Metropolitan Opera House (Grand Forks, North Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Metropolitan Opera House
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| Location | 116 S. Third St. |
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| Nearest city | Grand Forks, North Dakota |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Warren Dunnell |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001048 |
| Added to NRHP | August 27, 1999 |
The Metropolitan Opera House, often called The Met, is a cool old building in Grand Forks, North Dakota. You can find it at 116 South Third Street, right in the downtown area. It was built way back in 1890. This building faces the Red River of the North and sits near the BNSF Railway tracks.
Long ago, people thought The Met was the best opera house between Minneapolis and Seattle! Now, it's not an opera house anymore. It has been turned into apartments called the Opera House Lofts.
Contents
A Look Back: The Met's Story
Building a Dream: 1890
The Metropolitan Opera House was built in 1890. The Grand Forks Opera Company built it on land given by James J. Hill. He was from the Great Northern Railway. The building cost $91,000 to construct.
At the time, Grand Forks only had about 5,000 people. Calling it "Metropolitan" might have seemed like a big word for a small town. But the people who built it were thinking about the city's future growth! The building needed two loans to be finished. It also had trouble making money after it opened. Even so, it gave people 50 years of opera and theater shows.
Changing Times: The 1940s and Beyond
By the 1940s, opera shows were not as popular. New fun things like movies came along. The Met also saw fewer people coming to its shows. Eventually, the last show ended.
For the next 50 years, the building was home to many different businesses. During this time, the inside of the building was completely changed. Bars and bowling alleys took the place of the old opera stage and seats.
A New Beginning: After the Flood
The building was badly damaged during the 1997 Red River flood. It sat empty for several years. It almost got torn down! But the Historic Preservation Commission saved the old opera house.
Since then, the outside of the building has been fixed to look like it did in 1890. The inside has been changed into fancy apartments. There is also space for businesses on the first floor. In 2015, a place called Rhombus Guys Brewing Company opened on the first floor.
Building Design: Architecture
The building was designed by a well-known Minneapolis architect named Warren B. Dunnell. He used a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style often uses heavy stone and round arches.
The building went through a big repair and update project in 2005 and 2006. This work was done by JLG Architects.
