Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, a German educator and patriot born in 1778, recognized the importance of physical exercise and wanted to incorporate it into school programs. While teaching at a boys’ school in Berlin, he expanded gymnastic courses with the horizontal bar, parallel bars, side horse, balance beam, and vaulting horse. In 1811, he initiated mass open-air exercises in the first Turnplatz, or outdoor gymnasium. This gymnastics movement spread rapidly and Turnvereins, or associations of gymnasts, were formed. The word Turnverein comes from the German “turnen” to practice gymnastics, and “verein” which means club or union.

The purpose of this movement was two-fold, with a nationalistic motive to prepare German youth to defend their country against Napoleonic France. Gymnasts were encouraged to develop a spirit of patriotism and Deutschleit or “Germanness” along with gymnastic skills.

In the German states during the Revolution of 1848, some Turnverein members sided with factions who unsuccessfully revolted against the monarchy, and they were forced to leave the country. Turnveriens were subsequently established by such émigrés in other countries, notably the United States, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1848, where the organization now called the American Turners was founded.

The Turnverien was founded in Galena in 1851 when the group met in a place called Harmonia Hall. While the original focus of the Turner Unions was the development of scientific gymnastics, that seemed to languish somewhat among young German-Americans. The association became mainly social, while the exercises were a means of occasional amusement. The Turners also had an auxiliary dramatic company which stored its scenery in Harmonia Hall. It appears that at this time, the Turners were made up of highly respected members of the Galena German population. The society continued until the outbreak of the Civil War, when it disbanded. The majority of its members, inspired by love for the flag of their chosen country, left their homes to assist in the war effort.

On April 6, 1872, the Turner Society re-organized and began to meet at Wierich Hall. As the numbers grew, members felt the need for larger quarters. Meanwhile, the general populace of Galena was also feeling the need for a large civic building. This was apparently a highly debated issue in town at that time, as described in the Galena Weekly Gazette of June 1874 when the cornerstone was laid for Turner Hall.

“Monday was a gala day in Galena, and one long to be remembered by her citizens. The erection of a public hall in this city was a necessity. Ways and means had been devised by the more enterprising ones, by which this great need could be met, yet the spirit of opposition prevailed, and the project sank out of sight, spasmodically coming to the surface, however, through the public print and amusement loving circles, whose indignations at the poor accommodations Galena offered to first class entertainments was expressed in words only, instead of efforts to remedy the evil. The subject was brought prominently before the public through the columns of the Galena Gazette during the past winter, and the absolute necessity of a public hall adapted to the wants or our city, clearly set forth.”

According to the Gazette, the Turner Society formed a building committee, “whose indomitable energy and perseverance, aided by this paper and many of our monied citizens” brought the building of a public hall reality.

The Turner Society purchased the land on April 1, 1874 for $1,050. The laying of the cornerstone was a huge event in June 1874. The Galena Gazette reported: “The day broke on a city alive with strangers from the surrounding villages, called thither to witness the pageantry and ceremony attending the laying of the corner-stone. Main Street was almost impassable, the hotels were crowded to their utmost capacity, and still each incoming train brought more. At half past 10 o’clock a.m. a signal from Liberty’s bell tower announced the time for morning the line, and a general rush was made for Bench Street where were quartered the different societies and companies, resplendent in gold lace and elegant attire, while over their heads floated silken banners bearing the insignias of the respective Orders. Although the sky was overcast with threatening clouds and the sun but occasionally lent its aid in enhancing the grandeur of the scene, it was such as to inspire the utmost enthusiasm on the part of the beholder, and not a little pride among the participators.”

The processional moved all through town and finally arrived at the future site of Turner Hall where an address was given by the President of the Day, Frederick Stahl. His address included the following: “Our city needs a public hall of sufficient capacity to accommodate a large audience, both for the purposes of amusement and instruction. This building, which is now being erected, appears to be well suited to meet the present and future wants of our city. It will present no stately columns, no beautiful statuary, no lofty dome to attract the wonder and admiration of the beholder; but it will be simple in style, durable in structure, simple in its dimensions and in harmony with the means and wants of the community. May I not add, that when finished, it will present to the mind a fitting emblem of the character of the sturdy men who are now engaged in its erection.”

Items hermetically sealed in a zinc box in the cornerstone included: A list of the members of the Turner Society, a copy of the subscription list and private donations for the Hall, a copy of the constitution and by-laws of the Turner Society, a copy of the Galena Daily Gazette of June 13, 1874, a copy of the Galena Weekly Gazette of June 12, 1874, a copy of the Volksfreund, several envelopes containing donated valuables, a book of poems, a collection of coins, and the bylaws of several Galena organizations. The cornerstone sits yet today.

At the time of the dedication, Mr. Charles Scheerer was treasurer of the Turner Society and for many years business manager of the hall. In March 1910, he suffered a fatal heart attack and died in the building that had been his pride and care for so long. At the time of his death, he was serving his third term as Mayor of Galena. According to popular local legend, he is currently making his home in the Hall, spooking innocent set builders and the like.

Back in 1875, the Hall was built for $15,000 and was considered by traveling entertainment companies to be one of the finest in northwestern Illinois. In fact, during the next few decades several illustrious visitors stopped at the Hall. In January 1877, Former Vice President Schuyler Colfax gave a lecture, and in March of that year, Charles Stratton, otherwise known as General Tom Thumb, visited, along with his wife, Lavinia Warren, Miss Minnie Warren, and Major Newell. The four little people were making their fifth visit to Galena, the first four appearing at Davis Hall. The Gazette reported: “Turner Hall was crowded last evening with people of all ages ranging from the two year old to the three score and ten, and more delighted audience never assembled in Galena—the little folks appeared during the evening in
comic and sentimental songs, tableaux, etc. and made a grand display in the costly silks, glittering diamonds and other ornaments.”

Other lecturers in 1879 included Wendell Phillips speaking about the fair treatment of Indians, and Franz Sigel, a brigadier general, about the Second Battle of Bull Run. According to the Gazette, Mr. Sigel “closed with a patriotic appeal to his hearers to do their full share toward the healing the wounds caused by the late war and restoring that fraternal feeling by which people of all parts of the union should be actuated, one toward another.”

On April 27, 1893, William McKinley arrived in Galena on a special train from Chicago. The reception committee escorted him from the Illinois Central Depot to the corner of Main and Green, where a parade was formed which proceeded to Turner Hall. McKinley was greeted with great enthusiasm as he stepped to the front of the stage. His oration lasted an hour. Three years later, he became President.

On April 27, 1900, Theodore Roosevelt, then Governor of New York and future Vice President and President, was a guest speaker at the U.S. Grant birthday celebration. He commented on “the fertile quality of the soil and the prosperity of the farming district” near Galena.

It wasn’t all lectures during those years. Turner Hall was the site of a mass mourning for U.S. Grant in 1885. There were also many social events, including masquerade balls and a New Year’s Ball on Dec. 31, 1878.

Around the turn of the century, the Turner Society sold the Hall to a stock company known as the Turner Opera House Association. Turner Hall became known as the Turner Opera House. Club meetings were held along with theatrical and musical events. In July 1911, the Galena Commercial Club held a banquet that included speeches by the members and a vaudeville performance. In September of that year “The Third Degree” was presented with the ticket price of $1.

In the spring of 1926, Turner Hall was sold to the Eagles for $10,000. The very popular show “Abbie’s Irish Rose” was performed in April 1926. In May 1926, the Hall was officially dedicated as a combined opera house, dance hall, and general hall.

But luck was not with the Eagles. Ten weeks later, on July 1, 1926, the Old Turner Opera House was gutted by fire. The loss was considered nearly total or over $12,000. At 10:50 a.m., Mrs. F.H. Rickeman of Prospect Street turned in the alarm.

According to the Gazette: “Others also noted smoke issuing from the cupola of this massive building at about the same time but thought that bats or bees were being smoked out of the apex of this building. The custodian, Wiliam Wilhelmi, was working in the building at the time the general alarm was sounded and did not know that the structure was on fire until he came out to see where the fire was.”

The cause of the fire was never determined. At least one person reported seeing lighting strike the cupola. It was also suggested that faulty wiring might have been the culprit. There was also a faction that believed a pigeon brought a lit cigarette butt up into the cupola. Whatever the cause, the Hall was severely damaged and the $8,000 in insurance money was not enough to rebuild.