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In 1881, the community
called for a new market-house and town hall to be built in Mauch
Chunk, Pennsylvania.
Initially
The Mauch Chunk Opera House was designed to meet community needs
with both an open-air farmer’s market on the first floor
and a second story concert hall.
Addison
Hutton, a Philadelphia architect who often came to Mauch Chunk,
designed the building. The dedicated citizens of Mauch Chunk paid
for and built the structure so they could enjoy professional performances
in their own town. "The hall was formally opened on the evening
of Feb. 4, 1882. A comedy, 'Edgewood Folks,' was performed before
a crowded audience."
Eventually,
the Opera House became a regular stop on the old Vaudeville Circuit.
Al Jolsen performed here regularly as well as John Phillips Sousa
who delighted audiences with an annual show. "The Opera House
was of ample size, appropriately and elegantly finished and furnished,
and possessed the important requisite of excellent acoustic properties."
In
1927, the building was purchased by the Comerford amusement chain,
who renovated extensively. During the next three decades the Opera
House became known as the Capitol Theater, a movie house. The
movie house officially closed on April 27, 1959. "That was
a Monday night and on the bill was Tom Thumb." The local
newspaper reported, "The Capitol Theatre closed its doors
here last night, perhaps never to open again... the film entertainment
on West Broadway has been dying a slow death at the box office.
Its once heavy patronage reduced to a mere trickle by television
and other entertainment media..."
The
building was then purchased by Berkeley Bags Company, a pocketbook
manufacturer, and used for many years as a warehouse.
After
this time and years of neglect the Mauch Chunk Opera House was
taken over by the Mauch Chunk Historical Society. The Mauch Chunk
Opera House, 14 West Broadway.
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