Abbeville Opera House

Infobox_nrhp | name =Abbeville Opera House
nrhp_type =

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caption =
location= Abbeville, South Carolina
lat_degrees = 34 | lat_minutes = 10 | lat_seconds = 39.98 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 82 | long_minutes = 22 | long_seconds = 42.01 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1908
architect= William Augustus Edwards of Edwards and Wilson
architecture=
added = July 01, 1970
governing_body = Local
refnum=70000558 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Abbeville Opera House, also known as the Abbeville Opera House and Municipal Office Building is an historic building located in Abbeville, South Carolina. Designed by William Augustus Edwards of Edwards and Wilson, it was opened in 1908. [ [http://abbevillecitysc.sc.gov/contactus/ City of Abbeville -Contact us] ] [ [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=7181 Abbeville Opera House historic marker] ] On July 01, 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism the theater has received the South Carolina Governor's Travel Award for Tourism and was designated as the Official Rural Drama State Theatre of South Carolina. [cite web|url=http://www.discoversouthcarolina.com/plan-your-trip/default.aspx?ProductID=98|title=South Carolina Tourism Official Site|accessdate=2007-06-18] It is included in the Abbeville Historic District [ [http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/abbeville/S10817701002/index.htm South Carolina Department of Archives and History page on Abbeville Opera House] ]

History

At the turn of the century there were many "road companies" producing shows in New York City. Once the production was assembled, the show traveled throughout the country. One of the more popular tours went from New York to Richmond to Atlanta. For a number of years, Abbeville was an overnight stop for the entire touring company. Several members of the community decided that if this area had a facility, since the travelling companies were coming through the area anyway, Abbeville could sponsor some of these touring productions.

On October 1, 1908, what was then the Abbeville District dedicated a new Abbeville County Courthouse and City Hall. The grand old theatre now known as the Abbeville Opera House was a part of that splendid pair of buildings "equal in beauty of architecture and modern conveniences of any in the state," according to regional newspaper accounts of the day. From that time on, all the "greats and near greats" played on the magnificent Opera House stage. Vaudeville was in its "heyday" as was Abbeville and the Abbeville Opera House.

Today, most people who visit the historic Abbeville Opera House see a building thatrepresents a microcosm of the history of Abbeville since the turn-of-the-century. Efforts toward preservation and renewal of Abbeville and the renewal of the Abbeville Opera House began some thirty years ago. The restored Abbeville Opera House continues to be one of the strongest drawing cards for the tourism industry in the upstate of South Carolina. The theatre operates year round. The 218 newly refurbished seats face a 7800 square foot stage. The balcony has92 seats and the turn of the century boxes seat up to 6 people in each of thefour box seats.

References

External links

* [http://www.theabbevilleoperahouse.com Abbeville Opera House]
* [http://www.abbevillecitysc.com Greater Abbeville Information Network]
* [http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/abbeville/S10817701002/index.htm South Carolina Department of Archives and History page on Abbeville Opera House]