Taylor Opera House

Taylor Opera House was an opera house in Trenton, New Jersey. It was the city's first theater, and was founded by John Taylor, creator of Taylor Ham and one of Trenton's leading citizens. The building first opened March 18, 1867 at 18 S. Broad Street. A historical marker was placed on the site after its demolition. [ [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=3991 Historical Marker Database: Taylor Opera House] ]

The theater presented the major speakers and performers of the day, including Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Ethel Barrymore, and George M. Cohan, and played host to political conventions, Bible conferences, musical revues and local meetings and events. It hosted the inaugurations of Governor George B. McClellan in 1877, and Woodrow Wilson in 1910 [ [http://www.trentonhistory.org/Documents/Manuscript1900.htm Trenton Historical Society] ] , James F. Fielder in 1914 [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B05EEDF113FE633A2575AC1A9679C946596D6CF "FIELDER IN TO-MORROW.; Jersey's New Governor to Take Oath of Office at Noon."] , "The New York Times", January 19, 1914. Accessed December 29, 2007. "At midnight to-morrow New Jersey will have a new Governor, James F. Fielder of Jersey City, but he will not take the oath of office until Tuesday at noon.... The Legislature will assemble at the State House shortly before 12 o'clock on Tuesday and then proceed to the Taylor Opera House."] and Walter Evans Edge in 1917. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F01E0D6163AE433A25756C1A9679C946696D6CF "EDGE IN OFFICE TOMORROW.; Inaugural in Opera House;-Parade and Social Affairs."] , "The New York Times", January 15, 1917. Accessed December 29, 2007. "Everything is ready for the inauguration here Tuesday of Walter E. Edge of Atlantic City, Republican, as Governor of New Jersey. The induction ceremonies will be held in the Taylor Opera House."]

In 1921, it was converted into a movie and vaudeville palace known as Keith's Capitol Theatre; after later sales it was renamed the RKO International.

The theater was razed by its next door neighbor (the Trenton Saving Fund Society) to create a parking lot in 1969. [Modica, Glenn R. " [http://www.trentondowntowner.com/default.php?article=1006 Trenton Saving Fund Society] ", "Trenton Downtowner". January 2006]

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