Our Past Is Present June 12, 2018

June 12, 2018

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

            If it’s Tuesday, that means we have some more history of the Opera House to share with you.  The source of the information for today’s program was the work done by Marvin Jonason.  He wrote that the “Christening of the Opera House was on January 1, 1890.  The Opera House, which had been known as the City Hall building for many years was finally given a more formal name, the Blakely Opera House after William Blakely, who died in 1885.  The following review of the occasion was reported by the Junction City Union newspaper on January 4, 1890.”

            “The christening of the Opera House took place Wednesday, January 1.  There was a large audience assembled to see the “Nobel Outcast”.  The house was decorated very nicely in honor of the occasion.  P. Van Trovinger appeared after the curtain was drawn and after a few appropriate remarks gave a brief sketch of the gentleman after whom the house was to be named. Suspended above the stage was a board bearing the words, “Blakely Opera House,” and at the close of Mr. Grovinger’s remarks the name was unveiled.  There was great applause when the name was made known.  Major William Sayer Blakely died June 11, 1885.  He represented the county in the legislature, held several county offices, was Mayor of the city when the opera house was built, was postmaster eight years and held several less prominent positions.  His public spirit and his great liberality made him a very popular gentleman.”

            It is interesting to find in this document by Mr. Jonason, that the Opera House was first opened in January of 1890, yet during the summer of that same year, it was remodeled.  Well, that project will be shared next Tuesday on "Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.