The Opera House Museum
Garden County Historical Society
The Opera House Museum, erected in 1906-07, was built of native stone laid up i mud and cement blocks. The stone for it was gotten from the canyons south of town. The cement blocks, used in the front wall, were made at the river where water and gravel were plentiful and hauled to the site. Archie Wynes and Herman Bushnell were the owners; George Kemplin, Ross and Benton Henry and Hiram Maxwell were some of the men who bilt it.
Originally it was an Opera House with a large stage and two dressing rooms at the east end, each with its own outside entrance. The floor was a level wooden floor; the present office was a lunch room, with lunches served through the pass-through window. A stove at each end of the building heated the place. Young boys earned their admission by sweeping the floor, setting up chairs, carrying coal, etc.
For the opening dance, Mrs. Hiram Maxwell made and served 125 pumpkin pies. "Hi" fiddled and their daughter, Minnie Dowson, chorded. She was so small she coudln't reach the pedals with her feet.
Many and varied activities took place in this buiding. Traveling show troupes performed here; literaries, spelling bees, home-talent plays, basketball games, wrestling matches, church services, graduation exercises, dances, county court and many other social functions.
Eigth Grade graduation exercises were held in 1911. The graduates met at the R.A. Day home and after supper, walked to the Opera House.
Years later, Mr. Busness and Mr. Wynes hired the Albee brothers, Fred and Charles, to dig a trench around the building next to its original footings and run this trench full of concrete. This was about the same time that motion pictures were becoming popular.
Mr. Bushnell sold his half interest to A.B Wynes in October 1922. After Mrs. Wynes' death, Mr. Wynes sold out to Mr and Mrs. Oscar Jensen giving possession in January 1926. They and their two children, Howard and Marjorie, also lived on the stage and in the two dressing rooms until they could find other housing.
Movies with the sound on records started in 1927 or 1928. It was thought this innovation would call for some remodeling in order to improve the acoustics. Mr. Goodall of Ogallala was in the building one day when this was being discussed. After clapping his hands a couple of times and listening closely he said, "It sure isn't going to take much fixing." From then on the slogan for the building was "the House of Good Sound."
As movies became more popular, the stage was made smaller, the floor was sloped, and veneered wooden seats were installed in permanent rows. At first a velvet curtain was hung across the room behind the last row of seats. Later the pillars that held the curtain were boxed in, making a solid wall. A material called "west felt" was hung from the ceiling and on the sidewalls to stop any echoes. This was later replaced by accoustical tile.
In 1930 the sound tracks for the movies were on the side of the reel of film.
Mr. and Mrs. Jensen operated the theater from 1926 until July 1954 when they sold it to Charles Greenlee. He re-sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jensen in November 1955. The Jensens operated it until it was closed with the exception of the one winter it was leased to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Dudden.
In the summer of 1972 the building was leased to McBell and Company who manufactured fiber glass items. They operated until the winter of 1973.
On April 14, 1974, the old Silverhill building was purchased by the Historical Society of Garden County and was renovated for a museum building. The divided show caes which stand against the south wall were purchased from the Oshkosh Pharmacy when George Thompson was closing out. The large showcases and some other cases were purchased for the Historical Society as a gift from Murray Lorenzen when Snow's Clothing Store sold out. Carpeting was laid in May 1976.
The Opera House Museum, erected in 1906-07, was built of native stone laid up i mud and cement blocks. The stone for it was gotten from the canyons south of town. The cement blocks, used in the front wall, were made at the river where water and gravel were plentiful and hauled to the site. Archie Wynes and Herman Bushnell were the owners; George Kemplin, Ross and Benton Henry and Hiram Maxwell were some of the men who bilt it.
Originally it was an Opera House with a large stage and two dressing rooms at the east end, each with its own outside entrance. The floor was a level wooden floor; the present office was a lunch room, with lunches served through the pass-through window. A stove at each end of the building heated the place. Young boys earned their admission by sweeping the floor, setting up chairs, carrying coal, etc.
For the opening dance, Mrs. Hiram Maxwell made and served 125 pumpkin pies. "Hi" fiddled and their daughter, Minnie Dowson, chorded. She was so small she coudln't reach the pedals with her feet.
Many and varied activities took place in this buiding. Traveling show troupes performed here; literaries, spelling bees, home-talent plays, basketball games, wrestling matches, church services, graduation exercises, dances, county court and many other social functions.
Eigth Grade graduation exercises were held in 1911. The graduates met at the R.A. Day home and after supper, walked to the Opera House.
Years later, Mr. Busness and Mr. Wynes hired the Albee brothers, Fred and Charles, to dig a trench around the building next to its original footings and run this trench full of concrete. This was about the same time that motion pictures were becoming popular.
Mr. Bushnell sold his half interest to A.B Wynes in October 1922. After Mrs. Wynes' death, Mr. Wynes sold out to Mr and Mrs. Oscar Jensen giving possession in January 1926. They and their two children, Howard and Marjorie, also lived on the stage and in the two dressing rooms until they could find other housing.
Movies with the sound on records started in 1927 or 1928. It was thought this innovation would call for some remodeling in order to improve the acoustics. Mr. Goodall of Ogallala was in the building one day when this was being discussed. After clapping his hands a couple of times and listening closely he said, "It sure isn't going to take much fixing." From then on the slogan for the building was "the House of Good Sound."
As movies became more popular, the stage was made smaller, the floor was sloped, and veneered wooden seats were installed in permanent rows. At first a velvet curtain was hung across the room behind the last row of seats. Later the pillars that held the curtain were boxed in, making a solid wall. A material called "west felt" was hung from the ceiling and on the sidewalls to stop any echoes. This was later replaced by accoustical tile.
In 1930 the sound tracks for the movies were on the side of the reel of film.
Mr. and Mrs. Jensen operated the theater from 1926 until July 1954 when they sold it to Charles Greenlee. He re-sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jensen in November 1955. The Jensens operated it until it was closed with the exception of the one winter it was leased to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Dudden.
In the summer of 1972 the building was leased to McBell and Company who manufactured fiber glass items. They operated until the winter of 1973.
On April 14, 1974, the old Silverhill building was purchased by the Historical Society of Garden County and was renovated for a museum building. The divided show caes which stand against the south wall were purchased from the Oshkosh Pharmacy when George Thompson was closing out. The large showcases and some other cases were purchased for the Historical Society as a gift from Murray Lorenzen when Snow's Clothing Store sold out. Carpeting was laid in May 1976.