Camden Opera House Block facts for kids
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Camden Opera House Block
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The Opera House Block, October 2012
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 29 Elm Street Camden, Maine United States |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Elmer I. Thomas (1893), Leander Higgins (1932) |
| Part of | Camden Great Fire Historic District (ID86003539) |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003539 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 29, 1986 |
| Designated CP | December 29, 1986 |
The Camden Opera House Block is a really old and important building in the middle of Camden, Maine, USA. It was built in 1893, right after a huge fire destroyed many buildings in the town in 1892. This building is special because it has many uses! It holds the town's offices, a big hall for meetings, and a theater with 500 seats. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This list helps protect special places in the United States.
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What is the Camden Opera House Block?
The Camden Opera House Block is located in downtown Camden. It's across from the town common, which is like a public park. This building is part of the Camden Great Fire Historic District. This district includes many buildings that were built after the big fire.
How is the Building Designed?
The Opera House Block is a rectangular building made of brick. It has three floors. On the ground floor, there used to be shops. Now, most of these spaces are used as town offices. The second floor has the theater and other meeting rooms. The third floor has a large hall for social events.
The outside of the building looks like a style called Romanesque. This means it has cool round-arch windows on the top floor. You can see these windows on both sides of the building that face the streets. The main entrance on Elm Street also has a big round arch.
Why Was the Opera House Block Built?
On November 19, 1892, a huge fire swept through downtown Camden. It destroyed many wooden buildings. This included the old town offices and the town's first opera house. After the fire, the town needed new buildings.
The Opera House Block was one of the most important buildings built after the fire. It was designed by an architect named Elmer I. Thomas in 1893. The building was made to hold many different things. It had town offices, the new theater, and meeting spaces for local businesses. It even had the local post office and two retail shops at first!
What is the Opera House Block Used For Today?
Over the years, the town has started using more and more of the building's spaces. The theater is still very active today. It's used for important town meetings. Local groups also put on plays and shows there. It's even one of the places where the Camden International Film Festival happens!
