Earlville Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Earlville Opera House
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Earlville Opera House, May 2009
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 12-20 E. Main St., Earlville, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001169 |
| Added to NRHP | January 22, 1973 |
The Earlville Opera House is a historic theater located in Earlville, New York. It was built in 1890. This special building is found in Chenango County, New York. It has been a central part of the community for a very long time.
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What is the Earlville Opera House?
The Opera House is a three-story building. It is part of a larger block of buildings. The theater and its balcony are on the second and third floors. On the first floor, there are shops.
A Busy Past
From the 1890s to the 1920s, the Opera House was very popular. It was a main spot for fun and arts in the community. It hosted many different shows. These included Vaudeville acts and traveling medicine shows. Later, it showed silent movies. Then, in the 1950s, it started showing "talkies" (movies with sound).
Closing and Reopening
By 1952, things changed. More people had cars, and drive-in theaters became popular. Television also became common. Because of this, the small theater closed its doors. It seemed like it would be closed forever.
But in 1971, the building was almost torn down. An artist named Joey Skaggs bought it. He then gave it to the Earlville community. His goal was to save the building. He wanted it to keep being a place for culture.
In 1972, a group of volunteers started working. They formed the Earlville Opera House, Inc. They began to fix up the building right away. In 1974, the Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historic site. In 1976, the theater had its first live show in over 50 years!
A Community Arts Center
Today, the Earlville Opera House is run by volunteers. It is a non-profit organization. This means it uses any money it makes to support its mission. Its main goals are to bring arts to the community. It also works to keep its historic building safe for the future.
The Opera House is known for its great sound. It hosts many events all year. These include live performances and art shows. It has three art galleries. There is also a gift shop that sells art made by local artists. The Opera House also offers art classes and workshops. It helps bring art and culture to rural New York.
A History of Rebuilding
The current Opera House is not the first one on this spot. The first Opera House was built in 1890. But it burned down soon after. The village built a second one in 1892. Sadly, it also burned down in March 1892. Half of the building was destroyed.
But the community did not give up. They worked together again. The current Opera House was finished by November 1892. It stands on the same spot today.
