Elkader Opera House
Introduction
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The Elkader Opera House has been a center for entertainment and social and civic life in Elkader since its construction in 1903. City Hall is also housed in the building. Designed by Wisconsin architecture firm Shick & Roth, the building is three-stories tall and features arched windows and decorative brickwork. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Images
The Elkader Opera House was built in 1903 and also houses City Hall.
Backstory and Context
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The Opera House was built just ten months after a fire destroyed the previous one, which was called the Turner Opera House. Residents raised $10,000 in just four days to build a new opera house. It opened on November 26, 1903 with the musical The Governor's Son. People traveled on special trains from nearby towns to celebrate the new building and watch the show. Touring productions from the Chicago and Minneapolis circuit performed at the Opera House regularly. When especially large shows came to town some actors had to stay at residents' homes. After touring shows declined in popularity, the Opera House was used in a variety of ways including as a dance hall, skating rink, fire station, and club and community room. It was last renovated in 2004.
Sources
Costigan, Marjorie C. "Elkader Opera House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 8, 1976. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/76000748_text.
"History." Elkader Opera House. Accessed October 2, 2021. https://elkaderoperahouse.com/about-us/history.
Kevin Schuchmann, via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elkader_Opera_House.jpg