Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

The Grand Opera House
compiled by Mildred Barker Brown
The Grand Opera House was built in 1889 and Cudworth, Charles R. Howard, then Cliff Niles. who
opened its doors Jan. 11. 1890. The initial performance took over the management in 1901. Moving pictures
in Anamosa‘s new theater was presented by Miss Ullie were shown in 1908 by Niles and also by by Harry
Akerstrom from New York City.
Lohrman: but for a time, beginning in 1910, Harry
"The comedy-drarna in which Miss Akerstrom was Lohrman managed the Opera House. He had been
the star of the evening, was presented in a happy and operating a five-cent picture show. He installed a fireproof
booth for his moving picture machine under the
most entertaining manner with nothing to offend good
taste or propriety‘ ' , the Anamosa Eureka reported. balcony, in the rear of the audience room, which
"The Opera House Company, consisting of Clifford L. carried the approval of the insurance underwriters of
Niles, Thomas and Jack Watters, Col. W.T. Shaw and Chicago and New York. The picture show remained
James Winscott, are to be genuinely congratulated on where it was except on Wednesday and Saturday
the imposing character of the Grand Opera House afternoons and evenings. On Saturday evenings. a
Block. as it has been named. the elegant finish and double program, with full orchestra, was provided and
the charges were five cents for children and 10 cents for
adults.
Another big change Mr. Lohrman made was to cut
out the drop curtain carrying signs of businessmen, as
‘some of them are dead, and others moved away. Under
these circumstances, the step is a proper one.‘ a local
paper explained. Mr. Lohrman planned to secure the
best class of stage performances, concert companies
and to exclude those of questionable characters. even
though opera house managers were liable to be taken
in: in this regard, his picture shows were another
matter.
'
H. T ‘ 7 L‘ “' J I‘? Q
Pictured above are members of Bedell's Opera
House orchestra taken in 1896. First row, left: V. C.
Miller, H. H. Henderson, T. C. Mollett. Winnie
Sherman Russell, R. L. Bedell, T. J. Cowan, Dr. F. A.
Gustavson, G. H. Monroe. Second row: M. A.
Whiteman. George Bedell, E. Landis, Clarence Fisher,
C. Mollett. Third row: E. G. Metcalf, Jewett Niles,
Nelson Chadwick, A. Peters. A. E. Walton (Eureka,
1937)
equipment of the opera auditorium and its
commodious stage and dressing rooms, its furnaces
and brilliant gas-light illumination and other
commendable features. ' ', the Eureka editor wrote.
The article continued,"Meeting the requirements of
their positions admirably were: William McGuire.
manager; Messers. F. Chapman, contractors: E.G.
Bickel, stonework: J.A. Green, brick work; G.M.
Armstrong, plastering: W.B. Foley. carpentering: J.G.
Cudworth & Co.. tin work and furnaces: Eugene
DuMont and G. Slingerland. painters: McGuire and
Leach and Myers. paper hangers and decorators:
Mathews Gas Machine Co.. and Thomas Kane 8r Co. of
Chicago, who furnished the opera house chairs: and not
least of all, our amiable and obliging friend, Mr.James
Phelan, whose usefulness and general oversight and
good management of the internal affairs of the opera
house cannot be questioned."
Thomas E. Watters was cashier. Over 500 Anamosa
citizens paid $5.00 each for the grand opening. Mr.
Watters stayed to serve as cashier for over 40 years.
Succeeding Mr. McGuire as managers were J.G.
All pictures shown by him were examined and
released by: the National Board of Censorship,
composed of men and women representing the City
Vigilance League; Ethical Society League; Federation
of Churches; League of Political Education:
Neighborhood Worker's Association: Peoples Institute:
Public Educational Association; Public Schools Society
for the Prevention of Crime; Womens Municipal League
and the Association of Moving Picture Exhibitors of
New York State.
This censoring committee met one day each week.
and the previous week's output by the manufacturer of
moving picture films was shown and released by them.
lt_is not known, for sure, who managed the theater in
1925, but it is believed to have been Clifford L. Niles.
That year the opera house suffered an estimated $8,000
loss through a fire. It started in the studding near an
electric light conduit in the wall back of the gallery. The
principal damage was in weakening the balcony floor
.&*fl""___'—"
_“"
Five-Cent Movie House, which was located where
the Graver Implement storage building on east Main
Street is now. (Submitted by Berniece Shover)