Our Past Is Present February 20, 2018

February 20, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            We have been reserving time on Tuesday’s programs to continue with some of the history of the C.L. Hoover Opera House.  If you have been reading each week, you have been hearing about the struggles and challenges of restoration of the building as recorded in a document written by the late Rob Stevens. We pick the story back up in 1985 and this is what Rob wrote in his work:  “The architect’s concept did not provide the Junction City Little Theater (JCLT) with enough storage area or scene shop and the firm said it would be impossible to put another floor above the auditorium portion of the structure without all new girding.  Therefore, the group took an option to purchase the adjacent building as part of its intended contribution to the project.  Plans were to remodel the front two-thirds of the main floor into a lounge suitable for small dinner theater.  This facility could also serve people using the Opera House for whatever purpose.  To keep costs down and to maximize space usage, JCLT asked if the city would be willing to accept a permanent walkway between the two so the Opera House could be used by both. With the request to connect the two structures, the question of alcohol came to the forefront and a delegation of the First Baptist Church, located across the street from the Opera House filled the city Commission Room to protest a change in codes.  The adjacent building was less than 400 feet away.  JCLT had hoped the lounge revenue would cover the payments to purchase and remodel the structure and felt without it another avenue of finance would have to be established before any work was done.  “This was probably the final roadblock to the project” Mona Kessinger stated. 

            Well, that brings us to the end of our time together.  Next Tuesday we will pick up this story in 1985 on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.