Newberry Opera House

The Newberry Opera House is one of Newberry's most important landmarks as it is significant in the areas of architecture, culture, and local politics. Built in 1882, it has served the community as a cultural, arts, and civic center, and was the home of the city's government for over a century. As for architecture, the building is a fine example of the French Gothic style and was built using handmade bricks from nearby brickyards. It features a 130-foot clock tower and decorative brickwork. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Opera House has been renovated and modernized, and continues to be a thriving entertainment and event venue today.

Architect C.L. Norman, who was from Columbia, S.C., designed the Opera House. The city's offices were on the first floor and the auditorium was located on the second floor. It soon became the most popular entertainment venue in the Midland region. It hosted touring New York theater companies, musical and vocal performances, lecturers, vaudeville acts, magicians, mind readers, and even boxing fights. Other events such as graduations, musicals, meetings, and dances were also held here. The auditorium featured a gas lighting system with a reflector to add extra light, drop curtains, and seven scenes or sets.

Silent films started to be shown in the early 1900s and eventually movies replaced the live performances entirely in the 1920s. The theater closed in 1952 (the city still occupied the first floor) and the building was threatened with demolition in 1959; however, the community rallied to save it. The city finally relocated to another building in 1992. Over the next few years, the Opera House was renovated into a modern theatrical facility.

Fant, Mrs. James W. "Newberry Opera House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. December 03, 1969. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/08a21b0d-882e-4208-97a5-14fcfa198e68.

"History." Newberry Opera House. Accessed June 15, 2021. https://www.newberryoperahouse.com/about-us/history.html.