The Historic Homestake Opera House in Lead is celebrating it’s centennial birthday this weekend. The Opera House opened it’s doors one hundred years ago this weekend in 1914 – it was designed as an artistic venue and recreation facility for miners and their families.
Historic Homestake Opera House Executive Director Sarah Carlson says a fire gutted the theater back in 1984, but prior to that it was a cultural and entertainment hub for the Black Hills region for decades.
“Movies were held in the theatre. The swimming pool was filled with people learning to swim and enjoying themselves in a heated underground swimming pool in 1914 if you can believe that. We had tons of miners that were here who were looking for a place to get away from the grubby, gritty underground mine and they could come here and read a book in the library, they could go bowling in the bowling alley, they could see a movie, they could see a show, and also Phoebe Hearst made sure that those mine workers who came from seventy-nine countries around the world could come up to that library and read a book in their own language,” says Carlson.
Carlson says the Opera House still serves as a community gathering place today and there are concerts, plays, and other events taking place year round. She says there is a celebration for the Opera House this weekend that includes speakers, a dance performance, movie showings, tours, and a photo and video presentation.
