Lawrence Opera House
326 Essex Street,
Lawrence,
MA
01840
326 Essex Street,
Lawrence,
MA
01840
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There is additional historical detail about and pictures of the Lawrence Opera House here. The pictures will enlarge if clicked upon.
The Lawrence Opera House was among Lawrence theaters which appeared on a long list of theaters and halls in Massachusetts which received licenses during the 12 months ending Oct. 31, 1914. Other Lawrence theaters on the list: Broadway, Colonial and Nickle; all managed by Toomey & Demara and all in Good condition; plus the Victoria Theatre; plus some function/fraternal halls.
Grants actually stayed in downtown Lawrence until 1976.
here are a couple of shots from 1928 (one actually) I recently got that show the the B&L built bridge along side the Central Bridge and the depot in the rear of the Opera house. You can also see the front of the Empire theater to the right.
http://www.pbase.com/jroy/image/124331297
http://www.pbase.com/jroy/image/124331298
I did not realize that Julius Cahn was associated with this theater. I assumed that he worked out of an office in New York and that he was not involved in out-of-town endeavors. In an age long before computers it must have been a struggle for him to keep his Official Theatrical Guide current each year. Especially since publishing this Guide was a side-line for him.
The Opera House in Lawrence is listed in the 1897-98 edition of the Julius Cahn Official Theatrical Guide. A.L. Grant was the Mgr. The seating capacity was listed as 1,532. The proscenium was 28 feet high, and the stage was 49 feet deep. The theater was on the second floor. Hotels for show folk were the Franklin, Central, Brunswick and the Vendome. The 1897 population of Lawrence was 53,000.