Opera House

106 E. 2nd Street,
Olin, IA 52320

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Additional Info

Functions: Fraternal Hall, Senior Center

Nearby Theaters

This theater was constructed around 1892. It was a large single story building in yellow brick with a fly tower at the rear.

This town is very small, and information is scant, but the current red brick facade appears to date from a 1910-20 remodel. A barn roof appears to have been added at some later date, perhaps replacing an upper story. The building is currently the local American Legion post and is also used as a senior center.

Olin does not appear in theater listings, and there are no Sanborn maps.

Contributed by Seth Gaines

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 4, 2025 at 2:19 am

The only mention of the Olin Opera House I’ve been able to find in any theater industry trade journal is from the November 14, 1925 issue of Motion Picture News, which said that the Des Moines office of the Exhibitors Supply Company had reported the sale of “…two machines to Mr. Lawson of the Olin Opera House at Olin, Iowa….”

However, much later another theatre name is connected with Olin, appearing in the July 2, 1949 issue of Boxoffice, which said that exhibitor L. L. Leibrock, owner of the Plaza Theatre at Olin had been named County Engineer. He planned to continue operating the theater, which he had owned for about ten years. The Plaza is mentioned again in the December 30, 1950 Boxoffice, which said the house had celebrated its 11th anniversary on Thanksgiving Day (November 23 that year.) I’ve been unable to discover if the Plaza was the same theater as the Opera House.

SethG
SethG on February 4, 2025 at 7:00 am

I think the Plaza has to be the same place. There are no other suitable buildings. There are some cruddy modern buildings, but I don’t think the Plaza was where they are, based on the description (in the NRHP listing for downtown) of what was replaced. Can’t believe I didn’t take a picture of this.

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