Misplaced Pages

Abbeville Opera House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Show map of South CarolinaShow map of the United States
Location	Carthouse Square, Abbeville, South Carolina
Coordinates	34°10′40″N 82°22′42″W / 34.17778°N 82.37833°W / 34.17778; -82.37833
Area	less than one acre
Built	1904
Architect	William Augustus Edwards of Edwards and Wilson
NRHP reference No.	70000558
Added to NRHP	July 1, 1970

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 1904 and dedicated in 1908. On July 1, 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. It is included in the Abbeville Historic District.

History

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

At the turn of the 20th 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 that represents 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 refurbished theatre operates year-round. The 218 newly refurbished seats face a 7,800-square-foot (720 m) stage. The balcony has 92 seats and the turn of the 20th century boxes seat up to 6 people in each of the four box seats.

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. ^ Fant, Mrs. James W. (May 16, 1970). "Abbeville Opera House" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. National Park Service. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
3. "Abbeville Opera House, Abbeville County (Court Square, Abbeville)". National Register Properties in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
4. Abbeville Opera House historic marker
5. "South Carolina Tourism Official Site". Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
6. South Carolina Department of Archives and History page on Abbeville Opera House

External links

• Abbeville Opera House
• Greater Abbeville Information Network
• South Carolina Department of Archives and History page on Abbeville Opera House

v t e U.S. National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
Topics	Contributing property Keeper of the Register Historic district History of the National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Property types
Lists by county	Abbeville Aiken Allendale Anderson Bamberg Barnwell Beaufort Berkeley Calhoun Charleston Cherokee Chester Chesterfield Clarendon Colleton Darlington Dillon Dorchester Edgefield Fairfield Florence Georgetown Greenville Greenwood Hampton Horry Jasper Kershaw Lancaster Laurens Lee Lexington Marion Marlboro McCormick Newberry Oconee Orangeburg Pickens Richland Saluda Spartanburg Sumter Union Williamsburg York
Lists by city	Charleston Columbia Greenville North Charleston Rock Hill
Other lists	Bridges National Historic Landmarks
Keeper of the Register History of the National Register of Historic Places Property types Historic district Contributing property

• Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
• Buildings and structures in Abbeville County, South Carolina
• William Augustus Edwards buildings
• Tourist attractions in Abbeville County, South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places in Abbeville County, South Carolina
• Opera houses on the National Register of Historic Places
• Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
• Opera houses in South Carolina