Since working on the Meade County
Performing Arts Council these last couple of years I have become very
interested in opera houses, and in particular the opera houses of Meade
County. Ironically, I was approached earlier this year about publishing
a book by Jane Rhodes entitled “The Opera Houses of Kansas,” a project I
eagerly accepted.
When talking about our Opera House project,
the reaction I have received from the citizens of the county are mixed.
Some are delighted that we want to preserve some of our history and
others seem to think that the term “opera house” indicates a place where
only stuffy classical music will be performed. I don’t know why they
used that term in the beginning, but I do know that the performances
historically held in the opera houses in Meade County were far from
stuffy.
In the 1880’s theaters such as this sprang
up all over Kansas. Think for a moment about not having television,
radio, or movies. This was the source of entertainment in
an era when a trip to Fowler from Meade would have taken an hour and a
half at a trot on a good horse. Everything was local in those days and
for a town to have an opera house was an essential “quality of life”
element.
Meade's first Opera House was built in
1885. The September 24, 1885, Meade Center Press proudly
announced that on October first, "will occur the grandest event that
ever has occurred in the history of Meade County." The event was the
opening of the Meade Center Opera House. While the newspaper article did
not provide a description of the facility, a detailed account of the
day's events was listed. The morning festivities began at 10 a.m. with
"good speaking by the best orators that can be secured." Dinner was at 1
o'clock p.m., on the public square. Readers were urged to "bring in
bread, pies, and anything you have to spare." Prizes were offered for
sack races and foot races and the day was concluded with a grand opening
ball at the new hall and supper at 12 o'clock a.m.
J.N. Whipple was on the refreshment
committee for the grand opening of the Opera House, which (we think) was
located on the second floor of a building on Carthage Street. (J.N.
Whipple was the popular Meade merchant who later married Eva Dalton and
built the house for her that is now known as the Dalton Gang Hideout.)
H. B. Phelps purchased lots on North Fowler
Street in 1907, and built the Opera House building that still stands
today. Irene Lemaster found several mentions of this event in the
archives of the Meade Globe. Mr. Phelps bought the property with
the intention of building an opera house and making a business of it.
Work began in February, 1907, on a large stone building 50 x100 feet
with a 20 foot ceiling. The seating capacity was estimated at 1500, and
the stage was to be the largest west of Hutchinson and of such quality
as to “accommodate any traveling company.” The grand opening was on
September 15, 1907, with “the grandest ball ever held in the city.”
Soon ads were appearing in the Meade newspapers announcing the plays
that were to be performed at the Opera House. Traveling troupes of
actors went from town to town in those days performing in one opera
house after another. Some of the plays mentioned were “The Little
Minister,” “A Wife’s Honor,” “Dora Thorne,” and “A
gay Bachelor.”
In Jane Rhodes book she reported an interesting item about Meade from
a 1916 Opera House Reporter, a magazine of the trade. It
indicated that the Meade population was less than pleased with one
traveling production that appeared at the Opera House. The manager of
the opera house wrote, "Played 'The Girl and the Tramp,' Geo. L. Barton
mgr., Mar 4. Poorest ever, not an actor in the bunch, fully
misrepresented by their paper. I narrowly escaped hanging by my
patrons."
These troupes might have played at all three towns in Meade County,
traveling from one to the other. Ira Salmon tells me that Fowler had an
opera house, but I have yet to find a history for it.
The Plains Opera House was built in 1909 or
1910 by John W. Elder. Joyce Knott gave the history in her book, “Plains
Kansas – 100 Years.” The two-story building was on the southwest corner
of Grand Avenue and Third Street, where the Plains State Bank is located
today. The first floor housed Elder's dry goods store and the second
floor served as the Opera House where all sorts of events were held,
such as dances, roller skating, basketball, motion pictures, parties,
basket dinners, church and Sunday School. After a fire in part of the
building, it was condemned and, in the mid 1920's, was torn down.
I’m sure the opera houses in all three
towns were used for a multitude of things. They were the original
“community centers” and provided a place for all sorts of entertainment,
meetings and social gatherings. This is the dream the Performing Arts
Council has for providing an Opera House in Meade County again, a place
for plays, piano recitals, dance class, dinner theater, private parties,
business presentations, anything that would require a stage and seating.
If you are interested in getting involved with MCPAC visit their webstie,
www.mcpacinc.com.
Photos: Meade Opera House in construction, James Evans
collection | Meade Street Scene shows the old Opera House on North
Fowler | The Opera House 2005 | Plains Opera House, N Ohnick collection
