Batcher Opera House, 418 2nd Avenue NE, Staples, Minnesota
From Placeography
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Batcher Opera House | |
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| Address: | 418 2nd Avenue NE |
| City/locality- State/province | Staples, Minnesota |
| County- State/province: | Todd County, Minnesota |
| State/province: | Minnesota |
| Country: | United States |
| Year built: | 1907 |
| Historic Function: | Theater/concert hall |
| Historic Function: | Hardware and Grocery Store |
| Other Historic Function: | Hardware and Grocery Store |
| Current Function: | Theater/concert hall |
| Architect or source of design: | Charles Edward Batcher |
| Builder: | Charles Edward Batcher |
| Material of Exterior Wall Covering: | Brick |
| First Owner: | Charles Edward Batcher |
| Part of the Site: | Batcher Block |
(46.355425° N, 94.793832° WLatitude: 46°21′19.53″N
Longitude: 94°47′37.795″W)
| National Register of Historic Places Information | |
| Reference Number: | 04000837 |
| Certification date: | June 22, 2004 |
Charles Edward Batcher was born near Rochester Minnesota in 1866. He studied architectural drawing in Minneapolis. By 1895 he had settled in Staples and in 1896 he married Jennie Root. Batcher's primary business was construction and he is credited with building at least 200 residences and commerical structures in Staples.
He also operated a millwork factory which produced doors, windows and staircases for the interiors of his buildings. In 1907 he completed the construction of the two story Batcher Block building adjacent to the Main Street on 2nd Avenue and 4th Street NE.
On the ground floor was a grocery and a hardware store. On the second floor Batcher added an opera house with a proscenium stage, two private boxes and a balcony. The theater's design maximizes acoustics according to John Scott Russell’s theory of an “isacoustic curve.”
The walls gently slope upward toward coved ceilings, the seating slopes downward toward the stage. The predominant color of the theater's interior is a deep burgundy, by contrast, the private boxes are robin's egg blue. Elaborate cartouches, floral decorations, patriotic scenes and dragons ornament the interior.
It is said to be the finest intact original interior of any Opera House in Minnesota.
In 2002 Colleen Donley was diagnosed with cancer and given one year to live. Due to Colleen's love of historic buildings, she and her twin brother Chris decided to search for an "extreme home" an old building they could devote their energy to.
Chris heard about the Batcher Block building in Staples which had an antique store on the first floor. The second floor of the building was filled with old appliances and furniture blocking two large double wood doors.
He moved the items aside, and opened the doors into a large dark cluttered space. He went up a short staircase, opened a panel with early 20th century light switches and pushed them up. The lights still worked. They revealed the magnificent stage and theater of a 1907 Opera House which had been closed for 60 years!
Colleen and Chris purchased the Opera House from a descendant of the Batchers. They invested money in building repairs and maintenance. They revived the theater by bringing in musicians and entertainers like Louie Anderson and Lamont Cranston. They held concerts, catered weddings and hosted community events.
The decline in the economy, relocation of Highway 10 and other issues have led to the auction sale of the Opera House on September 20, 2011.Contents |
History
1907: Construction completed. The New Grocery, Batcher's Hardware, a second hardware store and a dry goods store open on ground floor.
Nov. 21, 1907: Opera house grand opening, featuring the play "Prince Karl" by the Mack-Leone Company, a Minnesota-based traveling theater troupe.
Nov. 3, 1908: Presidential election night supper held (William Howard Taft won).
1912: The Grand Theatre takes place of hardware store on ground floor.
1913: "Polly of the Circus" performed with horses, ponies, dogs and other animals on stage.
Late 1910s: Opera house begins to screen motion pictures.
1920s: Robert Batcher, son of Charles, takes over management of building.
1920s-'30s: Second-floor offices turned into apartments.
1934: Grand Theatre location replaced with hardware store.
Feb. 1934: Gathering to celebrate Franklin Delano Roosevelt's birthday held.
Mid-1930s to late 1940s: Opera house used as rolling skating rink.
Late 1940s: Opera house closes.
1958: Batcher's Federated Store, specializing in clothing, moves in on ground floor. Much of ground-floor north wall replaced with large display windows. Steel columns and beams put in to support sagging first-floor ceiling.
1991: Concrete facing installed on north and east first-floor facades.
1995: Department store remade into antique store.
July 27, 2003: Colleen Donley and Chris Frost of New York Mills and Tracy Erickson of Wadena buy Batcher Block from Joan Batcher, granddaughter of Charles Batcher.
June 4, 2004: Grand reopening of opera hall featuring Staples Community Band.[1]
Memories and stories
Photo Gallery
Related Links
Opera House Plays Dramatic Role
Watercolors of Scenic Backdrops U of MN
American Theaters 19th Century
Julius Cahn Theatrical Directory
