Grainfield Opera House History

GRAINFIELD'S 1887 OPERA HOUSE

The Grainfield Town Co. purchased the land where the Opera House was built in 1887. The main architectural feature was the galvanized iron facade, manufactured by Mesker and Brothers, of St. Louis, MO. It is stamped on the ornamental design on the lower portion of the building. To our knowledge, this one and the one in Ouray, CO are the only two facades to share this design in the country. Cast iron facades were popular with builders toward the latter part of the 19th century.

Almost a year after work began on the building, businesses were moving in to the new store fronts. The Cap Sheaf, a local newspaper, was one of the first businesses to move in. There was the dry goods store and grocery downstairs (or middle floor) and a Doctor's office upstairs in the front room overlooking the main street of Grainfield.

The town had a population of 500 people at this time. There were a half dozen general stores, two banks, two hotels, and a high school with no auditorium, so school functions continued at the Opera House.

The early settlers would drive their horses and buggies in before sundown, dance until midnight, then went to the Keystone Hotel to eat an elaborate breakfast. Then they would come back to the Opera House and continue dancing until dawn, so they could drive back home when daylight came.

The Opera House was once said to be the finest between Salina and Denver.

Entertainment in the Opera House began in November 1888. Other uses for the building were magicians performing, wrestling, boxing, concerts, movies, comedians, vaudeville, church carnivals.

In the 30's, wrestling matches and prize fights were popular. Several local people had their wedding dances in the Opera House. Grainfield's church carnivals were still held in the Opera House in the 40's.

In 1944, the community decided that the town needed a recreation hall for its youth to keep them at home. A bowling alley was put in the lower south room of the Opera House. The activities started booming in the Opera House with literary contests, ice cream socials, plays, movies, vaudeville, hypnotists, school commencements, comedians and box suppers.

Then, in the 60's, the last ones to operate in the Opera House were a tire shop, and a heating and air conditioning business with appliances new, used and repaired. The association for retarded citizens operated a used clothing store on the north side. The Masonic Lodge used the second floor room on the east for their meetings. Also, antiques were sold from there for a time on the main floor.

After that, it was vacant until 1996, when some citizens sparked an interest to do something with the Opera House. The building was acquired by the Grainfield Lions Club to preserve and restore around 1997 when they started cleaning it out.

About 1998, a 501(c)3 tax exempt status was applied for so that donations could be given as a tax exempt donation. It was granted in the name of Grainfield Opera House, Inc. A six member governing board was formed with a President, Vice President, Secreatary, and Treasurer. Dues were solicited at $25.00 per person, a one time life membership. To date we have 99 members.

Grants were received from Kansas Heritage Trust Fund and it is listed on the Kansas Historical Register. Lately, a grant from Dane G. Hansen Foundation was granted for heating, air and electrical. Volunteers built the bathrooms to the west end of the main floor two years ago.

We have held 3 annual craft fairs on opening weekend of pheasant season, with up to 37 vendors. Our annual Christmas Open House and drawings are held the Saturday after Thanksgiving with a local choir group singing Christmas carols. Wheatland Hight School rented the lower level room for their 2007 prom, banquet and dance.

The Wheatland Middle School (8th grade) history class received grant money to study the history of the Opera House to promote economic development in small rural towns. They made an i-movie of the project in the various stages of work and it is there at the Opera House for viewing by the public. They also purchased a Television with the grant money and donated it to the Opera House.

In the planning is to have the Great Western Cattle Trail depicted on the main floor and have a large Kansas products store. Some day, an antique store or display of antiques might be displayed in the Opera House, too.

Some focus meetings in Gove County have been on making the Opera House the central hub for Agri-tourism in Gove county tying in a tour to the Pyramids, Castle Rock and Butterfield Trail, Gove Museum and Indian Caves south of Gove, as well as letting people go fossil hunting. There have been tours given of the Opera House to clubs and other groups upon request.

The stage upstairs is being worked on by volunteers now with the dressing rooms sheet rocked, and the stage walls have been replaced. The ballroom upstairs, when completed, would be rented out for weddings, graduations, and receptions. The stage would be used for concerts and plays as in the early days. The Grainfield Opera House sits right off I-70 and can enable us to harvest the traffic from it attracting approximately 12,000 visitors per year.

There have been 15,000 volunteer hours put into the opera house refurbishing by local volunteers.

We will take memberships anytime for $25.00 (a one time fee). They are not yearly. Donations have been taken for the windows upstairs and downstairs of the Opera House and we are putting name plates below the windows with the name of the person donating. There are still some left. They range from $250.00, $500.00, $1000.00 & $1500.00. Families have donated some of these windows in memory of their parents and relatives, or purchased by anyone.

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated anytime.

We need to purchase tables and chairs for the building. As of now, we have 5 old ones that were donated and if more are needed for a function, they have to bring their own.

This is a very memorable building to have in the community and we welcome any and all monetary support and visitors at anytime.

Contact Diana Kaiser 785-938-4416, Herb Queen 785-673-5585, or Janet Ziegler 785-673-4744.

We'd be happy to hear from all of you.

Note: Population circa 2005 in Grainfield was 298.

Grainfield Opera House Window Donors

WINDOW AND DOOR DONORS

_Richard & Florence Roemer
_Deloris Ziegler Wasinger
_Jack & Dee Foster Family
_In Memory of Andy & Christina Ziegler
_In Memory of Susan Deges by Leon Deges Family
_Leroy & Vera Hartman Family
_In Memory of George & Odella Deges, Eldon, Richard, and Mary & Judy by Bernard, Gene, Leon, Elmer, Lorna & Family and Charlene
_In Memory of Raymond & Isabella Gagnon by Raymond A., Thomas, David & Janice
_Delbert & Donna Bollig
_Delbert & Donna Bollig
_Delbert & Donna Bollig
_In Memory of Louise K. Stubbs Parrish
_Eberle Insurance Agency – Ron & Ellen Eberle
_Joe L & Flitzita Kaiser Family
_Citizens State Bank – Lee & Jan McCubbin
_Citizens State Bank – Lee & Jan McCubbin
_Citizens State Bank – Lee & Jan McCubbin
_Delmar J. Gillespie Trust
_Merle Moore Family
_Gail Blank Family
_Wolf Family Trust
_Ron & Carol Katt
_In Memory of Harold “Spoof” & Marjorie Yowell
_George R & Eva Orten Family
_Pete Ziegler Family
_Gary Evans
_In Memory of Hank & Edith Ziegler Family
_In Memory of Delbert D. Ziegler
_Delmar & Diana Kaiser
_Arlin & Janet Ziegler Family

There were originally a total of 32 windows and doors ranging from $250.00 to $1,500.00. All 32 of them are now sold. There is a newly added door to the bottom of the new stairsteps (first floor entrance - $500) available. Some donors have donated multiple times as noted by the repeat of their names for each donation. The latest donors are at the top of the list.

Grainfield Opera House Window Donors - Front Side

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Grainfield Opera House Window Donors - North Side

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Grainfield Opera House Window Donors - South Side

"Click on the drawing or photo to enlarge it."

Grainfield Opera House Window Donors - West Side

"Click on the drawing or photo to enlarge it."

Grainfield Opera House Membership

Members - Grainfield Opera House Inc.

Newest members @ 7-3-10:

Brian Kaiser

Lavina Logan

Newest members @ 4-16-09:
Eugene Deges
Dan Godek
Nicole Godek
Edward Gagnon
James Gagnon
Martin Gagnon
Kirby Gillespie
Vera Hartman
Roy McBride

Members – Alphabetic Order:
Janice Arnhold
Nick Arnhold
Jeanine Beamgard
Lora Billow
Arlene Bird
Glenn Bird
Fred Bixenman
Delbert Bollig
Donna Bollig
Leona Carter
Tim Cheney
Ruth Cheney (deceased)
Carole Crist
D. A. Crist
Eugene Deges
Leon Deges
Adolph Dinkel
Joann Dinkel
Rudy Dinkel
Janet Downey
Linda Dreher
Jim Dubois (deceased)
Billie Eberle
Ellen Eberle
Ron Eberle
Dee Foster
David Gagnon
Edward Gagnon
James Gagnon
Martin Gagnon
Tom Gagnon (deceased)
Phil Garrett
Pam Garrett
Beulah Gillespie
Carlene Gillespie
Kirby Gillespie
Mitchell Gillespie
Ron Gillespie
Tonda Gillespie
Velma Gillespie
Dan Godek
Nicole Godek
Rosemary Goetz
Dr. Steven L. Golden
Winifred Greenwood (deceased)
Roger Hallenbeck
Kay Hallenbeck
Brenda Hammerton
Kathy Hartman
Vera Hartman
Joseph Heier
Kimberly Heier
Louella Heier
Dixie Heinrich

Brian Kaiser
Delmar Kaiser
Diana Kaiser
Marlene Kaiser
Shirley Kaiser
Ollie Katt (deceased)
Patricia Kennedy
Karen Kerksiek
Carol Kliewer
Norman Kliewer (deceased)
Bob Ladenburger
Jay Ladenburger
Marianne Ladenburger

Lavina Logan
Martha Greenwood Laffel
Doris Manhart
Dean May
Denora May
Karen May
Roy McBride
Lee McCubbin
Laverna Moore
Mark Moore
Catherine Morel
Cynthia Orr
William L Orten
M. Cheryl Patrick
Cynthia Peck
William A Petersen Jr.
Marilyn L Petersen
Margaret Powers
Herbert F. Queen
Edna M Queen
Cheri Remington
Vera Orten Roberts
Eulalia Sanger
Merrill Sanger
Jolene Schuster
Roger Schuster
Elaine Selenke
Florence Orten Smith
Lisa Steerman
Pamela Taylor
Wanda Thummel
Cristy S. Tuttle
Bill Umscheid
Madelene Umscheid
Deloris Wasinger
Allan Weber
Irwin Wolf
Skip H. M. Yowell
Janet Ziegler
Keith Zerr
Kevin Zerr

Grainfield Opera House Membership Application

Instructions To Print Membership Application Form: Please "select" (highlight) all the information in the entire post below, either copy and paste into application (word processor, word pad, etc.) of your choice, then "print" or simply "select" (highlight) all the information in the entire post below, right click on selected text and choose "print" (you may need to choose the "selection" radio button on your printer). Or use any other method of printing that you desire (i.e. File Menu, choose Print after selecting text).

GRAINFIELD OPERA HOUSE, INC.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
LIFE TIME MEMBERSHIP


NAME _______________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS _____________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE __________________________


TELEPHONE __________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________________

DATE _______________________________________



$25.00 Per Person, Life Time Membership. Please fill out form and send cash or check to Grainfield Opera House, Inc. c/o Janet Ziegler, Treasurer, P.O. Box 158, Grainfield, KS 67737 (if you have questions, e-mail address: ajzig1@ruraltel.net ). You will receive a membership certificate by return mail.

For a donation of $250.00, $500.00, $750.00, $1,000.00 or $1,500.00 you can have your name or the name of a loved one placed on a name plate below a window in the Opera House depending on the size and location of the window. There are only a limited number of windows left. This is a great way to make a lasting memory of family while also helping to rebuild the Opera House.

All donations are tax deductible; we are a 501(c)3 organization.

You are welcome to stop by the Opera House at any time.