Mills County, Iowa

Old Opera House

Invention of the automobile mustered a threat to the local point of social life in Silver City. But the citizens have managed to keep the old Pullman-Plumer building as busy as a bee hive. The building has housed everything from an opera house to a bee business. It is now being renovated by the local chapters of the Masonic Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star, thus remaining a social center.

Named after its original owners, Chris Plumer and George Pullman, Sr., the structure was built in 1891 at a cost of about $10,000. In those days the first floor was used as a general merchandise store operated by George Pullman, Jr., and John Hettinger. An opera house (50 by 50 feet) with seating capacity of about 350 people was located on the second story. Other Silver City businessmen who later hung their shingles on the building were: Eli Reeve, George Pierson, Frank Pullman and Sam Freedman. These men rented the first floor of the building.

Next owner of the building was Will Burgoin, who started a hardware store on the first floor while the opera house was still overhead. Harry Kirlin bought the building from Burgoin and while he owned it a fire broke out in the Opera House. “Parts of the joists in the upper story still show where they were charred,” said William Pollitt who was the fire chief at the time of the fire.

Pollitt is now a local electrician. He operated the first movie machine used in the opera house. “It was a hand-turning machine,” said Pollitt. And it showed movies once a week here and also at Mineola, Henderson and Imogene.” Speaking of the fire Pollitt said, “No fire guard was needed to push the light away before he dared to stop turning the machine.” Pollitt can also remember well the days when G. A. Spelbring of Tabor, a former Silver City lumberman and musician directed concerts in the opera house.

Mrs. Etta Anderson, The Nonpareil correspondent, moved to Silver City in 1895. She still remembers some of the old time shows staged in the opera house. Mrs. Anderson says she remembers in particular “some of the best medicine shows.” She also recalls that Memorial Day services were once held in the building and it was used also as a gymnasium for Silver City basketball games.

When the automobile mania began swooping the country, Silver Citians joined the ranks of Americans who bought early make flivvers and where they had relied on the opera house for much of their off hour entertainment, they were then able to travel to larger cities for their amusement.

Five years ago when the Masons rented the upper part of the building for their lodge, Kirlin, who owned the building at the time used the first floor for bees and storage of honey. Some hives are still stored in a section of the building which will now become a 46 feet by 14 feet dining room with kitchen when the Masons complete their remodeling work. The lodge purchased the building some time ago.

Part of the proposed remodeling plans on the Mason’s work sleeve which will mostly be done by volunteer members and auxiliary will be a new reception room, a new lodge hall (52 feet by 34 feet) completely replastered with acoustical tile, and renovation of the outside, probably in stucco. Grover Goos is heading the committee for the remodeling of the building. Assisting him are: Loran Boyer, Harold Williams, Mrs. John Dovenspike, Mrs. R. P. Galt and Mrs. Russell Myers. W. A. Hafer, a non-member is offering his wood working talents.

After the Mason’s bought the building, they removed the top in 1957, and also remodeled the downstairs. Then in November 1967, they burned the mortgage. The building was repainted on the outside for the Centennial.

~submitted by Roseanna Zehner & Darlene Jacoby