Tippecanoe Night
Club
Stones Beach
 
 

There was once a popular destination spot along the west banks of the Whitewater River. It was located approximately four miles south of the Indiana state line in Harrison, Ohio. It operated under three known names with two entirely separate forms of entertainment.

The entertainment was most recently known as, "The Tippecanoe Night Club". It was in operation from the 1950's thru about the mid 1980's. This was a popular nightclub for adults that offered dancing, live music and socializing. Before it became an evening entertainment venue for adults, it was an even more popular destination for families.

It was originally known as "Stones Beach" which was started during the "Big Band" era of the 1930's. Stone's Beach was popular for swimming and canoeing in the Whitewater River. There was a dance hall that had live music, dancing and food. "Big Bands" would perform on Saturday nights. One such known band named Gordon Drake band consisted of 18 men from Indiana. In those days, most band members would sing. The piano player's name was Paul Crawford. This was a very popular band for the time. On Wednesday evenings, there would be Square Dancing. The guests, along with the staff, joined in the fun of dancing.

The original owner of Stone's Beach was George Stone. His son Bill Stone managed the dance hall, hiring all of the big bands, various types of floorshows, and the square dance performers. Bill's wife, Olive, was the cook and a few of Olive's brothers were waiters. They wore white coats while serving the guests.

On Sundays, there was an ever-popular fried chicken meal that families would enjoy and then go for a swim in the Whitewater River. There were picnic tables placed along the top of the old towpath of the Whitewater Canal. The dance Hall had also been built on the towpath. An interesting tale is of the fact that during the 1937 flood, the water was so high that people paddled canoes through the windows of the dance hall! Flooding over the years has changed the flow of the Whitewater River so that the riverbank has actually moved farther east of where it had once been during the early years

of Stone's Beach. (Learn more on the canal by visiting Canal Scenic Byway.)


 
     
 

Bill Stone rented numerous summer cottages for 31 years after the sale of Stone's Beach. The cottages were located on the towpath of the canal and rented primarily by folks living in Cincinnati. The renters spent entire weekends at Stone's Beach for many years. Bill Stone also created a play area for the children such as swing sets, slides, etc. Everyone enjoyed the beach and swimming area on the Whitewater River.

Bill Stone's daughter, Lois, fondly recalls the dances. She became nicknamed, "Little Jitter Bug". She remembers dancing with her teddy bear along with the performers then laying down on a cot before bedtime. She can still remember falling asleep while enjoying listening to the beautiful music of the Big Bands. While the Stone family operated Stones Beach, it was certainly a very family-friendly place to go.

There were other owners of Stone's Beach once the Stone family retired in the late 1970's. There were Sam and Mary Watts of Cincinnati, Ohio. They decided to change the name of the establishment to Riverview. Other owners of Riverview were Albert and Thelma Fish of Indiana and Andy and Mary Perkins of Harrison, Ohio. It then became in ownership of Terry Taylor whom renamed the facility Tippecanoe Night Club.

  
   
 

Another fond memory of Lois Stone is of her wedding reception on June 15, 1949 at Stone's Beach. The very popular band, The Ralph McClure Big Band, furnished the entertainment. As a wedding gift, her grandparents gave them a small plot of land. They built a home in 1953 after the birth of their daughter Becky. Their home was between her parents and grandparents homes across the road from Stone's Beach where Lois grew up!

Stone’s Beach, Riverview and Tippecanoe are now just fond memories of the older generations. However, the younger generations of today are still enjoying the Whitewater River, primarily with the recreation of canoes and kayaks. A fun tidbit is that David Lutz, owner of Green Acres Canoe Rental, has fond memories of visiting the Tippecanoe nightclub.
Facts Provided by: Lois (Stone) Roessler Written by: Sharon Pope-Lutz