Fife Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fife Opera House
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Front and side of the opera house
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 123-125 S. Main St., Palestine, Illinois |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Commercial Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002348 |
| Added to NRHP | January 26, 1990 |
The Fife Opera House is a cool old theater in Palestine, Illinois. It's located in Crawford County. This special building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site! It has been on this list since January 26, 1990.
Contents
History of the Fife Opera House
Building the Opera House
Work on the David Fife Opera House began in 1898. It took a few years to build, finally finishing in 1901. David Fife, the owner, ran a hardware store on the first floor.
When it was finished, the opera house was quite large. It measured about 55 feet by 70 feet (or 17 meters by 21 meters). It could hold hundreds of people!
Inside the Theater
The floor inside the theater was "raked." This means it sloped downwards towards the stage. This way, everyone could see the show better. The seats were comfy, made of red leather.
In summer, electric fans kept the audience cool. During colder weather, a coal furnace provided heat. The ceiling had two special lights. They had mirrored parts that made the bright light bulbs shine even more.
The Stage and Its Art
The stage was at the west end of the building. It had a wide opening, about 25 feet (7.6 meters) long. The stage was also 15 feet (4.6 meters) high. Twenty-five lights surrounded the stage, making it very bright for performers.
A special fire curtain was painted by hand. Artists from a Chicago company called Sosman and Landes created it. The curtain showed a beautiful scene of a canal in Venice, Italy.
Other painted scenes were found later in the building. These showed gardens, waterfalls, and old-fashioned scenes. David Fife's mother asked for one panel to be painted over. It showed small, winged figures called cherubs. She wanted their bareness covered up.
It is said that on opening night, when Fife turned on the opera house lights, all the lights in Palestine dimmed! This shows how much power the new theater used.
