King Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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King Opera House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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King Opera House, 2007
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 427 Main Street Van Buren, Arkansas, |
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| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Part of | Van Buren Historic District (ID76000402) |
The King Opera House is a special building in Van Buren, Arkansas. It's a place where people can watch plays and performances. This historic building is located right on Main Street.
It was built a long time ago, in the late 1800s. Since then, many different shows and performers have been on its stage. The King Opera House is an important part of the Van Buren Historic District. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a place with special history.
Contents
History of the King Opera House
Early Days as Wallace Block
This beautiful building first opened its doors in 1891. It was built in the Victorian style, which was popular back then.
When it first opened, the ground floor had two different businesses. One part was the Willard Billiard Parlor. The other part was the Wallace Saloon and Restaurant.
Upstairs, on the second floor, was the office for the Van Buren Press newspaper. At that time, the whole building was known as the "Wallace Block."
Becoming an Opera House
In 1898, a man named Col. Henry P. King bought the building. A few years later, in 1901, he announced exciting news! The building would be changed into an opera house.
Small shops stayed at the front of the building. But the main part was quickly finished as an opera house that same year. The very first show was "Faust," performed on October 18, 1901.
The opera house was very busy for many years. It hosted all sorts of acts, from plays to musical performances and even sermons. This continued until 1914.
Fire and New Beginnings
On March 14, 1914, something sad happened. A fire started in one of the dry-cleaning shops inside the building. The flames spread and badly damaged the entire inside of the opera house.
Even with the damage, performers still wanted to come! Vaudeville acts, which were popular variety shows, kept being booked.
Later that year, in November 1914, it was announced that the opera house would be fixed up. It would become a movie theater! The renovation was finished in February 1919. The building then opened its doors as the Van Buren Theater.
Changes Over the Years
Just a few months later, in June 1919, Joe Huff bought the building. In April 1920, he decided to give it another makeover.
By the 1930s, the building got a new name. It was called the Bob Burn's Theater. This was named after a famous actor and radio star who was from Van Buren.
The front of the building still had a shop. The top floor became an apartment. In the 1960s, Malco Theaters bought the property. They kept the name Bob Burn's Theater. However, the theater eventually closed in 1974.
Restoration and Modern Use
In 1979, the City of Van Buren Community Development Agency bought the building. They decided to bring it back to its original glory as the King Opera House.
Many parts of the inside, even some of the strong wooden beams, still showed damage from the old fire. A lot of the restoration work done during this time can still be seen today. The project took a long time, finally finishing in 1991.
The City of Van Buren managed the building until 2022. Now, a group called Arts on Main helps run it. This group is a non-profit organization that focuses on the arts.
Inside the Opera House
The main performance area, called the auditorium, has many seats. There are 218 seats on the ground level. Up in the balcony, there are about 96 more seats. All the seats on the ground floor have a fancy design that matches the old style of the building.
The opera house was built to hold big performances on its stage. The stage itself is quite large. It is 28 feet wide from one side of the curtain to the other. It is also 26.5 feet deep, and the batons (where scenery hangs) are 20 feet high.
Downstairs, in the basement, things are a bit different. There are two small dressing rooms and two closets. This area can feel a bit crowded, especially for shows with many actors.
Hauntings at the Opera House
Many people who work at the King Opera House, and even some citizens of Van Buren, say the building is haunted. The main ghost is said to be Charles Tolson.
Charles C. Tolson was born in 1868. He was a manager for a theater group and a vaudeville actor. He performed at the King Opera House a long time ago.
After one of his shows, a sad event happened. Charles Tolson was waiting for his train at the depot. Tragically, he died there. People say that Charles Tolson's spirit still visits the King Opera House today.
