Hide Article Text (OCR)
is still here for all toby HennJuffer In 1880 Le Mars had a population of 1,895 and in the next 10-year period it had grown to a4,036 population.At that time there were 14 passenger trains daily in and out of the city, two large flour mills, 14 hotels, 12 churches, four banks, a water works system, and electric light plant, a gas lighting plant, fine public; schools and a normal school.It was during this boom period H. L. Hoyt and John Draudt built a 100-foot square brick building finished in cut stone- Le Mars’ Opera house.A local item in the Le Mars Weekly Sentinel of April 19,1883. said, “Mr. Hoyt is giving the foundation of the Sixth Street Opera house an overhauling.July 5, 1883, the same newspaper, reported “work on the opera house is going forward very satisfactory. The stores will be completed by August 1 and the entire building by September 1. It will be the best . opera house in northwestern Iowa.”The Opera house stands among the fine solid and valuable business blocks of Le Mars - referred to as the “Opera House Block.” This massive, neatly designed bride structure, three stories and a basement cost S55,000 including the S10,0001ot on which it stands.Local papers called it an “elegant structure. There are few towns in northwestern Iowa that can compete with Le Mars in the number of elegant public buildings and private residences and there are certainly none that can surpass it in this important particular. Away at the head of these imposing and elegant structures is the marvel of architectural skill of Hoyt’s Opera house.The basement was dug with teams of mules and skifs and spades. Partition walls running the length of the building were placed 21 feet apart, thus separating the individual stores. Contractor August Furchner placed rough finished 2” by 12” floor joists crossways on these partitions. The basement bearing walls are 2 feet thick rubble limestone with footings 2^i to 3 feetthinkoperated a bakery, confectionery and ice cream parlor on the far left.On the second floor, offices occuppied the entire south side. Across the hall from the offices was the auditorium, which was 70by-75 feet which was graced by the finest of opera chairs. The chairs were of iron, nicely upholsrered, with the back so arranged that it could be shut up. and when the occupant leaned forward, the back of the chair came forward behind them. The hat rack was fastened on the bottom of the seat. Seating capacity' was 1,200.The most beautiful, magnificent, crystal chandelier descended from the ceiling, casting a mild soft light throughout the entire room. It contained 25 to 30 gas fueled gloves, which were delicately tinted glass-There was a large circular gallery'. Thestage was larger than those in most operahalls in the west. It measured 25-bv-75 feet and was provided with ample dressing rooms, magnificent scenery, etc. Even an elevator was provided for baggage. Ample exits safeguarded against fire.The auditorium was the site of varied entertainment, from road shows such as Henretta Crosman’s “Peacock and the Goose” to hypnotists, leg shows, localtalent programs and graduation exercises. Some elder of Le Mars may even recall the bright and snappy John Phillip Sousadire.p.tinptm famous marches.eiicited frequent and hearty applause.“Her support was exceptionally goo®* all being well up in the different parts.‘‘Miss Putnam’s ‘make-up’ was excellent and her delightful rendition of the trusting* saucy romp of a 12-vear-old girl took all hearts by storm and her acting through the entire play envinced talent of a high order. In her particular roles she cannot be surpassed and we venture that when she and her superb company again visit Le Mars they will be greeted with a full house.”“A wonderful lack of management characterized the opening entertaii '-*. which is only excusable — if indeed it is not inexcusable — because it was openingminight.“Had the opening been put off for another week and two or three daysdevoted to arranging preliminaries, we doubt not the entertainment would have passed off much more satisfactory to the management, as well as to all concerned.People were kept waiting at the box office for a long time before anyone put in appearance to sell tickets, the curtain was kept down until everybody became tired and nothing in the shape of a program had been provided.“Probably all this will be remedied in time but it certainly would have been better to have postponed the opening until everythingwas ready for it.”In 1887, just four years after it* opening, the Opera house passed into the .hands of P. F. Dalton, a well-todo banker of the city.In 1915 the opera auditorium wa* cleared of all its splendor, the floor wa* built level and in the next few years this was the site of the Iowa National Guard** Company G which served in the Mexican border trouble.The opera auditorium was operated as an armory for a number of years until it was finally condemned.Nov. 1, 1950, the Opera house buflding changed ownership for the second time since it was built. It was purchased by the Plymouth Real Estate Co. composed of the
Newspaper Details
Le Mars Daily Sentinel
Le Mars, Iowa, US
Mon, Jun 30, 1969
Page 48
Full Page
Clipped by
Plymouth C.
AL, USA 04 Oct 2018
Other Publications Near Le Mars, Iowa
Atlas of Plymouth county Iowa
Farm Directory Survey in Plymouth County
Standard Historical Atlas of Plymouth county Iowa
Logan Herald Observer
Le Mars Globe Post
