Piper's Opera House facts for kids
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Piper's Opera House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Piper's Opera House
Location in Nevada
Piper's Opera House
Location in the United States
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| Location | Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada |
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| Built | 1885 |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000217 |
| Added to NRHP | March 21, 1997 |
Piper's Opera House is a very old and famous theater in Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada. It has a long history, with different versions of the building standing since 1863. Many famous people have performed or visited here. For example, the boxing champion Gentleman Jim Corbett trained here in 1897. The famous writer Mark Twain spoke on its stage in 1866. Later, actor Hal Holbrook played Mark Twain in his show Mark Twain Tonight! at the opera house.
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Meet John Piper, the Theater Builder
John Piper was an immigrant from Germany. He came to Virginia City around 1860 during the Comstock Lode gold and silver rush. Before that, he ran a liquor and fruit stand in San Francisco near theaters.
John Piper was very good at business and also involved in politics. He became one of the richest men in Virginia City in the 1870s. He served on the City Council in 1865 and was the mayor of Virginia City in 1867. In 1874, he represented Storey County in the Nevada Senate. He even helped pass a law to raise money for his county.
John Piper became a top organizer of theater shows in the West. He helped create "combination companies," which were groups of actors who traveled to different towns to perform. He owned several theaters, including ones in Reno and Carson City, to host these traveling shows. His opera house in Virginia City became known as one of the best theaters in America.
John Piper spent over 30 years in the theater business. He passed away in San Francisco on January 3, 1897, at 63 years old.
The Three Piper's Opera Houses
John Piper built three different opera houses in Virginia City. Each one had its own story.
The First Opera House (1863–1875)
In 1861, John Piper owned a popular bar called the Old Corner Bar. This bar helped him and his brothers financially. In 1863, Piper bought more property and built a large building called the Piper Business Block. His saloon was one of the longest-running in Virginia City, from 1861 to 1897.
The first opera house was actually opened by Thomas Maguire and John Burns in July 1863. It was built with imported sandstone and looked like Maguire's theaters in San Francisco. A famous moment was when Adah Isaacs Menken rode a live horse onstage in her show Mazeppa. John Piper took over the theater in 1867.
Many famous performers appeared on this stage. Mark Twain gave a lecture here in 1866 and again in 1868. Shakespearean actors like Junius Brutus Booth Jr and Lawrence Barrett also performed. This opera house was considered one of the best American theaters.
Sadly, this first opera house burned down in the Great Fire of Virginia City on October 26, 1875. This fire destroyed most of the town. After the fire, Piper continued to promote shows at other places while he saved money to build a new theater.
The Second Opera House (1878–1883)
Piper built his second opera house for $40,000 in 1878. It was right next to his bar. This new Opera House opened on January 28, 1878.
An eight-year-old Maude Adams, who would become a famous actress, performed here in 1878. David Belasco, who later became a well-known theater producer, worked as a stage manager here before moving to New York City. Even a famous minister, Henry Ward Beecher, gave a lecture on its stage.
This second opera house also burned down on March 13, 1883. But John Piper was quick to rebuild it. The building that stands today was built after this fire.
The Current Opera House (Built 1885)
Just days after the 1883 fire, John Piper started renting other halls to put on shows. He was raising money to build his third opera house. The current Piper's Opera House opened on March 6, 1885, with a big party.
This new building was modern for its time. It had a dance floor, carpets, and hanging balconies. Many famous musical performers appeared here, including Lilly Langtry, John Philip Sousa, and Al Jolson.
After John Piper passed away in 1897, his son Edward took over the opera house. Edward continued to run it until he died in 1907. Under Edward's ownership, the opera house switched from gas lighting to electric lighting in 1900. The boxing champion Gentleman Jim Corbett used the venue to train for his big fight in 1897.
After Edward's death, his brother-in-law, Louis Zimmer, turned it into a silent movie theater. The building was also used for sports, community events, and social gatherings. In the 1920s, the building was declared unsafe.
On March 16, 1940, the movie star Errol Flynn came to Virginia City for the premiere of his new movie Virginia City. Flynn, along with the movie's cast and crew, gathered at the opera house. They had a live broadcast on NBC where Flynn auctioned off old items from Piper's. After the movie premiere, Louis Zimmer operated the venue as a museum until 1960.
After Zimmer's death in 1960, Piper's great-great-granddaughter, Louise Zimmer Driggs, opened the venue for summer music concerts until 1972. Sixteen years later, her daughter, Carol Piper Marshall, took over. She brought entertainment back to the opera house. She passed away on March 1, 2006. During this time, Hal Holbrook performed his Mark Twain Tonight! show to a sold-out crowd.
Restoring Piper's Opera House
Louise Zimmer Driggs started working to restore the opera house in the 1960s. In 1997, she sold Piper's to a non-profit group called Piper's Opera House Historic Programs.
Thanks to grants from the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs and a National Park Service grant called Save America's Treasures, the building has been made stronger and renovated. These efforts help keep this historic place standing for future generations to enjoy.
Images for kids
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The Piper's Opera House building today.
See also
In Spanish: Ópera de Piper para niños
