1941 who acts as chronicler of the huge production. The part is played by Leo Sullivan who tells the story of Coronado’s search for the seven fabled cities from the vantage point of a platform to the right of the main stage and 25 feet in the air.

“Part of the action takes place upon the turf of the athletic field before the great stage, and part is on the lofty ramps. Lighting effects carried with this $100,000 production are characterized as the finest ever assembled for one pageant. As a final indication of the efficiency with which the spectacle is presented, there is an independent telephone system, complete with switchboard which has small loudspeakers secreted here and there throughout the big stage. From his booth overlooking the Entrada, Director Brooks can at any time speak directly to any principal without being heard by the audience.”

Although the principals were said to have speaking roles, their own voices wouldn’t be heard by the distant, widely spread audience, so the principals only mouthed the words. The voices were provided by nine unseen speakers sitting high above the stage whose voices were amplified electronically. The days of miniature, wireless individual microphones were so far in the future they could not even be imagined in 1941.

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Boosters and Slackers

The next promotional cavalcade was expected to have 50 to 100 cars. They were to leave on the 300-mile route at 10:30 AM on June 29 and get back at 10:00 PM.

A sign of strain and frustration with some male Salinans led to an ill-tempered outburst inserted as a text box in the June 28 Journal article. No more details were given publicly.

Time Draws Short

The June 30, Monday, Salina Journal didn’t say how Sunday’s cavalcade went but had no shortage of other Entrada news as the first performance Wednesday night approached.

8,000 seats for the three productions were still available at this late date, with a single night’s official seating of something like 3,000 or 4,000. This sound rather dismal, but attendance turned out to be a full house anyway.

It is thought that Coronado was in the Salina vicinity on July 4, 1541, so these Entrada performances will be “the only one held on the actual date and at the actual place of his visit 400 years ago.”

The first full dress rehearsal, with costumes, scenery, lighting, and sound was held this Monday night. A second, final dress rehearsal would be Tuesday night, 24 hours before the first “show of shows.”

“Salina stores, several of which have window displays of either Spanish or old time costumes, are offering still further cooperation during Coronado Entrada week. Wednesday and Thursday of this week, July 2 and 3, the stores in this city will remain open until 6 oclock in the evening to accommodate shoppers visiting in the city. The decision was announced Saturday After a canvass by the merchants association received a favorable vote from the business interests.”

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Although more than 1,000 Salina people are working and have worked faithfully and diligently for weeks in order to make the Coronado Entrada in Salina next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Glenn Martin Field, there are a good many, especially men, who have refused to help. Their refusal to take part either in the work of preparation or as members of the cast made the task more difficult for those who have shouldered the responsibilities. It also inspired Herschel C. Logan, a member of the Salina Coronado committee, to address a telegram to President Roosevelt, offering lead for much need war ammunition from “the over supply of lead in pants of Salina men.” Logan says he sent the telegram to the president.

The field of candidates for queen fell to 26 by the end of June. They had till 8:30 PM tonight to turn in any more money for ticket sales. Then the tally would be taken to determine the winner and her attendants.

A Salina Journal Special

A lengthy special section on the Entrada was part of the June 30 Journal.

A story of Coronado is given, describing him as “a man within whose breast burned a love for his king, Charles V and Spain, and for the gold his king coveted.” “So on February 22, 1540 in the village of Compostela, Mexico, there was a fiesta to speed Coronado and his expedition its way, and the whole town entered into the spirit of anticipation of riches which the conquistador was confident he would bring back. The Entrada, as it is presented opens with the scene, the sleeping village gradually stirring to life as dawn breaks children frolicking as they chase real live goats and other animals. “On and on from one scene to another until all twelve which comprise the Coronado Entrada have passed in review, is set forth the heart breaking story of the defeat of the expedition and its return to Mexico in disgrace. Whatever history may say of Coronado and his management of the expedition, the beautiful script which tells the

story to Entrada audiences marks him as a man of tragedy and one bound to enlist the sympathy of his audience.”

Skipping more of that article, the setting of the Entrada drew praise. “One of the astounding things about the Entrada is the huge stage or series of sets, mounted on wheels and resembling at first sight a set of great steel towers. Painted canvas scenery and lighting effects complete the illusion and against that background people and horses bring back the long, long ago, while voices from a sound booth speak so everyone can hear the lightest word.

“Costumes are authentic and provided at great expense, the whole show, which recreates the past during Coronado fiesta year in Kansas, costing well over $100,000, shared by the

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government and the Coronado commission. Merchants of Salina have underwritten the Entrada presentation here this week.”

A description of the 12 scenes, a program in essence, was printed in the Journal.

The special insert had photos from the Entrada. Cast photos were not captioned so I presume they were from productions previous to Salina’s. The stage is shown only in an early, skeletal form. No photos were printed of the stage as the audience saw it. There must have been some restriction at work here even through tax-payer money was responsible for the stage.

(All the reproductions in this document are of poor quality because the original fuzzy newsprint photos were copied onto microfilm, which was projected onto a reader’s ground glass screen, and then photographed with my camera. It’s a wonder there’s anything on these photos to show at all. I have shown all the photos I found in the Journal.)

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1. At Compostela, Mexico, February 22, 1540. The village is in fiesta for the departure of Coronado and his expedition. Fray Marcos is questioned by the soldiers. Legal obstacles are raised, but the Viceroy Mendoza brushes them aside, ordering a complete muster roll of the ary to be made. Coronado and his officers take the oath and ride away, to the north.2. At Cibola (now Zuni), July 7, 1940 [sic]. Coronado with part of his army, arrives at the first of the Seven Cities. The Indians resist, and the army must fight.3. At Cibola, a few days later, Coronado hears of the great rivers to east and west, and sends out his captains to explore.4. At the Grand Canyon, September, 1540. Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, with a small party, discovers the Grand Canyon.5. At the pueblo of Alcanfor, Tiguex (near the present Bernalillo), September 7, 1540. Hernando de Alvarado and Fray Padilla discover the Rio Grande (River of Our Lady) and send back messages suggesting that the winter quarters be established at this point.6. At Tiguex (today’s Bernalillo, NM), in the winter of 1540-41. Coronado and the army are in winter quarters. Their life there, and the growing seeds of discord with the Indian peoples. The Turk’s story is confided to the other Spanish officers and it is decided to see “Quivira” in the spring.7. At Tiguex, later in the winter. Cardenas attacks the neighboring pueblo in fort to get back the horses the Indians have driven off.8. On the Texas plains, in the spring of 1541. Coronado finds rumors of the passing of Cabeza de Vaca, and no longer trusts the Turk as a guide; he takes half his men and rides northward.9. At Quivira, in Kansas, August, 1541. Coronado finds no gold at the fabled Quivira. He orders the execution of the Turk, and turns back.10. a. Another winter encampment back in the pueblo country, Coronado’s saddle girth breaks and he is injured. b. On the wilderness road, in Arizona, May, 1541. The army of Coronado, in retreat, returning to Mexico.11. In the Quivira country, In Kansas. The mission of Fray Padilla has failed, and he meets a martyr’s death. Andres Decompo and the Indian neophytes escape.12. In Mexico City, February 19, 1546. The final trial of Coronado, in his appeal against the previous sentence of the court at Guadalajara. The verdict of acquittal and the vindication of Coronado.

“Horses and their riders figure prominently in the Entrada spectacle.” Coronado isn’t in this photo and it’s not certain that these are even riders in the Salina pageant. “There is some mystery connected with the white horse to be used in the premiere. Executive Director G. C. Dickens of the U. S. Commission when asked just smiles and evades the question. But he says it will be a Kansas horse and may ‘steal the show.’”

The caption to this photo was “Dr. L. F. Easton may not know it but here is the way he will look in the Coronado entrada Wednesday night.” So apparently this is a Coronado from some previous presentation of the pageant, not Salina’s. “Coronado in his shining, golden armor on a white steed stood out from the rest of the cast.” This steed isn’t close to being white.

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The June 30 Journal insert had these photos, the only ones that show the scale of the stage. “Here is the way it looks at Glenn Martin field at Kansas Wesleyan University, where just about 15 tons of sectional steel is in the process of mounting skyward with the aid of workmen who were called on by the government to help put up the vast stage for the Coronado Entrada. After the steel framework is up the Coronado crew will hang 4,500 pounds of canvas scenery all over it. When the job is completed it will be like mountains or what have you. The general idea of the stage is to look like the countryside did 400 years ago. If it don’t [sic] no one will know the difference and no one will be bothered”

[Glenn Martin’s family moved to Salina when Glenn (1886-1955) was two. While in grade school he was so proficient at making kites that he made money selling them to others. Stimulated by the success of the Wright brothers, he began building his own airplanes in 1909 and started his own company in 1912. Through mergers his company became the Martin Marietta and then the Lockheed Martin companies. He had attended Kansas Wesleyan and the new 1940 WPA-built football field was named in his honor.]

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“This is the local cast in the brilliant costumes they will wear in the Entrada. Even the horses will wear fancy clothes but they will not wear them because they want them. Local nags are in for some summer clothes beyond all doubt.”

I guess this means that it was very hot and the horses would not welcome any costumes.

The 300-feet long stage must have filled the football field from goal line to goal line. With canvas scenery, the audience must have sat on only one side of the field.

The next photo is from near Dodge City where “Coronado and his gallant little band splashed through the shallow waters of the Arkansas river and entered Quivira (central Kansas) on St. Peter and St. Paul’s day of the Catholic calendar, June 29, 1541.”

“The approximate site (of the crossing) is now marked with a bridge, dedicated and named ‘Coronado Bridge’ by the commissions of Ford county.” The bridge was built in 1906 for Dodge City’s 2nd Ave crossing of the river and moved in 1935 a few miles east of town. It was then known as the Coronado bridge.In 1958 a concrete bridge replaced the old steel Coronado bridge (lower photo). The six sections of

the Coronado bridge were split among different other locations. In 2012 there was dissent over replacing all the 100-year-old sections entirely. I couldn’t find the outcome.Dancers and Workers

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There was no caption for this photo in the June 30 Journal so we can’t know which of the street dances it was.

The whiteness of the brick street must be part of the 400 pounds of cornmeal.

The Journal nicely summarized the effort that had been put into this celebration so far. “It has been a long and arduous task. Under the able direction of Chester H. Brooks night after night practice sessions have been in progress, first in Washington high school, then to Memorial hall and finally on the great outdoor stage. And more than that, hundreds of other townspeople, bringing the total to a thousand or more have been sweltering through days of preparing for the big event. There have been committees on finance, publicity, speakers bureau, properties and

livestock, tickets, the senorita contest, quivira court, costumes, casting, booster cavalcades, parades, grounds and seating, concessions and a score of other groups, all working together to bring success to Salina’s greatest civic enterprise.” These committees were called out for their fine work: “Finance, Tickets, Publicity, Senorita contest, Speakers Bureau, Quivira civic court, Properties and livestock, Costumes, Casting, Grounds and seating, Coronado Cavalcade, Concessions, Parades.” The Journal had no caption for this photo but the title implies this is Coronado’s wife Beatriz. Had this been Salina’s Marybelle Hepperly who played Beatriz I’m sure the Journal would have said so. Presumably the photo is from another city’s cast. At least we see how elaborate the costumes were.Other Coronado Celebrations

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The June 30 Journal noted the many other Coronado celebrations throughout Kansas in July through October that did not involve the massive Entrada pageant.

Another photo without a caption but it presumably shows another of the Salina street dances.

“One of the first of the Coronado Entrada girls was this one in New Mexico when the huge drama-spectacle which is to be shown in Salina July 2, 3, 4 was started on its two year curato-centennial course in that portion of the southwest. The lady – and not the ‘one known as Lou’ – posed in Spanish costume, so to speak, with Mexican jugs and a serape. It is a costume typical of the Entrada atmosphere in which Salina is steeped just now when dress rehearsals are being held in Glenn Martin field for the great spectacle there next week.”

It’s puzzling that there were so few photos (essentially none) of the Salina cast members, or of the stage and production. Someone must have felt it was all proprietary and had to be kept under wraps, even though it was would all be scrapped in August.Author! Author!

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June 29, Pontifical Field Mass, commemorating crossing of Arkansas river into Quivira by Coronado in 1541, also dedication of bridge and park at the site, near Dodge City.July 2,3,4. “The Entrada of Coronado” at Salina.July 4. Pontifical Field Mass, commemorating erection of first cross in the heart of the U. S. in 1541, at Lyons.July 4. V.F.W. and Chamber of Commerce Fiesta at Chanute.July 14 to 17, Annual Mexican Fiesta, “Out Lady of Guadalupe” parish in Topeka.July 23, 24, 25, “The Entrada of Coronado” at Independence.July 26, Coronado Day, Herington.July 30,31, Aug. 1, Coronado Fiesta, Lenora.Aug. 7, 8 and 9, Coronado Observance, Lebanon.Aug. 12 to 14, “Oregon Trails,” Marysville.Aug. 14, 116th Anniversary and Coronado celebration, Council Grove.Aug. 19 to 23, Central Kansas Free Fair, at Abilene.Aug. 20 to 22, 70th Anniversary and Coronado fiesta at Osborne.Aug. 25 to 26, Coronado Fiesta, Larned.Sept. 1, Labor Day Fiestas, Florence and Hoisington.Sept. 1 to 6, Great Southwest Fair, at Dodge City.Sept. 17 and 18 Coronado Day, Marion.Oct. 8, 9, 10, Peace Treat pageant, Medicine Lodge.

The extensive Journal of June 30 revealed the author of the Entrada pageant to be an experience author of several large pageants.

“The author is Thomas Wood Stevens, of Santa Fe, N. M. [1880-1942; this 1935 photo is from the web.]

“An internationally known pageant writer, Stevens is also an artist of note, dramatic critic and an educator. When it was formally decided that a pageant depicting the entire travels of Coronado would be the feature production during the Coronado year, the Cuarto Centennial commission looked with favor upon the past success in this field of Mr. Stevens and immediately decided that he should do the Coronado Entrada script.

“Author of a dozen books, among them, “Westward Under Vega,” Mr. Stevens has been a resident of Santa Fe for the past fifteen years.

Educated as an artist, he taught illustration and mural painting at the Chicago Art Institute for nine years and was a pupil of Joaquin Sorollay Bastida, the noted Spanish master. Stevens now considers painting as a hobby.

“Among his noted achievements was the instigation of the drama department at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, a curriculum which is still in force at the Institute today.

“He then turned his talents to play and pageant writing, and scored one of his most marked successes as far back as 1914. At that time he wrote the “Pageant of St. Louis” in association with the “Masque of St. Louis,” by the noted American playwright, Percy MacKaye. The pageant had 7,500 persons in costume and in four nights had attracted 400,000 spectators. From the profits of the show the St. Louis Municipal theater, in its first form, was built.

“Among other pageants he has written are the Pageant of Joan of Arc at Domery, France, and the Pageant of Niagara at Niagara Falls, New York.

“In his Coronado Entrada, Stevens used the same formula that has proven so successful in all his past works – that of bringing the spectators into a feeling of living with the actors in the period which the pageantry represents. The Cornado Entrada will include scenes depicting from start to finish the travels of Coronado and his company of adventurers.”

You can still buy the script Stevens wrote for the pageant (and for others he wrote). For can get it through Amazon.com for less than $20.

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Coronado Evidence

I have always wondered what evidence there is that Coronado really got even close to Coronado Heights. The June 30 Journal filled in that gap.

“One of the few traces definitely connecting Saline county with Coronado’s journey into the new world is the old Spanish bridle bit pictured here and on exhibit in the Saline County Historical society museum. This bit, proved of pure Spanish design, was picked up 80 years or more ago [1860 or earlier] in the region of Coronado Heights.”

The Coronado Queen

The Coronado queen was announced in the July 1 Journal to be Miss Dorothy Eagle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Eagle, 534 Sunset Drive. “With pomp and fanfare, she will be crowned at 8 oclock Wednesday evening as the greatest spectacle of this generation opens for three days on the Wesleyan athletic field.”

“The 26 girls in the Senorita contest sold 5,000 tickets, turning in $2,025 in cash to help defray the expense of the big Entrada. Miss Eagle, in leading the field, sold 488 adult tickets and 68 admissions for children, accumulating 527,950 votes. This earned her the right to select any one of three vacation junkets, one to the Pacific northwest, one to Old Mexico, and one to Sun Valley, or the alternative of $100 in cash.

“I’m going to choose the $100,” said the Coronado queen. “I’m going to use the money for a vacation all right, but it will be to Tampa, Fla., next Christmas. My brother Benton is there in the army air corps and we have never been separated on Christmas.”

The next 10 high girls in the senorita contest will act as attendants to Queen Dorothy at the Coronation Wednesday evening at 8 oclock. Besides this honor they were given merchandise prizes totaling $82.”

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“This is Coronado’s Entrada Court, composed of 11 high ranking girls in the Senorita contest. Queen Dorothy Eagle is shown seated, center, and the 10 accompanying her serve as attendants during the three nights of the Coronado Entrada.”[If you want the full list of names, write me.][Trivia: saddle shoes, like those front-left, were introduced in 1906 by Spalding as athletic shoes for tennis. The street version was featured on the cover of a 1937 Life magazine!]

Saving Seats and Dancing

Salinans were urged to attend the first performance on Wednesday, if possible, so there would be seats for out-of-towners who are more likely to come on Thursday or Friday (July 4).

“While plans for the first of two street parades set for 3 oclock Wednesday afternoon were finished today, Wendell Elliott, chairman of the street dance committee announced details for this evening’s dance.

“’We’re going to have Beau Boswell’s colored orchestra furnishing the music tonight,’ said Elliott, ‘and no fooling they can ‘cut the rug.’

“Barricades will go up at 6 oclock this evening on Santa Fe south of Iron and the dance will get going at 8:30 oclock. ‘It’s free, it’s fun and the more who come out to dance the better we like it,’ said the chairman.”

Weather Worries

Finally, Wednesday, July 2, 1941 arrived and the first performance of the $100,000 spectacle was to go on, hopefully. There had been scattered rain during Tuesday night’s final dress rehearsal. “Rain or shine, the great Coronado Entrada will be presented here three different nights, committeemen announced this afternoon as threatening clouds cast their shadows across tonight’s opening. If tonight is a rain-out instead of a sell-out, tonight’s show will be presented Saturday and the tickets for tonight good on that night instead. If it rains Thursday night, that night will be the Saturday performance. And if it rains both nights, this evening’s performance will be on Saturday and Thursday’s on Sunday evening.”

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“Roy F. Bailey, general chairman of the Salina Entrada, will crown the queen at 8:00 oclock who will proceed with her procession to the court of honor where Coronado’s court will hold forth all three nights of the Entrada. John Judd, Entrada business manager in charge of the coronation, announced today as an effective note that a huge map showing Coronado’s route north to Quivira will form the background of the coronation.”

The third and last street dance was held Tuesday night, despite showers. “Augmented by authentic dress of the Coronado Entrada itself, the summer evening carnival presented costumes of every description and color. There were those who merely strolled the street bedecked in Spanish, western and Indian garb and costumes of no particular period or locale, but everyone had themselves a time and none more than entrants in the colored jitterbug contest that highlighted the evening and halted the rest of the show as dancers paused to watch contestants ‘swing it on down.’”

The Parades

“This afternoon a gigantic youth parade with an estimated 500 boys and girls from Salina and surrounding territory signaled a burst of pre-Entrada enthusiasm. Forming east of Santa Fe on Mulberry youth groups from a score of organizations marched along Salina’s main stem headed by Mayor Ed Morgenstern. There were Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, midget baseball teams, youth on bikes, costumed youngsters, Shetland ponies and their young masters, many other groups and hundreds of individuals on parade. The parade course was along Santa Fe to Ash and back on Seventh street.” [But no Journal photos!]

“And an even bigger parade is planned for Thursday afternoon at 3 oclock. Starting from Agriculture hall at 2:50 oclock a long line of horses, old fashioned vehicles, buggies, rigs, cowboys, cowgirls, senors, senoritas, and conveyances of every kind will travel to Santa Fe and along that thoroughfare in what promises to be the most stupendous parade Salina has ever witnessed. An additional feature announced this morning by Sam L. Robbins, parade chairman, is that all city officials, including commissioners, will be in costume and mounted for the event. In addition to that the parade chairman, with a twinkle in his eye, intimated that all chamber of commerce officials and Entrada headmen will occupy a prominent parade spot in a ‘special type’ of transportation. Those officials are urged to be at Agriculture hall a few minutes early to insure a place in the line up. It will be a gigantic show, all right,” Robbins added. “One that will live in the memory of Salina for years to come.”

Coronado Rides Up “His” Heights

Finally, a photo of an actual Salina Entrada cast member, in costume, on his white steed, appeared in the July 2 Journal.

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“From this rocky eminence on Coronado Heights – 400 years ago, Don Francisco Vasquez de Coronado may have gazed out over the smoky buttes toward the site of Salina as he said, “I begin to see the size and shape of this land.” In this photo the Coronado of 1941, Dr. L. F. Eaton, re-enacts that prophetic scene, mounted upon “Silver,” in the authentic costume he will wear during the huge Coronado Entrada in this city. For the second time in four centuries the banner of old Spain had floated over Coronado Heights Tuesday afternoon, and Coronado once again scanned the broad and rolling countryside that surrounds the mound.”

It’s a Hit!

The report about the first performance was a glowing one in the July 3 Journal. But there were no accompanying photos.

“Before a capacity crowd of 3,000 people from Salina and distance points the Entrada of Don Francisco Vasquez de Coronado opened here Wednesday evening. Said Chester H. Brooks who has directed seven Coronado Entradas, ‘this was the most successful first night performance it has been my privilege to direct.’

“Long before the spot lights burned across the 300 foot stage on Glenn L. Martin field at Kansas Wesleyan University for the opening of the huge spectacle, the big athletic field stadium was packed to near capacity. Streets of Wesleyan addition were lined with cars and parking lots were filling rapidly. It was a capacity house by 8 oclock when Miss Dorothy Eagle was crowned as queen of Coronado’s court to preside with her 10 attendants during the three nights of the historical pageant.

“Ignoring the mist which fell for a time early in the performance, and the frigid breezes, the audience sat tensely through the two hour production and appraisals today ran the gamut from such terms as ‘the biggest thing this country has ever seen,’ to ‘a spectacle that far outshines the Cavalcade of Texas or any other.’ [The Cavalcade of Texas was a pageant for Texas’ centennial in 1936.]

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“For lighting, for stage effects, for colorful costuming, and for the magnitude of the cast, nothing approaching the Entrada has ever been presented in this part of the country.

“The cast of 500 turned in a performance Wednesday evening which was astonishing in its smoothness, in view of this being the dreaded ‘first night’ familiar alike to pageants and theatricals. If any action was muffed it was unnoticeable to all save the director.

“History lived again. Once more Coronado gathered his gallants and retainers at Compostela in New Spain (Mexico) and set out on his quest of the seven golden cities of Cibola, only to return broken and with empty hands two years later.

“To single out any one scene of the 12 would be difficult, the whole thing being stunning as it was, but some, through their nature and sequence, brought home more vividly the historical narrative. Coronado’s lines as he lies prostrate with a near-fatal injury, and again his defense before the court of Mendoza, the mass battle scenes as the Spaniards storm the walls of Tiguex, the garroting of the Turk and the return of Coronado’s army to New Spain – these are only a few of the highlights.

“The script abounds with such winged phrases as ‘the swarming stars overhead’ which so aptly describes night skies over Kansas, and with flowing lines of sweeping beauty from Castaneda’s prologues. Many in the audience found it difficult to realize that the 500 actors speak only in pantomime, and there was praise for the speaking staff which relates the narrative from the booth overhead.

“A feature of Salina’s Entrada opening which was not realized by the audience was that there were really three Coronado’s on Glenn Martin field – Dr. L. F. Eaton, enacting the role in Salina’s presentation, Art Hodgson, Lyons, who enacted the role there and substituted for Bill Hargiss at Lawrence when Hargiss was injured, and Harrison Johnson, the Coronado of the Independence Entrada. They formed a threesome to compare notes after the drama ended Wednesday night.

‘With this auspicious opening Salina today turned to the schedule ahead, which featured at 3 oclock this afternoon the Coronado parade, replete with floats, bands and both frontier and Spanish costuming.”

The Big Parade

The afternoon parade had the most logical leader. “Coronado marched this afternoon. Along Salina’s main street, Santa Fe avenue, went the Spanish nobleman and his white charger at the head of a spectacular procession that brought to a brilliant crescendo all the color and glamour of the three-day Curato Centennial celebration. And following the first white man to visit Kansas came the most heterogeneous array of vehicles, individuals and groups that ever paraded the avenue.

“The colorful parade, heralding tonight’s and Friday’s performances of the Coronado Entrada, got under way at 3 oclock after police had cleared Santa Fe of all traffic at noon. Throngs gathered along the thoroughfare to witness the flamboyant event. There were floats –

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30 or more – and horses by the score, numerous rigs, carriages, buggies, covered wagons, three bands, gaily costumed senoritas and senors on horseback, cowboys and cowgirls, Indians, Spaniards and costumed individuals of every description.

“Following Coronado came a color guard, then the municipal band, Entrada and chamber of commerce officials, and a special float carrying the Entrada queen and her attendants which in turn was followed by Salina’s city officials on horseback. And beyond that, stretch out for blocks, rolled the great bulk of the parade.

“Forming at Agriculture Hall, the cavalcade moved toward the intersection of Santa Fe and Mulberry and was joined by a trio of bands at fifth. Many floats were so large it was necessary to detour them around the Mulberry street bridge. All gathered at the official starting point, Mulberry at Santa Fe, and trailed along the latter amid thick crowds of spectators. All the way to Elm it went. Then west on Elm and back south on Seventh past Walnut and all Salina, and hundreds of persons from surrounding towns, had seen and enjoyed a fascinating feature of the three-day Coronado celebration 400 years in the making.”

Only one photo of the parade was in the Friday, July 4 paper. I checked the Journals from the following weekend and found none others.

“This view looking south from the intersection of Santa Fe and Iron shortly after 3 oclock Wednesday afternoon, shows a small portion of the mile-long crowd which thronged the Salina business district for the Coronado parade. In the foreground is the float carrying Miss Dorothy Eagle, queen of Coronado’s court, and her attendants. Coronado, in the person of Dr. L. F. Eaton, mounted on the charger, ‘Silver,’ rode near the head of the parade.”

The parade rated a second article, without any photos.“When Salina puts on a show – be it Entrada or parade – she goes all out, and Thursday

afternoon’s two-mile long exhibition certainly proved the rule.“How many persons viewed the procession is a disputable question, but crowds packed the

line of march all the way from Washington high school, along East Mulberry to Santa Fe, north

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four long blocks to Elm and back south along Seventh past Walnut. From past experience townspeople and visitors alike had learned a lesson, and in place of jamming the downtown area, the crowds spread out over blocks and blocks of parade route.

“Acclaimed by many as the biggest parade Salina has ever attempted, it drew thousands of persons from cities, towns and villages for miles around, and those who traveled the line of march estimate that from 10,000 to 15,000 persons were on hand to view the spectacle.

“Coronado, in flowing red cape and astride the white Coronado Entrada charger ‘Silver’ led the procession which included 232 saddle horses. There were ancient vehicles, some as old as the city itself, being in action way back in 1857. There were a score of attractive floats, rigs, buggies, comedy outfits and clowns, cowboys, cowgirls, senors and senoritas. It was all there, everything necessary to make a splendid exhibition and interlude for the Entrada.

“Long hours afterward a festive spirit still prevailed as carriages and stagecoaches raced up and down Santa Fe avenue, and cowboys boldly rode their horses along sidewalks and into taverns and cafes.

“Altogether it was the kind of a day that made everyone feel good and brought visitors to the city from considerable distances as well as from this immediate territory. It was the kind of a parade that made everyone glad to have come to Salina and glad to remain for the evening presentation of the Coronado Entrada which inspired the event. Some of the “Indians” of the huge Entrada cast took part and retained their makeup until the evening performance, startling downtown crowds after the parade much less than would have been possible a few weeks ago before the old west began to re-live in Salina.”

It’s A Hit Again!

The second performance the previous night was another smashing success. The “capacity” crowd of 3,000 Wednesday grew to more than 4,000 on Thursday! People could, and did, sit on the grass as well as in the stands.

“Over the greensward [turf] which forms its setting the lights will slowly fade out tonight on the Coronado Entrada, greatest spectacle of this generation. It is one which will go down in history as Salina’s most successful civic effort. Thursday night’s attendance, shattering all previous expectations, mounted to well over 4,000 people. Since this is a holiday and the last showing of the Salina Entrada for the next 100 years, even more people are expected.

“Throngs began pouring into Glenn L. Martin field early Wednesday evening and long before the opening of the narrative the big stadium was packed to capacity, and both bleacher sections were filled. Not only every available seat, but even the aisles of the stadium held closely packed spectators. They sat row on row upon the closely cropped grass in front of the stadium.

“The ‘house’ for the opening night, termed extraordinarily good by Director Chester H. Brooks, was beaten and beaten badly. That attendance was estimated at somewhat over 3,000 people. Thursday night’s exceeded that unexpected figure by close to 50 percent. Though

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tonight’s gate is expected to be large, committeeman call attention to the fact that so long as a square foot of space remains room will be made for spectators. Those who bring cushions will find it more comfortable, whether they land in the grandstand or on the grass. Wherever they sit, say committeemen, the view is equally good and the voice clear everywhere on the grounds, due to the excellent loudspeaker system.

“Even nature cooperated in enhancing the beauty of this great spectacle: Thursday evening’s performance was held in an ideal setting. Though grass in Kansas is usually turning brown by this time of the year, late rains have kept the turf of Glenn L. Martin field a smooth carpet of vivid green, and over all hung the thin harvest moon, lending its light to the beauty of the brilliant pageant. To the performers that moon was regarded as friend, however. It shed too much light on moving of stage properties between scenes.

‘Before them the 4,000 and more Entrada spectators saw unfolded again the glamorous story of New Spain 400 years ago when Don Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, at the head of his gallants, sallied forth in search of the seven golden cities of the new world, only to return broken and defeated two years later. To single out any particular actor among the 500 Salina people who have given their best to pr3esent this huge spectacle would be impossible. The 12 scenes moved along smoothly as the narrative unfolded with such close continuity and interest that the spectators forgot two hours had elapsed before the finale.

“Tonight marks the close – there will be no demand performance Saturday, it was decided today, and those now living who see Salina’s centennial Entrada will have to achieve their desire this evening. As the $100,000 spectacle goes into its finale, labeled the greatest and most worthwhile civic enterprise of this day, the Entrada represents not a sudden and spontaneous achievement but the outgrowth of a movement which has been growing in Kansas for the last seven years.”

The Salina Journals after July 4, 1941 immediately returned to filling its pages with articles on the war raging in Europe. I found no mention of the third Entrada performance in the few days following July 4. Perhaps I was fatigued, perhaps any Entrada article was small and buried, or perhaps the Entrada news was just no longer news. In any case, what I know ends here.

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