Piper’s Opera House

Piper’s Opera House. Comstock Historical Marker No. 10. , Piper’s Opera House began as Maguire’s Opera House in 1863 when San Francisco theater impresario Thomas Maguire built the establishment, two blocks east of this site on “D” Street between Union and and Taylor Streets. Maguire fell on hard times and sold the opera house to John Piper in 1867. That building burned in the Great Fire of 1875. Piper then rebuilt the second opera house here behind his Corner Saloon, and re-opened on January 28, 1878. Tragedy struck once again when an early morning fire on March 13, 1883, reduced the opera house to a heap of smoldering ruins. Allegedly John Piper, himself, left a cigar burning in his upstairs apartment after closing a show. Piper rebuilt once again and opened the third Opera House on March 6, 1885, this is the building that stands before you today. In addition to hosting the finest entertainment acts in America, Piper’s also served as a venue for political rallies, dances, graduation parties and a host of other civic events. Shakespeare was popular at Piper’s along with orators, poets, and minstrel shows. John Piper arrived in Virginia City in 1860, and opened the Old Corner Wines, Liquors and Co., on this site. He was involved early on in Storey County politics and was elected to the city council in 1865, and took over the mayoral seat the following year. He also served as Storey County Commissioner and was elected state Senator from Storey County in 1875 and 1877. John Piper’s political contributions to Virginia City are all but forgotten today, overshadowed by his three decades of ownership of the famed opera house. John Piper died in San Francisco on January 3, 1897 at age 63., At left, Piper’s Opera House during the 1920’s. It fell into disrepair and required many years of restoration to bring it back to today’s appearance.