Alexis Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Alexis Opera House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 101--105 N. Main St., Alexis, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001267 |
| Added to NRHP | July 30, 1987 |
The Alexis Opera House is a historic theater building located at 101–105 N. Main St. in Alexis, Illinois. This building was a busy place from 1889 until 1920. It hosted many different kinds of shows and community events. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1987.
Contents
History of the Opera House
The Alexis Opera House was built in 1889. A businessman named William S. Weir from Monmouth owned it. He also owned the Bank of Alexis. The very first show happened on November 1, 1889. It was a performance by the May Bretonne Company.
What Happened at the Opera House?
The opera house was a popular spot for many years.
- It welcomed traveling groups of actors and performers.
- Musicians often played there.
- Speakers and lecturers would give talks.
- The opera house advertised new shows about every three weeks.
Besides entertainment, the building was also important for the community.
- Alexis High School held its graduation ceremonies there every year. This continued until the building closed.
- Many public meetings took place in the opera house.
- Local groups also put on their own performances.
- In the 1910s, even religious services were held inside the building.
Why Did It Close?
In 1920, the state's fire marshal ordered the opera house to close. This was because of safety problems. The building did not have a fire escape. Also, its seats were not attached to the floor. These were important safety rules at the time.
The owner, William A. McKnight, thought fixing these issues would cost too much money. So, he decided not to reopen the opera house. However, McKnight continued to use the ground floor. He ran a funeral parlor and a hardware store in the building's shops until 1950.
What Does It Look Like?
The Alexis Opera House was designed in a style called Romanesque Revival. This style often uses round arches and strong, heavy stone or brickwork.
Building Features
The building has two stories.
- On the first floor, there are three separate storefronts, which are like small shops.
- The theater itself is located on the second floor.
The front of the building is divided into three sections, one for each storefront.
- The storefronts have glass entrances that are set back a bit. These entrances are supported by columns.
- The second floor is made of brick.
- Strong brick pillars, called piers, go all the way up through the roofline. They separate the sections on the second floor.
Each section on the second floor has three sets of windows placed one above the other.
- There is one wide set of windows in the middle of each section.
- There are narrower sets of windows on each side.
- Strips of limestone, called coursing, mark the top and bottom of the second-story windows. They also separate the upper windows (called clerestory windows, which let in light from above) from the others.
- The roof has a decorative wall at the top, called a parapet, with fancy brickwork.
