Mineola in Wood County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Mineola Opera Houses
Photographed By Mark Hilton, September 1, 2019
1. Mineola Opera Houses Marker
Inscription.
Mineola Opera Houses. . The Opera House Era in Mineola lasted from the 1870s until the 1910s and was an important period in the city’s social history. Rail connections to bigger cities brought many famous artists here. In 1877, William J. McDonald opened McDonald Hall, and the Johnson String Band of Marshall provided music for a grand ball that was the venue’s debut. Julius Caspary later opened an opera house near the Mineola State Bank. Renowned actors Louis James, Helena Modjeska and Frederick Warde and musician “Blind Tom” Wiggins performed here. During the Vaudeville Era, opera houses offered operettas, soliloquies, tableau, recitations and comedic acts. The advent of movie theaters signaled the end for opera houses, the foundation of the arts in Mineola. ,
Marker is property of the State of Texas
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The Opera House Era in Mineola lasted from the 1870s until the 1910s and was an important period in the city’s social history. Rail connections to bigger cities brought many famous artists here. In 1877, William J. McDonald opened McDonald Hall, and the Johnson String Band of Marshall provided music for a grand ball that was the venue’s debut. Julius Caspary later opened an opera house near the Mineola State Bank. Renowned actors Louis James, Helena Modjeska and Frederick Warde and musician “Blind Tom” Wiggins performed here. During the Vaudeville Era, opera houses offered operettas, soliloquies, tableau, recitations and comedic acts. The advent of movie theaters signaled the end for opera houses, the foundation of the arts in Mineola.
Marker is property of the State of Texas
Erected 2008 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 14431.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1877.
Location. 32° 39.831′ N, 95° 29.355′ W. Marker is in Mineola, Texas, in Wood County. Marker is on North Johnson Street north of West Broad Street (U.S. 80), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 North Johnson Street, Mineola TX 75773, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 5, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 5, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 235 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 5, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
