Johnny Brown's Dance Hall
(an exerpt from The Sugar River Saga)
by Melchoir Koch
The small hamlet of Riley once boasted a robust commerce along the tracks of the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. In those bygone days Riley boasted a Creamery and a general store owned and operator by John Brown. The Riley Creamery also doubled as the towns meeting place for community dances. The following is an excerpt from The Saga Of The Sugar River Valley written by Melchoir Koch.
John Brown owned and operated the creamery where the farmers of those days delivered their milk to be churned into the first real golden cash crop-butter. This was only a dot on the map in the first stop into Wisconsin's famous Dairyland. Around this creamery could be seen in the early hours of the day, John Brown getting steam up in the boiler before the early rising farmers arrived with their fresh milk. All was spick and span in this establishment, it was orderly as his daily life. By eight-thirty the farmers had all departed for their homes and their fields, and John would be busy preparing the newly churned butter to be shipped to market.
This creamery also had a built in stairway leading to the dance hall above. Here gathered the young and old for the old-time dances. In this room of pine floor was danced the schottische, the two-step and often a variegated hop waltz. From this you may well gather that this community was a veritable League of Nations. Here gathered the friendly Scotch with their endless humor and broad grin, their harmless banter which radiated good cheer and fellowship through any gathering. The old-time fiddling was usually there and part of the activity. The fiddling was handed from father to son. The Cook boys were really the experts at this pastime, they were known far and wide for their entertaining music and their congenial mood at all times. When the cook boys played the fiddle accompanied by the guitar, the dancers really went to work.
One character we must bring in here who belonged to the Scottish clan of the McCaugheys. Bob McCauey never missed a dance over John Brown's creamery. This long, lean 6 foot four inch Scotchman was an expert at most all dance steps of the day. When slightly encouraged by the liquid enthusiasm, he would induce has good wife, Liba, Who was also an excellent dancer, to dance the schottische. This was Bob's long suite. All went well for a round or two around the hall. But the exhibit would begin with a husky voice of "Hit 'em hard".
Bob had the floor and the dance went on. By chance, a beautiful waltz would usually follow. And if ever over the waves, waltz was exemplified for the very good reason that the dance floor would give with the weight of the crowd enjoying the dance, as the one-inch floor and 2x4 strips of pine was all that divided the dancing floor from Johnnie Brown's creamery boiler and coal bin below. I am delighted to say that no accident ever occurred during any of the many delightful entertainments that took place over this pioneer emporium of innocent fun.
The dances were not the only entertainment provided in this so-called hall. The medicine shows cried their wares in this old-time gathering place. Hypnotist, fortune tellers, seance from the spirit world entertained the community with their rather crude antics of the day. While all this time Johnnie Brown, and his wife, Ellen, went about their daily task of making financial hay.
The creamery and it's upstair dance hall in Riley is but a memory. The entertainment in the town has moved to what was once Johnnie Browns general store, now home to the Riley Tavern. Old time music can still be heard on the first Saturday of the every month when bluegrass musicians meet for a jam session.