Table of Contents

Tales from a Downtown Pub Crawl

Where to Buy Used Stuff

Paths of Most Resistance

Road to Excitement 

Sir Blaire of Rothes

Six Shooters

Notes from the Underground

Gospel Music?

A Queen for a Day

Madison Street

Discin'

E.C. History

Editor's note

Built in 1883 with no expenses spared, Eau Claire's Grand Opera House was the focal point of the city's cultural centers for over four decades.

Located on the west side of Barstow Street, the Grand Opera House covered three and a half lots, costing $6,500 in land alone. The roof rested on six timber trusses that were seventy-three feet long, and weighed over a ton each. The stage was 35 by 70 feet, and located off of its sides were fourteen dressing rooms. The Grand Opera House was certainly large enough for any of the traveling productions of its time. Located between Chicago and Minneapolis, the Grand Opera House was part of the performance circuit that offered first-rate companies. Some of the best musicals and plays from New York graced its enormous stage. During its most productive times, the opera house offered a new performer or company each week. The schedule was often quite eclectic: an opera one week and a wrestling match the next. The opera house was also employed for community purposes such as graduation ceremonies and political rallies.

When attending such a performance, one was expected to act appropriately. For instance, if you were not sure what was considered appropriate behavior for purchasing tickets, you could look in the program under, "Hints To Patrons" which states: "When calling for tickets patrons will please form in line and await their turn... Positively no attention will be paid to those not observing these rules..." If you did not want to stand in line waiting to purchase tickets, you could buy season tickets for $55, less than what one ticket to many performances today would cost. The more distinguished patrons owned season tickets, one of which was D.R. Moon, the president of the Grand Opera House Board of Directors. After a few financial setbacks, including the flood of 1884 in which water was three feet above the stage, Moon purchased the Grand Opera House at a sheriff's auction for $12,500.

With the proliferation of movie houses in the city of Eau Claire, the public's interest in the performing arts waned. And with the completion of the State Theatre, and Unique Theatre, each located on Barstow Street, the Grand Opera House saw its last couple years and closed after the 1929-1930 season. The Grand Opera House was then demolished.