The Opera Houses Of Early Watsontown

A 1914 Production In the Watsontown Opera House

In the second half of the 19th century,  after the railroads laced the country with rail lines, every small town had what as known as “The Opera House.”  It's unlikely that many of these Opera Houses ever hosted a true Opera, instead they were the cultural center of the town.  Plays and skits would be held there, traveling lecturers would speak there, school events, including graduations may even be held there.  The houses would have lights and screens or curtains, and would generally be set up for shows.  Local bands and singing groups would hold concerts in the town Opera House.   Often the seats would be removable, so that the space could be used for dances too.  As more and more families purchased their own cars and were able to travel further, and as movie theaters popped up in every small town, Opera Houses fell out of fashion, and by the 1930's and 40's, most of them were no longer used at all.

Watsontown had two Opera Houses  over the years.  First there was Minerva Hall, located at the corner of  what is now Brimmer ave and Main Street, and later the second floor of a building across from the current day CVS.

Minerva Hall
1869-1894

1886 Sanborn Map Showing The Minerva Hall Opera House

The 1886 Sanborn Fire Map shows the  Opera Hall to have been approximately  at the corner of Main Street and what is now Brimmer Avenue. The Opera House  opened the week of Christmas 1869, and was well used until it was destroyed in a fire in 1894.   

December of 1869 - Minerva Hall opened with a 6 days festival, over the holiday week.  Included  benefit for the "Minerva Hall Association".  Two ivory gavels, silver mounted, and other articles were to be voted for. Voting was in secret in a sealed box, and ended on New Years Eve.  When the votes were counted, the Odd Fellows Lodge had won, and were presented with the gavels

Jan 1 1870 - The Ladies of Watsontown held a dinner on the second floor of Minerva Hall, to raise money to build the Presbyterian Church.

Sept 1870 - "Keane, the painter with the car shops at this place (Sunbury), is complimented for the superior manner in which he has frescoed Minerva Hall in Watsontown.

A Sampling Of Some Of The Evens Held There

• Feb 1882 - Bryson Post GAR will play Drummer Boy Of Shiloh, accompanied by the Watsontown Cornet Band and Fishers Orchestra, for 3 nights.
• Dec 1885 - The E.O. Rogers traveling company presented Uncle Toms Cabin at Minerva Hall
• July 1871 - After a gala day of festivities, and the reading of the Declaration of Independence,  a promenade concert was held in Minerva Hall
• March 1889 - Johnstowns Art Views by V.R. Montgomery 
• May 1890 - Commencement Exercises for the Class of 1890 were held before and audience of 800

The Fire

"At 2 o'clock Sunday morning fire broke out in the livery stable of Peter Faust, Watsontown, and before progress of the flames were checked they had destroyed the Opera House block and adjacent buildings. The opera house was among the finest business blocks in Watsontown, being erected about the close of the rebellion. " The Miltonian

In 1999, A man in Georgia found a playbill from an 1894 production of The Deestrick Skule, held at the Watsontown Opera House. He mailed the playbill to the Watsontown Borough, where it was framed and displayed, until later given to the Watsontown Historical Society. Note - the article refers to the location of the Opera House as a building where a lawyer and florist are located in 1999. That would disagree both with the Sanborn Map, which shows it on the other side of the road, and with the account of the fire in 1894. (See a block by block tour of Watsontown through the years in photos here)

 

The Watsontown Opera House

1887-?

The Opera House, 223 Main street 

Directly across from CVS.  Today this is B & E Antiques.

Joseph Hollopeter purchased this land and constructed a frame building.  In 1887 George Seiler owned the building, and Trates Music Store and the John Dunn drug store operated out of here.  In 1906, Charles Werner purchased the building for his meat business.

The second story of the building was used as an opera house.  School commencements, talent plays, picture shows, and dances were all held here.  

A Sampling Of Some Of The Events Held Here

• December 1889 - The Turbut Horse Company will meet in the Watsontown Opera House
• April 1900 - Uncle Josh Jarcis will hold forth at the Watsontown Opera House.  The Play has many funny situations 
• July 1911 - Public meeting concerning the need for a bridge, presided over by Chief Burgess Brimmer at the Watstontown Opera House

1914 Opera House
1 Leigh Nicely, 2 Harold Gillingham, 3 Fred Sprole, 4 Claude Knowlton, 5 Seamer Wolfe, 6 Fred Huffman, 7 Clyde Mowrer, 8 Ruth Wendle. 9 Alma Wolfe, 10 Elizabeth Russell, 11 Vera Baker, 12 Oliver McFarland, 13 Pearl Fairchild, 14 Mabel Nicely, 15 George Fairchild, 16 Emma Leiser, 17 Harriet Burrows, 18 Maude Knowles, 19 Walter Lowrey, 20 Ethel Shannon, 21 Bruno Sprole, 22 Sarah Fairchild, 23 Raymond Boughter,

Halloween Masquerade Dance
Watsontown opera House, November 5, 1915

Bottom Row (L to R): Delroy Lewis, Bruna Sprole, Grace Hilliard, Clyde Mowrer, Bob Bucher, Ray Boughter, Vera ?, Ruth Wendel, John Leister

Second Row: Harriet Burrows, Burke High, Vera Baker, Carl McWilliams, Ethel Shannon, Leigh Nicely, Alma Wolfe, Harold Keim, Florence Crippen, Mrs Raymond Sterner

Third row: Harold Gillingham, Florence fisher, Margaret Kirk, Frances McFarland, Margaret Trump, Eleanore McCormick, Margaret Marsh, Helen Lewis, Esther Bucher, Bess Cooner, Ruthg nicely, Mrs Charles Nicely, Mrs Ralph Raup

Fourth Row: Frank Watson, Kate Burr, June? Fisher, Annie Hayes, Fred Hastings, Frances Wagner, Mr and Mrs Bob DeArmond, Ernnie Leiser, Fred Hoover

Fifth half Row: Q H McFarland, Hope Sterner, Charles Nicely, Mrs Fred Housel, Cora Hayes, Mrs Ralph Raup

Sixth Row: Mary Date?, Mildred Fisher, Reba Vincent, Mildred Watson, Madelaine Houghton, Emery Bell, Mary Dawson, Elizabeth Russell, Helen Kramer, Boyd Smith, Fred Huffman, Raymond Sterner, Earl Drick,

Back Row: Charles Bardole, Carroll Deitrick, Floyd Hefty, Harry Hefty

In 1969 The Opera House was a paint and hardware store, owned by Robert & Ruth Barr.

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"At 2 o'clock Sunday morning fire broke out in the livery stable of Peter Faust, Watsontown, and before progress of the flames were checked they had destroyed the Opera House block and adjacent buildings."

"The opera house was among the finest business blocks in Watsontown, being erected about the close of the rebellion.  The first floor, on main street, was occupied by John B. Dunn, Druggist and Smith Heilman and Co, General Merchandise.  The Second street front was occupied by Charles Miller, barber, and Mr Colby, butcher"

"A one story building between the opera house and Fausts clothing store on main street was occupied by William B. Reed, confectioner and saddlery establishment of Mr Faust. The double dwelling at the rear of the opera house on second street was owned by Miss Sadie McKee, and occupied by herself and Misses Buchner, dressmakers."

"The Faust building where the fire originate fronted Main street and extended to the alley in the rear which part was used as the stable of Mr. Faust. The second shop over the read was being used as the workshop of the tailoring department. The Faust store building was at one time used by John Wenner of Williamsport for his grocery business in Watsontown. The barn belonging to Isaac N. Messinger with several small buildings were the only buildings destroyed south of where the fire originated." The Miltonian,  December 28, 1894

April 1883 - Moving day, April 3, was well observed here, and the streets were crowded with flittings. The store of Durham & Bro consolidated with the store of D. Hague.  Steiner the Clothier has removed to a corner room at Minerva Hall, vacated by E. Zarr who has moved her millinery store to 2 street in the rear of Jackson & Caldwells Stores, in a room vacated by Steiner. Charles Werner moved his meat market to the next building south of Minerva Hall, and T.G. Caldwell removed his store from Minerva Hall to the store room vacated by the Durham Brothers.W. Hunter will open a Furniture Store in Minerva Hall, in the room to be vacated by T.G. Caldwell.

110 Families changed their residence here on 3rd April.