Ohio Theatre (Loudonville, Ohio) facts for kids
The Ohio Theatre is a really old and special theater in Loudonville, Ohio. It's not the only "Ohio Theatre" in the state, but it's unique! You can find it at 156 North Water Street. It was built where the town's very first theater stood back in 1874. In 1997, it became part of the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's officially recognized as an important historical building. It was listed under the name "City Hall and Opera House."
The building you see today was built between 1909 and 1910. It cost the city a little over $33,000, which was a lot of money back then! The city got the money by borrowing it through a special system called a "bond system." A talented architect named Vernon Redding designed it. When it first opened in 1911, it was used for many different things. The first floor held the village offices, the fire department, and even the town jail! Upstairs, on the second floor, you could find the council chambers (where local leaders met), the police department, and a public library.
At the back of the building was the big Opera House, which had 700 seats. This was a busy place! People used it for town meetings, cultural events like concerts, and all sorts of live shows.
The Early Years: 1909 to 1980s
The building was first built in 1909 and served as a fire station. Then, in 1910, it was changed into a theater and given the name "The Opera House."
The Opera House officially opened on December 27, 1910. It was a huge event! There was a special show called The Flaming Arrow with amazing scenery and electrical effects. Before the show, there was a parade down the street and a free concert by the town band. In 1916, the first motion picture (movie) was shown there. It was called Neptune's Daughter.
In 1931, the theater got new owners and was renamed the Ohio Theater, which is what it's still called today. During the 1940s, when World War II was happening, the theater offered a few hours of fun and escape for people.
Saving the Theater: 1990s to Today
By 1991, the theater needed some love. Hundreds of volunteers from the Mohican Area League of Arts stepped up! They painted, cleaned, and fixed up the theater. It reopened with a showing of the movie Dick Tracy.
Then, in 1997, the Ohio Theater received a special honor: it was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This meant it would be protected and preserved for future generations. However, the city faced some money problems that year, and attendance at the theater dropped. It looked like the last movie to ever be shown there would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
But some amazing things happened! Three local freshman girls decided to help. They organized a talent show and raised $4,000! This money was used to buy new balcony seats and fix the electrical system. The very next year, a group called the Loudonville Theater Arts Committee (LTAC), led by Kerry MacQueen, raised even more money – over $5,000! They did this with a day-long event that included performances, tours of the theater, and a showing of The Wizard of Oz. Later that evening, they even showed The Wizard of Oz again, but this time with the famous album The Dark Side of the Moon playing as the soundtrack!
Thanks to all these efforts, the Ohio Theater is still going strong today, more than ten years later! It offers many fun events, including musicals put on by the Loudonville High School Drama Club. The City of Loudonville, Ohio helps run the Ohio Theater. In 2009, the Ohio Theater celebrated its 100th birthday!
Images for kids
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The Ohio Theatre building, which used to be the City Hall and Opera House.
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The Ohio Theatre, once known as the Opera House.
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The entrance to the Ohio Theatre.
