Northwest Dance Venues

The Blue Danube
Port Angeles, Washington

Some of the bands that performed at this place during those great years of NW music were:
 

Louis Armstrong
Clyde Cargo
Jessie Crier
Cal Farlow
Ted Heath
Harry James
Stan Kenton
George Puckett
The Rudolphs
Artie Shaw
Happy Starks
 

Others ?
 

My brother-in-law, Vern Burton, owned and operated a dance hall in Port Angeles, Washington.  It was called the Blue Danube.   The Blue Danube was on the road from Port Angeles to Sequim.

Diana Breithaupt, March 2011

Bands I remember were:  Happy Starks, The Rudolphs, George Puckett, Clyde Cargo, Artie Shaw, Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Jessie Crier and Cal Farlow.  This is when the 7th Fleet was in the Port Angeles Harbor.

Blue Danube was owned by Mr and Mrs Bowers.  There daughters where Audrey and Betty.  I think the son in law of one of the daughters was Vern Burton, maybe?.

I am 79 now and used to watch the Bands with the door ajar while people passed us hot dogs and drinks and then the band members would come in and show us how to play things on the piano. Had some wonderful times there!

Blue Danube was called Clyde's Dance Hall before the Blue Danube.  People use to go under the dance hall to imbibe,because of the Washington Blue Laws.  It was illegal to drink hard liquor in those days.

Rosie

Rosie Smith Jackson & Kim Jackson, June 2012

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Last Update:  12 June 2012
Credits: Diana Breithaupt, Kim Jackson, Rosie Smith Jackson