The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-07-13
Herr Opera House
Opened In 1884 Was
Pride Of BlufftOn
Continued from page II

ing minstrel show, stock dramatic
company, lecturer, musician or cir
Gus.
Once it became known there was
to be performance here, there were
few other matters deemed important
enough for discussion in the entire
community and everyone made ar
rangements to attend.
FIRST HALL IN 1874
With all the town and most of the
surrounding area turning out en-
masse for these events, it was only
natural that the problem of suit
able hall should present itself.
In 1874 Keim's Hall was built on
North Main street at the site of the
present Boss glove factory, and
visiting performers appeared in it
until the Herr Opera House, one of
the show places of the district, was
opened in 1884. Later, when the
Herr Opera House had been trans
formed into a business block the old
town hall auditorium now the Legion
post headquarters, was used.
Keim's hall, the towns first gath
ering center, was on the second floor
over two adjoining buildings, one
owned by Cramer and Jackson and
the other by Adam Keim, proprietor
of the hall. Keim was a shoe maker
and had his shop on the ground floor.
Until the Herr Opera House was
built, Keim's hall was the social
center of the village. Dances,
parties, and general gatherings were
held in the building in addition to
the performances of professional en-
tertainers who always found Bluff
ton lucrative spot.
BOYS "SNEAK In"
Many of the older men of the town
can recall "sneaking in" Keim's hall
for entertainments in the seventies
when visiting performers were ap-
pearing here.
Their plan was a simple yet effect
i've one. Between them, group OF
boys would scrape up enough money
to pay the admission of one into the
hall. Once inside it was his duty
to unobstrusively open one of the
windows. The others then woulC
quickly scale the front of the build
ing, Chamber through the open win
dow and mingle with the crowd
ready for the evenings performance
Practically all the shows appearing
in Keim's hall were of the one-night
variety, but many of them made re
peat appearances several times Z
year and became quite popular with
local audiences.
One of the favorites of those early
days was "Nigger Adams, who truly
had what might be termed a one
man show. Arriving in Bluffton il
the morning he would pass hand
bills during the day, sell the tickets
preceding the opening of the per
formance, rush backstage and thel
make his appearance in coined.
act that never failed to click.
HERR OPERA HOUSE
Within 10 years after the KEN
hall had been opened it was tw'
small to adequately accommodate th'
crowds turning out for performances
and Simon Herr, pioneer harness
maker and businessman, started con
struction of the Herr Opera Hous'
on the present site of the Basingel
Furniture store.
1t was completed in the fall o.
1884 and was considered mode
theatre in every respect. No othel
small town in this area had any
thing that even so much as began tx
compare with the new opera house
and it is unlikely there was an!
town the size of Bluffton in th'
Middle West that could point will
pride to anything similar.
| Herr erected the building shortl,
after the Faurot Opera House hat
been opened in Lima, and the Bluff
ton structure was modelled in man.
respects after the Lima show place
The old Faurot building at that tim
was recognized as the most beautiful
theatre between Pittsburgh and Chi
cago.
The main auditorium of the Her
opera house was 40 feet wide and 81
| feet long, with the stage at the en'
toward Main street in the location
now occupied by the Drs. Basinge
dental offices and main entranc
on Vine street. A balcony wa
at the back end, and the mail
floor was built in tiers, higher a
the back than at the front, in ap
proved theatre style.
| MAMMOTH CHANDELIER
| Furnishings were elaborate an
from the center of the ceiling
mammoth chandelier with prisms wa
suspended Light from the oil lamp
of the chandelier presented a beau
tiful sight in reflection from tn
prisms.
To light or extinguish the lamps
| tba obapdaliap uac lownrnd hy