Lead in Lawrence County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2018

1. The Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building Marker

Inscription. Built between 1912-1914 by the Homestake Mining Company, this $250,000 facility included not only a beautiful modern opera house with a seating capacity of over 1,000, but also a bowling alley, swimming pool, library, social rooms, and billiard and game rooms. The Opera House itself was, for almost 70 years, the scene of many activities including opera, ballet, vaudeville, concerts, plays, movies, high school commencement exercises, boxing matches and festivals. Originally managed by the Homestake, the facility was given to the city of Lead in 1972. Tragically, on April 2, 1984, the Opera House portion of the building was gutted by a fire which had begun beneath the stage. The undamaged main floor recreation section of the structure has since reopened to house several small businesses.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Entertainment • Man-Made Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.

Location. 44° 21.11′ N, 103° 46.01′ W. Marker is in Lead, South Dakota, in Lawrence County. Marker is on West Main Street, 0.1 miles west of Siever Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located within the alcove on the west side of the Opera House, a few feet from the sidewalk. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 313 West Main Street, Lead SD 57754, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Man Car (within shouting distance of this marker); Man Car / Ambulance (within shouting distance of this marker); Ore Cars (within shouting distance of this marker); Spargo Hoist & Sinking Bucket (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery Locomotive (within shouting distance of this marker); Overshot Mucker (within shouting distance of this marker); Halloran Block (within shouting distance of this marker); Compressed Air Locomotive #9 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lead.

More about this marker. Marker is a large composite plaque, mounted horizontally on a waist-high post.

Regarding The Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building. Included within the Lead Historic District, National Register of Historic Places (1974)

Also see . . . Historic Homestake Opera House - Interior photos & video. The Lead Opera House and Recreation Center opened in 1914 as a gift from the Homestake Mining company to the people of Lead and the surrounding area. Phoebe Hearst, widow of Homestake co-founder George Hearst, and Thomas J. Grier, Homestake Superintendent, at that time, collaborated on the facility's conception and construction. The following video, produced by Historical Footprints, Inc., of Lead, tells the story of the

Marker detail: Recreation Building as exterior work nears completion, 1913-1914 image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Recreation Building as exterior work nears completion, 1913-1914

Opera House from its construction, through a disastrous fire in 1984 to its resurrection in the 1990s as a useful public entertainment and cultural center. (Submitted on August 12, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Opera House interior image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Opera House interior

Plasterwork: Decorator's Supply Co., Chicago; Lighting fixtures: Albert Sechrist Co. Denver, Co ; Artwork: Thomas Olson Decorators, Minneapolis.

Marker detail: Billiard Room in the Recreation Building image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Billiard Room in the Recreation Building

The doors on the right originally opened into the Opera House foyer.

The Homestake Opera House Marker (<i>wide view; marker in alcove adjacent to building</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2018

5. The Homestake Opera House Marker (wide view; marker in alcove adjacent to building)

Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building (<i>wide view from Main Street; marker behind chair</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2018

6. Homestake Opera House & Recreation Building (wide view from Main Street; marker behind chair)

The Homestake Opera House (<i>west end of building; facing alcove</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 12, 2018

7. The Homestake Opera House (west end of building; facing alcove)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 14, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 158 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 11, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 12, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 7. submitted on August 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.