Sumter Town Hall-Opera House
Sumter Town Hall-Opera House, also known as the Sumter Academy of Music, is a historic town hall building located at Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina. It was built in 1893, and is a four-story, ashlar brick Richardsonian Romanesque style building. It features a four-faced clock tower that serves as a focal point for the entire area. The building was remodeled internally in 1936, converting the first floor into a movie theater and the second floor opera house into offices. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It  is located in the Sumter Historic District. The historic Opera House stands tall and proud in the heart of downtown Sumter, South Carolina and is known as one of Sumter’s Crown Jewels. Through the years this great building has served a number of purposes and has seen a great deal of change. In 1987 with the reopening of this building, its past is remembered as its future is celebrated. Today, City administration occupies the upper levels of the Opera House as the center of city government for Sumter. On the first floor the auditorium continues to be in demand  and used for concerts (by such groups as the Sumter Community band and celebrities such as Nancy Griffith), school events, and other local happenings. The Opera House stands today not only as a symbol of the past but also as an active sign of the ongoing progressive spirit of the people of Sumter.