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Harrington-Smith Block

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(Redirected from Strand Theater (Manchester, New Hampshire)) United States historic place
Harrington-Smith Block
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Harrington-Smith Block is located in New HampshireHarrington-Smith BlockShow map of New HampshireHarrington-Smith Block is located in the United StatesHarrington-Smith BlockShow map of the United States
Location18-52 Hanover St., Manchester, New Hampshire
Coordinates42°59′28″N 71°27′44″W / 42.99111°N 71.46222°W / 42.99111; -71.46222
Arealess than one acre
Built1880 (1880)
ArchitectJohn T. Fanning
Architectural styleQueen Anne
NRHP reference No.86003367
Added to NRHPJanuary 28, 1987

The Harrington-Smith Block, formerly known as the Strand Theater and the Manchester Opera House, is a historic commercial building at 18-25 Hanover Street in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire. Built in 1881 to a design by John T. Fanning for two prominent local developers, the building is an expansive rendition of Queen Anne styling in brick and stone. It housed the city's premier performance venue for many years, and was an early home of the influential Manchester Union Leader, the state's major daily newspaper. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Description and history

The Harrington-Smith Block is located in downtown Manchester, occupying 200 feet (61 m) of frontage on Hanover Street and 95 feet (29 m) on Elm Street, the city's principal downtown thoroughfare. It has a central four-story main block, finished mainly in red brick. There are eight store fronts, articulated by brick piers rising the full height of the building. The central entrance, originally for the opera house, projects slightly, and there are secondary entrances between the first and second bays at each end. The storefronts are topped by pressed metal panels, and have recessed entrances flanked by display windows.

The building combined retail and commercial business activities with a large performing space (now demolished) in the rear. The building was an early home to the Manchester Union Leader, the state's major daily newspaper. After the closure of most of the city's mills beginning in the 1930s, the upper floors of the building were converted to residential use. Major fires in 1985 resulted in the loss of the auditorium and significant damage to the rest of the building's interior. It was rehabilitated, and continues to house shops on the ground level and residences above.

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "NRHP nomination for Harrington-Smith Block". National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
National Register of Historic Places in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Landmarks Hillsborough County map
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Footnotes† This entry has been removed from the registry.
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire and List of National Historic Landmarks in New Hampshire
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