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Cumberland, Maryland City Hall & Academy of Music facts for kids
Imagine a huge, fancy building that was both a theater and the main government office for a city! That's what the Academy of Music was in Cumberland, Maryland. Built between 1874 and 1876, it served as Cumberland's first city hall and a popular entertainment spot.
This amazing building had walls that were 18 inches thick! It stood 78 feet tall from the street to its roof, and its tower reached an incredible 140 feet high. Back then, it cost about $127,000 to build, which would be like spending over $2 million today.
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What Was the Academy of Music?
The southern part of this large building was dedicated to fun and shows. This section was known as the Academy of Music. It officially opened on March 7, 1876, with a play called "The Big Bonanza."
The theater part was very impressive. It had a big stage, measuring 30 by 30 feet. There were also four special VIP boxes for important guests. The theater could seat 1,300 people, but sometimes over 2,000 people would squeeze in!
What Else Was Inside?
The ground floor of the building had a Market House, where people could buy things. Above that were the beautiful offices for the mayor and the city council. These rooms had fancy painted ceilings.
In 1878, a writer named Lowermilk said the Academy of Music had "one of the most beautiful interiors" in any entertainment place in the country. The ceiling had amazing artwork created by skilled painters.
Seating and Design
The main floor of the theater was called the "Orchestra" and "Orchestra Circle." It had nearly 500 special folding chairs. Above that was the "Dress Circle," and even higher was the "Balcony."
The balconies were held up by cool iron columns. Their fronts had open, decorative iron designs. These designs were painted in soft colors with gold highlights and a bright red background. A large "Sunlight" reflector in the middle of the ceiling lit up the whole theater. There were also nice lights on the walls.
The main curtain for the stage was a beautiful painting. It showed a scene called "Decline of Carthage." The bottom border of the curtain had a detailed picture of Shakespeare. Dressing rooms for the performers were located under the stage. They had water, heat, and everything the actors needed. A special door led right from the stage to a comfortable room for the "stars."
What Happened to the Building?
Sadly, the Academy of Music was destroyed by a fire on March 14, 1910. The parts of the building that were left were torn down.
A new, smaller city hall was built in its place between 1911 and 1912. This new building cost about $87,000, which is like $1.8 million today. It stands on the exact same spot where the old Academy of Music and City Hall used to be.
The New City Hall
The original plans for the new city hall included a dome on top. However, the dome would have cost $6,000, which was too expensive at the time. You can still see the round foundation on the roof where the dome was supposed to go!
Inside the new city hall, there's a round main hall called a rotunda. It features a large painting by artist Gertude Dubrau. This painting shows important parts of Cumberland's early history. It includes images of Fort Cumberland, General Edward Braddock, and George Washington.