Perryville in Perry County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Phillip's Opera House

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 12, 2025

1. Phillip's Opera House Marker

Inscription. Plans to construct this building at the Northeast corner of Ste. Marie and Main Street were announced in The Perry County Sun newspaper on February 25, 1897, "Mr. T.L. Phillips this week let the contract for building a $6,000 opera house on his property on the northeast corner of the public square. The building is to be 40 x 65, with three business rooms below, one of which will be occupied by the Bank of Perryville, and the other two will be for rent for business purposes. The opera house will have a high ceiling and be provided with a fine stage, and good seats. It will be sufficiently large to seat comfortably 400 people. Work will commence on the building in a few days and will be pushed to completion as soon as possible. The structure is to be as near fire-proof as can be made. Chas A. Kiefner is the contractor, which is a guarantee that the work on it will be first class. By September. of 1897, the Opera House opened with a gala that lasted well past two o'clock in the morning. After only six seasons, in August of 1903, the building was converted to the Rozier's Mercantile Store and has been in business

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here under management of the Rozier and Lottes families for 120 years.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 37° 43.556′ N, 89° 51.74′ W. Marker is in Perryville, Missouri, in Perry County. It is on N. Main Street close to E. Sainte Marie Street, on the left when traveling south. Rozier 's Fabric Dept Store. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 E Sainte Marie Street, Perryville MO 63775, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Missouri. It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Shoults - A. B. C. - Chamber Of Commerce Building

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 12, 2025

2. Phillip's Opera House Marker

(within shouting distance of this marker); Levi Block Building (within shouting distance of this marker); The Prevallet Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Doerr - Zoellner Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Lurk Brothers Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Hotel Perry (within shouting distance of this marker); Perry County Union Soldiers Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Arsan Callier - Toohey Law Firm Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Perryville.

Phillip's Opera House Marker - closer context view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Garrett Koch, July 15, 2026

3. Phillip's Opera House Marker - closer context view

Credits. This page was last revised on July 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 13, 2025, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 84 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 13, 2025, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. 3. submitted on July 19, 2026, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.