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Fredonia, NY
Change City

The 1891 Ferdonia Opera House

9 Church Street
Fredonia, NY 14063

716-679-0891

The architect of the Village Hall was Enoch Curtis. Well-known in this region, he used what has been termed "Queen Anne eclectic style" for the exterior of the structure as well as for the interior office spaces. In the theatre, however, he allowed himself freer rein. Elements of major classical theatres in Europe and New York were freely adapted and, with the aid of new technology, produced with relatively inexpensive and readily available materials. The graceful curve of the horseshoe balcony, the wood-turning decorating the boxes and the front of the balcony, as well as the large, ornate, pressed-metal proscenium, were all echoes of world-renowned theatres. These elements are all still present, though newly refurbished. Originally the hall had a frescoed plaster ceiling, but that succumbed to water damage and in 1903 was replaced by the current tin ceiling, also refurbished. Remodeling occurred several times. During the first decade of this century the gas lighting was gradually replaced by electric. In 1926 the original folding wooden chairs were replaced by the larger Heywood-Wakefield seats, many of which are still in place. New stairs to the balcony were installed, as was the current projection booth. New motion picture equipment was added and some time later the house windows, now revealed, were plastered over. There were, however, long periods of neglect, and by 1981 the Opera House had deteriorated so badly that it had to be closed. In 1983 a plan to demolish the building engendered public outcry. The Fredonia Preservation Society came into existence in response to this threatened demolition and lobbied for the building's rehabilitation. In 1985 Village Trustees, in a reprise of the financial technique used to construct the building, decided to float a bond to renovate its administrative portions, and that decision was overwhelmingly supported in a public referendum. At that time, the Society committed itself to raising funds to rehabilitate the Opera House. Funding was accomplished by a locally-conducted capital construction campaign, an Environmental Quality Bond Act grant through the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, several smaller state grants, help from the Gebbie Foundation and from the Village itself. Throughout, we have had significant amounts of volunteer contributions of labor and material. Approximately $900,000 was raised, and the theatre is now ready for another century of public service as a multi-purpose community cultural center.

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