The Tivoli Beer Gardens and Concert Hall was located at the entrance to the Wabasha Bridge in St. Paul.

 

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In the photo below, Russ Hanson colorized the MHS photo above and overlaid it onto a Google Earth view at the original site viewed at the 2018 modern day location.  Photo from Facebook.

 

 

 

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The Beer Garden was located on a balcony overlooking the Mississippi River.  Here are two views,  posted by Russ Hanson:

 

 

 

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THE STRAKA FAMILY

Fortunately, David Straka saw the post and provides this information:

I am thrilled to see this post! I believe this business was also known (perhaps informally) as Straka’s Tivoli, and the proprietor was my great-grandfather John Straka. Earlier in his life, he was leader of his own world-traveling “family orchestra,”and after he settled in St. Paul and established The Tivoli, his daughters were employed as regular performers there.  It’s a thrill to see this photo for the first time. As far as I know, nobody in my family has one.

 

David kindly posted the program below, dated February 6, 1899.  The Tivoli was owned by John Straka, David’s Great Grandfather.  David says that the Straka Ladies Orchestra listed in the top right-hand corner of the program included two of his great aunts.

 

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THE END OF THE TIVOLI

Russ notes that in the Great Cyclone of August 20, 1904, with winds gusting to 180 mph, hit this corner and killed three people and injured fifty others. Most of these victims were either in the Tivoli or the Empire across the street when it hit.  David Straka confirms that according to in-family oral history, the building was destroyed in the 1904 tornado, ending the business.