109 N. First St. - Pulaski Courthouse Square Historic District - Pulaski, TN
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 35° 11.952 W 087° 01.850
16S E 497193 N 3895134
Building number 3 NRHP map.
Waymark Code: WMV0N1
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 02/03/2017
Views: 3
County of building: Giles County
location of building: 109 N. First St. & N. 1st St., Pulaski
Historic Occupant: Opera House
Occupant at listing: Morris Harwell
Current Occupant: Staar Theater and Center for the Arts
Building built: ca. 1868
"3. 109 N. First (Opera House). Ca. 1868. Second Empire. Two-story, six-bay; brick;
second-story windows enclosed; prominent mansard roof. First-story facade altered.
Morris Harwell . (C)" ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"The second-floor Pulaski Opera House was opened December 25, 1868. It was designed by architect M.D. LeMayne in a French Second Empire style. There are two levels of seating. The proscenium is 16ft wide and the stage is 40ft deep. It initially presented vaudeville, minstrel shows and political rallies. It was closed in the 1930’s. Renovations began in 1985.
"It served as a movie house after the original Best Theatre burned down and was being rebuilt. It now serves as a performing arts venue." ~ Cinema Treasures
"The relative simplicity of the buildings facing the square act as an excellent backdrop
to the elaborateness of the courthouse. These rows of two or three-story, flat-roofed
brick commercial buildings exhibit the changes in architectural style from the 1860 s
to the 1930's. A number of buildings incorporate round-arched windows with decorative
corbeling and bracketed cornices.
"Due to the establishment of leading businesses and the county court on the square,
Pulaski became the largest town and trade center in Giles County, Pulaski's square
continues to thrive and serve a variety of functions and social needs, as shown in
its buildings.
"An architectural survey of Pulaski was conducted for the Tennessee Historical Commission
in 1979 by students in the Historic Preservation Program at Middle Tennessee State University
This survey was updated between September 1982 and February 1983 by Margaret Butler and James
Mackey, Giles County Historical Society, and by Lloyd Ostby, Tennessee Historical Commission.
Historical research was done by Margaret Butler at the Giles County Public Library and by
Lloyd Ostby at the Tennessee State Library. Additional material was gathered by Kirn Chiles,
student at O'More School of Design. Using this information, Lloyd Ostby determined the
boundaries and the significance of the district and its individual properties." ~ NRHP Nomination Form