Shortgrass Playhouse - Hobart, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 01.553 W 099° 05.558
14S E 491549 N 3875917
This is home to an active community theater.
Waymark Code: WM11V89
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 12/21/2019
Views: 3
Very little could be found about the Shortgrass Playhouse, except that it puts on three productions each year.
The history of this building is fascinating. Shortgrass Playhouse occupies the upper floors of the old City Hall building built in 1912. The ground floor is occupied by the Hobart Fire Department. Though the town was only established in 1901, the new town built this beautiful three-story brick building in the downtown area. Originally it was occupied as City Hall on the ground floor, and the upper floors were an 1100-seat auditorium. This auditorium was used extensively over the years for church revivals, school dances and graduations, political speeches and even prize fights. In the 1930's offices were set up for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and during WW2, it was a USO facility. In 1978, the upper floors were used by Shortgrass Playhouse for rehearsals and storage. When the building was placed on the National Register in 1978, the Playhouse began a full remodeling of the building.
It is reportedly haunted, with several ghosts having been encountered. A man named Charlie Savage, whose headstone was found in the building has been encountered by several people. A child has also been heard and rumors are that it centers around the terrible Babbs Switch fire that killed many children, whose bodies were brought to this building when it was occupied by a funeral home.