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Built by H.B.
Trout in 1903, this 20-sided wood-frame auditorium is 150 feet in
diameter. It has a patented radial roof truss system, which was invented
by Morrison H. Vail in 1902. The structure can hold 6,000 patrons,
making it the largest surviving “Chautauqua” auditorium of its kind in
the nation. The auditorium was built as part of the Chautauqua Movement,
which promoted education and entertainment through communal events. In
the 1910s and 1920s, vaudevillians Gallagher & Shean and local
bandleader George Goforth were regular performers. It
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, but a
century of deterioration and the need for a complete roof replacement
pose serious structural challenges. An initial restoration bid was
estimated at $1.75 million. The City Council has indicated that the
building will be razed if repairs are not addressed in two years.
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HOW CAN I HELP?
To learn more about the
auditorium and donate to the roof stabilization project, please
visit the Chautauqua Auditorium Preservation Commission’s web site:
www.shelbyvillechautauqua.com. |
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