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A grandstand with seating ca pacity for 30,000 spectators will be erected on the celebration grounds at Yorktown prior to the opening of the Yorktown Sesquicentennial Association announced this week. The stand, in the form of a “U will permit an excellent view of the historic pageanta»from all angles and will permit an additional crowd of more than 100,000 persona to view the activities on the pageant field from the gentle slopes ex tending from the ends of the stands to the outer boundary of the field. The distinguguest section, in the middle, of the stand, will be provided with chaira and will be thirty tiers high. Over this, sec there will be located the Press and photographers’ box, to be provided with telegraph and telephone service directly into the offices of the leading news ser vices and larger newspapers. The bleachers, flanking this section on both sides, will extend upward for forty tiers, with certain sections reserved by the Army and Navy departments and various patriotic units. The remaining seats will be available to the public. The grandstand will extend for more than a quarter mile along the pageant field and will be move them a mile distant from the outer edges of the immense area in which Will_be «staged the ‘three pageants planned by the celebration: officials and pageant officials. Markers to Tell of Sesqui Plans The location of pageant fields and other scenes of activity dur ing the sesquicentennial celebra tion at Yorktown next October will be marked by large signs to be e rected within the next few webka, Oliver G. Taylor of the National Park Service has announced. The signs are being erected in response to the demand for information re garding the varied events to be staged at Yorktown during the four-day celebration, October 16 19, Markers showing the location of the fines of battle, redoubts, offi cers_ headquarters and the spot of 5 der also will be erected, Mr. Taylor said. The text for these Markers will be prepared by the Yorktown Sesquicentennal Assoc iation and will be edited by Dr. Eckenrode of the History division of the Commission on Conserva tion and Development. Bishop Freeman, Sousa on Ses 1 Program qul Bishop James EE, Freeman of Mount St. Alban, Washington, DB. C. will lead the religious services to be held in connection with the sesquicentennial celebration at Yorktown next October, according to an announcement made by W. A. R. Goodwin, president of the York town Sesquicentennial Association. Other prominent clergymen from Virginia and neighboring states al so will participate in the religious exercises to be held on the surren der field on Sunday, October 18th. It also was learned that John Philip Sousa, world famous orches tra conductor and composer, has been invited by the association and the officers of the United States Marine Band to act as guest con ductor of this noted musical orga nization during the celebration. Although a young man, Sousa di rected the Marine Band during the Yorktown Centennial Celebration and composed the grand fantasia for the occasion. The presence of this distinguished musician is ex pected to add much to the attrac tions offered to visitors during the four-day celebration.
Newspaper Details
Smithfield Times
Smithfield, Virginia, US
Thu, Jun 18, 1931
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Carol S.
USA 13 Jul 2026
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