Stonington Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Stonington Opera House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | NW corner of Main St. and School St., Stonington, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1912 |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001509 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1991 |
The Stonington Opera House is a cool old building in Stonington, Maine. It's a place where people watch plays, movies, and other shows. It was built way back in 1912. Today, a group called Opera House Arts helps keep this historic building alive. They make sure it stays a fun place for the community. The building became a special historic landmark in 1991.
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Stonington Opera House: A Historic Stage
The Stonington Opera House sits in the middle of Stonington's main shopping area. It's right across Main Street from the town's big pier. The building has two main parts.
What Does It Look Like?
The taller part of the building faces south. It has a big sign that proudly shows the building's name. This section is made of wood and covered with overlapping boards called clapboards. It has a sloped roof that goes up on all sides, called a hip roof. Inside this part, you'll find the stage, along with areas for actors to get ready.
The other part of the building is lower. It has a pointed roof, known as a gable roof. This section holds the seats for the audience and the lobby where people enter. The main door is at the north end of the building. There's also another entrance on the east side of the taller section.
One really interesting part inside is the old projection booth from the 1910s. This is where movies used to be shown. It was built with special tiles to keep it safe. This was important because early movie films could sometimes catch fire!
A Place for Everyone
The Stonington Opera House was built in 1912. It replaced an older hall that burned down in 1910. Just like the old building, this new one hosted many different events. People came to see plays, listen to talks, and enjoy community gatherings.
The floor of the main hall was very clever. It had chairs that could be folded up and moved! This meant the space could be used for dances and other fun social events. Over the years, it was used for many things, including:
- Town meetings
- Basketball games
- Roller skating
Around 1918, the theater started showing movies. Movies became very popular in the middle of the 20th century. Unlike many other early theaters, which were often part of town halls, the Stonington Opera House was built to make money. It was designed for big, fancy plays. It might even be the oldest building of its kind in Maine!
Bringing the Opera House Back to Life
After many years, the building started to get old and needed repairs. It was fixed up in 1979. However, it closed again in the late 1980s.
But the story didn't end there! A local group called Opera House Arts stepped in. They worked hard to update and reopen the building in 2000. Today, the Stonington Opera House is once again a busy place. It shows movies and hosts live plays, just like it did long ago.
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