Cohoes Music Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cohoes Music Hall
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| Location | 58 Remsen Street Cohoes, NY |
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000527 |
| Added to NRHP | 1971 |
The Cohoes Music Hall is an old and beautiful music hall located in Cohoes, New York. It's a four-story brick building built in 1874. It's known for its special Second Empire style, which makes its front look very fancy.
In 1971, the Music Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building. Later, it became part of the Downtown Cohoes Historic District. After being fixed up, it started hosting shows again in the 1970s. It is one of the oldest music halls still in use in the United States. Today, it also works as the city's visitor center.
What the Music Hall Looks Like
The Music Hall is a large brick building. It has nine sections across the front and six sections deep. It uses different layers of brick and limestone for its walls. The windows have special stone frames.
The roof is a mansard roof, which is common for Second Empire buildings. It has decorative brick chimneys. The front of the building, facing the street, has green marble at the bottom. This makes it look very fancy and unique for a building of its style in Cohoes.
Inside, the third and fourth floors hold a theater with 375 seats. There's also a balcony for more seating. Many of the original decorations and furniture are still there.
A Look Back: History of the Music Hall
Two local businessmen, James Masten and William Acheson, built the Music Hall in 1874. It cost $60,000 to build. The design was created by Nichols and Halcott from nearby Albany. The first show ever performed there was London Assurance.
To earn extra money, they rented out the ground floor to shops and businesses. The local post office was one of the first renters. A few years later, the city's library also rented space on the second floor.
Many famous performers have played at the Music Hall over the years. These include Sarah Bernhardt, Buffalo Bill Cody, George M. Cohan, Jimmy Durante, Lillian Russell, John Philip Sousa, and General Tom Thumb. Even Eva Tanguay, who grew up in Cohoes, performed there.
Around 1905, a bank took over the building. They closed the theater because part of the roof was starting to sag.
As the city of Cohoes changed, the Music Hall started to fall apart. It became city property in 1969. It was almost torn down before it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After a big effort to fix it up, the Music Hall reopened in 1975. It even had another performance of London Assurance, just like its first show.
Today, the Cohoes Music Hall is managed by Playhouse Stage Company. It hosts many different events. You can see musical theater shows, live music concerts, stand-up comedy, and other performances. The street level also serves as the city's visitor center. Here, you can learn about Cohoes' history, especially its textile industry, and find out about other local attractions.
