Harbor Beach Community House

Harbor Beach Community House. . , The Sand Beach Opera House , The Opera House was built on land donated to the village by J. Jenks and Company just north of the present Community House building. There was a room for the Fire Department to store their fire truck, hose cart and other equipment, a jail with 2 cells, the clerk's office and library on the ground floor. The second floor held the theater that doubled as a ballroom. The third floor was leased to the Masonic Temple. The building opened in 1892 and was destroyed by fire in 1911. , The First Community House , The Jenks Family donated to the City of Harbor Beach the Mihlethaler building to be remodeled into a Community House; “…a place for public meetings, recreation for the young people, and for other educational purposes." Construction began on the Community House in 1919 and was completed in 1923. The building was on the site of the present Community House. The finished building contained a theater/auditorium with seating for 500, a women's-club room, rooms for both girl and boy scouts, a library, an American Legion room, the city offices and council chambers. The Community House was operated by the Harbor Beach School Board. , On March 17, 1926 fire destroyed half of the building and the other half was badly damaged by smoke and water. A temporary theater, called the Calamity Theater, was built with donated lumber and labor and used until the new Community House was completed. , Present Community House , Construction on a New Community House was completed in August of 1927. The new building, built of fireproof materials, contained a theater, a stage with curtain, movie screen and dressing rooms. A gymnasium for athletic events was also used as a hall for dinners, seating 400 persons. The City Clerk's office and Council chambers were in the new building as well as rooms for the girl and boy scouts, Woman's Club, and American Legion. In 1930 famous American artist, Paul Honore, painted murals within the arched recesses on the west side of the building. The paintings depicted activities that took place in the Community House. The paintings did not survive the weather and were plastered over in a few years. The current murals were painted in 1992 by David Wiley representing key events and people of Harbor Beach. In 1994 the School Board relinquished operation to the Harbor Beach Area District Library Board. T1e Building has seen many renovations including the installation of an elevator and local history room in 2009 and an addition and improvements to the library in 2011. Presently the Community House is home to the Harbor Beach Area District Library, a theater which seats 405 patrons for movie and stage presentations, a gymnasium, locker rooms and rooms for various community and civic organizations.