FIRST - Opera House in Helena, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 46° 35.220 W 112° 02.319
12T E 420429 N 5159795
The building on this site was originally Helena's first opera house, offering a wide variety of entertainment.
Waymark Code: WMZF7M
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 11/01/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member jhuoni
Views: 1

Wealthy cattleman John H. Ming opened Helena's first opera house in this building on September 2, 1880, featuring Katie Putnam in a production entitled "Old Curiosity Shop." Ming's Opera house offered audiences a vast selection of entertainment including minstrels, comedies, dramas, hypnotists, magicians, opera, musicals, romances, burlesque, bands, Shakespeare, melodramas, and vaudeville. After John Ming passed away in 1888 the Ming family, primarily James L. Ming, operated the theatre until 1898, when it was purchased by Eugene T. Wilson, receiver of the First National Bank of Helena, as settlement of the Ming mortgage held by the bank. Ming's Opera House was sold in April 1901 for $15,000 to John Cort of Seattle. In 1902, the theater was managed by Fred W. Gatz as the Helena Theater and continued in operation until some time between 1910 and 1912.

In 1912 the building was purchased by the Masons and renovated to become the Shrine Consistory Temple. The date stone on the new Egyptian Revival façade reads 1915. The Masons no longer use the building and had, after much agonizing, put the building up for sale in 2015.
Behind the monumental Egyptian Revival façade of the Consistory Shrine Temple, still standing today, is one of Helena's best-kept historical treasures: the interior of the 1880 Ming Opera House. The theatre was acquired and modified by Helena Masons in 1912; in 1915 the façade, designed by architects George Carsley and C. S. Haire, was added.
From Helena History
Ming's Opera House
John H. Ming opened Helena's first opera house, described by one city newspaper as "Montana's first pretentious theater," on September 2, 1880, featuring Katie Putnam in a production entitled "Old Curiosity Shop." Ming's Opera house was a general variety theater offering Helena audiences a wide selection of entertainment, including minstrels, comedies, dramas, hypnotists, magicians, opera, musicals, romances, burlesque, bands, Shakespeare, melodramas, and vaudeville. The Eastern production companies stopped to play Ming's as they travelled west to the coast on the Northern Pacific Railroad. Ming's Opera House, located at 13 N. Jackson, underwent a lavish remodeling and celebrated a second grand opening in October 1888, shortly after the death of its founder.

Operation of the theater continued under the guidance of the Ming family, primarily James L. Ming, until 1898. In November of that year, the opera house was purchased by Eugene T. Wilson, receiver of the First National Bank of Helena, as settlement of the Ming mortgage held by the bank. Wilson served as the theater's manager until 1901. Dates and terms for bookings were decided by mail. Most shows played only one night, and a contract generally gave the theater from 20 to 35 percent of the house. The division of the proceeds depended on the type of show, on the need for special effects such as music or scenery, and on the type of advertising used (some troops provided advance men, posters, and street parades to promote a production). E.T. Wilson sold Ming's Opera House in April 1901,for $15,000 to John Cort of Seattle. In 1902, the theater was managed by Fred W. Gatz as the Helena Theater. By 1915, the Ming's Opera House building was replaced by the Shrine Consistory Temple and the Helena Theater had gone out of business.
From Archives West
Type of documentation of superlative status: Archives West website

Location of coordinates: At the building

Web Site: [Web Link]

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