Caledonia Opera House
Encyclopedia
The Caledonia Opera House was a three-storey building located in small town Caledonia, Ontario
from the 1830s until a fire which destroyed the building in 1947.
in the 1830s there were very few buildings on what would become Caledonia's main street: Argyle St. One of the few was a building known then as the Bryant Tavern, located on the corner of present day Argyle Street North and Caithness Street East, where the Cornerstone Restaurant is now located.
.
).
It was the end of an era, as Caledonia has not seen a permanent thearte facility since.
has had several other theatre companies in more recent times. Theatre Amicitia was operated in the St. Andrews Masonic Lodge Hall until the mid 2000's. Another company called Grand Mill Theatre operated as a committee of the Caledonia Old Mill Corporation
until 2008.
In the 1900s Caledonia was also home to the Regency or Regent Theatre which showed motion picture films in a small building located on Caithness Street East, about where the Regency Apartments are now located. This Theatre closed in the late 1970s.
Caledonia, Ontario
Caledonia is a small riverside community and former town located on the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Ken Hewitt; Caledonia is...
from the 1830s until a fire which destroyed the building in 1947.
The Early Days
When Ranald McKinnon came to CaledoniaCaledonia, Ontario
Caledonia is a small riverside community and former town located on the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Ken Hewitt; Caledonia is...
in the 1830s there were very few buildings on what would become Caledonia's main street: Argyle St. One of the few was a building known then as the Bryant Tavern, located on the corner of present day Argyle Street North and Caithness Street East, where the Cornerstone Restaurant is now located.
The 1850's
In the 1850s the Bryant Tavern became known as the Roper block as a druggist with the name Roper owned the building. During this time the building held a variety store, the Roper drug store, and several other small shops on the main level. The 2nd floor was a large opera hall used and rented for the showing of theatre performances chataqua shows, and political rallies of the day. The top storey of the red-brick building was used as the lodge hall for the Caledonia Masonic LodgeMasonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
.
Fire & the End of an Era
In 1947 a fire started in the opera hall, which gutted the entire building and the stores located next to it, including the Caledonia Restaurant, owned by the Vlachos family (whose daughter would later become co-owner of Caledonia's Oasis Drive-InOasis Drive-In
The Oasis Drive-In is a restaurant located in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada, at 22 1/2 Argyle Street South. It opened in 1927 and is considered to be Ontario's and likely Canada's oldest Drive-In restaurant...
).
It was the end of an era, as Caledonia has not seen a permanent thearte facility since.
Other Theatre Companies
CaledoniaCaledonia, Ontario
Caledonia is a small riverside community and former town located on the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Ken Hewitt; Caledonia is...
has had several other theatre companies in more recent times. Theatre Amicitia was operated in the St. Andrews Masonic Lodge Hall until the mid 2000's. Another company called Grand Mill Theatre operated as a committee of the Caledonia Old Mill Corporation
Caledonia Mill
The Caledonia Mill is a historic mill building located in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada. Built in 1846, it is a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act...
until 2008.
In the 1900s Caledonia was also home to the Regency or Regent Theatre which showed motion picture films in a small building located on Caithness Street East, about where the Regency Apartments are now located. This Theatre closed in the late 1970s.