Shawnee in Perry County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Knights of Labor Opera House
The K.O.L. became an open organization in 1879. The Opera House was built in 1881, a demonstration of pride that the K.O.L. was no longer a secret organization. The building cost $8,200 for basic construction. The bricks were molded by hand and hauled to be fired at the edge of town. The building housed a cooperative store on the first floor, a theater on the second floor. and a library with a classroom and meeting space on the third floor. The centerpiece of social life and entertainment for the area, the auditorium was used for plays, graduations, dances, and gatherings such as the annual Bobby Burns celebration and the Welsh Eisteddfods. As a more trade union oriented labor movement led to the formation of the American Federation of Labor, K.O.L. membership diminished. The building was sold in 1902 to the Knights of Pythias and was sold again 1943 to Hannah Brothers Furniture.
Erected 2011 by The Village of Shawnee, Ohio, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 13-64.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Labor Unions. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1869.
Location. 39° 36.231′ N, 82° 12.689′ W. Marker is in Shawnee, Ohio, in Perry County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and 2nd Street, on the left when traveling east on Main Street. It is Saltlick Township Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Shawnee OH 43782, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Saltlick Township Memorial Park (a few steps from this marker); Shawnee (within shouting distance of this marker); Tecumseh Theater (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Shawnee and the Little Cities of Back Diamond Region (within shouting distance of this marker); A Boom Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Black Diamonds and Bricks (within shouting distance of this marker); A Little City in the Forest (within shouting distance of this marker); World’s Greatest Mine Fire (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shawnee.
Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia entry for Knights of Labor. “In 1869, Uriah Smith Stephens, James L. Wright, and a small group of Philadelphia tailors founded a secret organization known as the Noble Order of the Knights of Labor. The collapse of the National Labor Union in 1873 left a vacuum for workers looking for organization. The Knights became better organized with a national vision when they replaced Stephens with Terence V. Powderly. The organization became popular with Pennsylvania coal miners during the economic depression of the mid-1870s, then it grew rapidly. The KOL was a diverse industrial union open to all workers. The leaders felt that it was best to have a versatile population in order to get points of view from all aspects. The Knights of Labor barred membership from five groups: bankers, land speculators, lawyers, liquor dealers and gamblers. Its members included low skilled workers, railroad workers, immigrants, and steel workers.” (Submitted on September 2, 2018.)
2. Knights of Labor Opera House - Shawnee Historic Walking ... (Submitted on November 12, 2020, by Robert Baughman of Bellefontaine, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 583 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 2, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4, 5. submitted on February 17, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio.