502 1st Avenue South
St James, MN, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Grand Opera House (St. James Opera House)

Statement of Significance:

The St. James Opera House, historically known as the Grand Opera House, and the Opera House Block, is eligible for the National Register under Criterion A (significance to the broad patterns of our history) in the area of Entertainment/Recreation. The opera house is locally significant as the building that served between 1892 and 1921 as St. James’ principal performance hall. The opera house played an important cultural role by bringing live theater, classical and popular music, comedy, and other performance arts to St. James, as well as serving an educational and recreational function. The property is significant within the statewide historic context entitled “Railroads and Agricultural Development, 1870-1940.”

St. James is in Watonwan County, a largely rural, agricultural area in south central Minnesota. The city was platted by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad in July of 1870, four months before the first passenger train traveled the newly constructed railroad line. St. James was the second town to be established in Watonwan County. The St. Paul and Sioux City had planned St. James at least three years earlier to be a division headquarters along the railroad’s route between St. Paul and Sioux City, Iowa. Elias Drake, president of the St. Paul and Sioux City, reportedly named the town St. James for no apparent reason other than it was a simple name and would be easy to remember (Upham 1969:576). The core of the village was built in 1870 when railroad workers, entrepreneurs, and new settlers arrived and constructed houses, hotels, commercial buildings, and railroad shops using lumber that was shipped in on freight trains.

The St. Paul and Sioux City’s division headquarters was the town’s major focus during its formative years and was a primary employer for several decades. A roundhouse, railroad shops, spur tracks, depots, and railroad offices were all built along the tracks. Hotels, rooming houses, cafes, and stores were established to cater to hundreds of permanent and transient railroad workers who converged on St. James.

As a major railroad division town, St. James grew quickly. By April of 1872 St. James’ population had grown to 600 residents and the first village government had been established. In 1878 the county seat was moved from nearby Madelia to St. James. In 1899 a second railroad line, the Minneapolis and St. Louis, was built through St. James in a southwesterly direction toward Jackson County. On April 27, 1899, St. James was incorporated as a city.

In addition to its transportation functions, St. James also became an agricultural trade center as large numbers of settlers moved into Watonwan and neighboring counties to establish farms. By 1896 there were more than 100 businesses in St. James—including four hotels, four banks, two weekly newspapers, and dozens of retail stores and small service businesses—most of which catered to farmers. The town’s major industries included the railroad shops, four grain elevators, three carriage and wagon manufacturers, a cigar factory, a bottling works, a creamery, and a flour mill. At the peak of the railroad’s influence in 1870-1925, St. James was a bustling trade center served by several passenger and freight trains each day.

Just as the founding residents of St. James worked to build a strong economy, early community members (many of whom were highly educated and had moved to St. James from larger cities) worked to create a rewarding cultural and social environment. The cultural and social life of the new city initially fell within the domain of approximately eight churches, about seven lodges and fraternal societies, a public library, and several women’s study clubs and civic organizations.

In 1890 a group of local businessmen apparently recognized the need for a centrally located facility for cultural, recreational, and social activities and joined forces to finance the opera house. The men who comprised this investment group were all officials of the State Bank of St. James (which would occupy the building’s comer storefront) or were merchants who worked downtown. The group, first called the Opera House Block Syndicate and later the St. James Opera House Company, included State Bank personnel Thomas Veltum, Frank O’Meara, and Clinton Ellsworth; J. K. Sonnesyn, who would operate a general store on the first floor of the building; W. W. Gibbs, hotel owner; and J. M. G. Price. The local newspaper reported in July of 1891:

A syndicate of gentlemen have for some time been figuring on building a handsome block on the Aldritt property at the comer of E* Ave. and 5* Street, and (on) the first of the week arrangements were completed which assures the immediate building of a brick block 50 x 110 feet on the ground and about 36 feet high. The comer room will be occupied by the State Bank, and the rest of the building by J. K. Sonnesyn and Bro. for their general merchandise store, they are having two fronts, one on E’ Ave. and one on the rear of the bank, on 5* St. The upper story will be fitted up as an opera house, and we are assured that we will have one of the finest opera houses between Minneapolis and Sioux City. The building will cost from $15,000 to $20,000. (St. James Journal, July 24, 1891)

The name of the architect who designed the opera house is not known. The syndicate commissioned contractor John S. Bumby, a brother-in-law of Thomas Veltum who was a member of the investment group and later President ofthe First National Bank, to construct the building. Bumby had moved to St. James in 1890 from Wisconsin where he had worked as a contractor with his father and brother. He eventually lived in St. James for 59 years, working as a builder and holding various public offices including that of Street Commissioner. He was a charter member of the St. James Fire Department and belonged to the Modem Woodmen. He constructed many residences, commercial structures, and farm buildings in the St. James area including the Veltum Block (later known as the Lunde Building), an addition to the public school, and the bam at the Alfred R. Voss farmstead south of town (listed in the NRHP on October 27, 1988).

The opera house, which eventually cost $35,000 ($714,000 in today’s dollars) to construct, was built as part of a downtown business boom that occupied St. James residents in 1891-1892. Several buildings, including the Grand Opera House, were started in 1891 and completed in 1892. They included two story brick commercial buildings built for J. P. Heiertz, A. W. Schweppe, Frank Reichlinger, Lars Swenson, J. J. Thornton, W. W. Gibbs, and A. K. Peck, and a three-story brick building constructed for Hans Olson (St. James Journal, Sept. 18, 1891).

The construction of the opera house was chronicled in detail by the local press. By September of 1891, the foundation was being laid. The stone column and arches at the bank entrance were installed at the end of October. Construction stopped during the winter of 1891 and was delayed by a wet spring in 1892. By the last week of April 1892 work had begun again. In August of 1892 the building was painted by Winter and Company of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

When the building was nearing completion, J. K. Sonnesyn moved his mercantile business into the eastern store and held a grand opening on August 27, 1892. Sonnesyn was a Norwegian-born merchant who had moved to Madelia in 1882 where he worked in (or owned) a general store. In 1886, he moved to the larger market town of St. James. Sonnesyn was a stockholder, director, and one-time president of the First National Bank of St. James. He also organized the Twin-City Oil Company of Minneapolis in 1906 and the Sonnesyn-Sundt Company, a general mercantile corporation, in Velva, North Dakota. Peter Sterrie joined Sonnesyn as a partner on January 1, 1893, and in 1927 he purchased Sonnesyn’s share of the mercantile store. The Sterrie family operated the store in the Opera House Block until 1967.

The State Bank of St. James moved into its new quarters in the building in late September of 1892. The bank had been organized in 1890 by Frank O’Meara. It was reorganized as a national bank and renamed the First National Bank of St. James in March of 1893. The first officers of the national bank were: Thomas Veltum, president; Clinton Ellsworth, vice president; Frank O’Meara, cashier; and Thomas Tonnesson, assistant cashier. By the turn of the century the First National was the largest of St. James’ four banks.

The bank’s new facilities in the Opera House Block were toured by the St. James Journal.

The counters rest on a marble foundation and are surmounted by an electro-bronze wire screen with chipped plate-glass trimmings. The wire design is very neat, with windows for cashier and paying teller. Behind this railing are money racks and drawers of the latest design, handsome business desks, letter files, legal blank cases, and everything in the way of bank furniture that will expedite and simplify business. Just back of this is a large fire-proof vault which contains at present one of the most perfect burglar-proof, time-lock safes ever invented, and a case and pigeonholes for books, papers, etc. Later about 200 safety vaults will be put in, which will be rented to the public. Back of the lobby is a room which will be devoted to the use of the customers of the bank, where will be found a table, chairs, stationery, etc. Back of this is the directors’ room, which is as yet unfurnished, but it is handsomely papered, and the ceiling is hand-painted. We are informed that this room will be fitted up as a parlor, with carpets, easy chairs, directors’ table, etc. The three rooms and vault cover a space 28 x 48 feet {St. James Journal, Sept. 30, 1892).

The article reported that the woodwork and furniture in the bank had an antique oak finish, and that the walls and ceilings were papered, frescoed, and painted. The floor of the banking room was tiled, and the words “First National Bank” were written in tiles at the main entrance.

The St. James Opera House was typical of hundreds of opera houses that were constructed across the Midwest during the years 1880-1910 with both public and private money. These opera houses or “opera halls” were often incorporated within large business blocks that had one or more income-producing retail stores on the first floor. Opera houses were often constructed adjacent to, and attached to, surrounding buildings, rather than being set apart from neighboring structures on larger lots. Like the St. James Opera House, many Midwestern opera houses of its size had raked or tiered main floor seating and one balcony. They often had no lobby but instead used a large hallway with a ticket booth as a receiving area. These auditoriums were often simple in form with small stages and very basic scenery and lighting. Large windows opened to provide ventilation. The halls were then superficially decorated with elegant painted walls. Interestingly, portraits of famous poets, authors, and playwrights—like those seen in St. James—were very popular (Jacobsen 1988: F8).

The Grand Opera House opened on November 26, 1892. Weeks before the opening, the event was publicized with bulletins announcing: “The Grand Opera House will be opened to the public on the 26* inst., by the Calicotte Comedy Company, one of the best troupes on the road” {St. James Journal, Nov. 11,1892). The day before the opening, the St. James Journal described the new theater:

As you step into the hall at the foot of the stairs you are greeted by an air of cosy wannth, and as you mount the stairs, your eyes are attracted by tasteful decorations, which are observable even before you enter the hall. . .. Passing the box office at your right you enter the hall, a room 66 x 48 feet in the clear, and you look down at the stage below you. The walls and ceilings are exquisitely tinted and frescoed, and after taking a look at the handsome drop curtain your eye is raised to a handsome medallion portrait of Shakespeare above and going further into the room you find that six portraits of similar style adorn the celling, and the work on each are exceedingly fine. At the right of Shakespeare is Beethoven; next comes Schiller, Wagner, Goethe, and Mozart. The walls are tinted gray and a dull red, with trimmings of gold. The drop curtain is a thing of beauty and represents an Italian sunset scene, with sky and water of that hue only seen in pictures of sunny Italy. The scenery consists of seven sets, representing a parlor sitting room, kitchen, prison, street, landscape and water. All the above work was done by John Weinard and his brother, of the firm of Weinard and Finke, of Minneapolis. The gentlemen have proved themselves workmen of exceptional ability. The parquet (main floor) is seated with 392 opera chairs, 170 of them upholstered with red plush, perforated seats and maple finish, and 218 finished in cherry. The floor is inclined, and we predict that chairs from the eight to the fourteenth rows back from the stage will be in the greatest demand, as they are on a level with and slightly above the stage, and the acoustic properties of the hall are such that one speaking in ordinary tone can be heard on the back of the hall. The balcony is not yet seated, but 250 chairs have been ordered for it and will be put in as soon as they arrive, and in the meantime temporary arrangements will be made. The stage is 24 x 48 feet, this including two small dressing rooms. If there can be any criticism made on the arrangements of the house, we think it will be lodged here. We believe had the architect extended the stage six or even ten feet further into the hall making it 38 x 48 feet, it would have been better, but this is a matter which would tend to the convenience of the players, not adding to the pleasure of the audience. The new ‘Grand’ is a success, and all honor is due the syndicate of gentlemen who have put their money and time into its building, and we believe the citizens of St. James will consider it a privilege and a pleasure to support it right royally {St. James Journal, Nov. 25, 1892).

In the late nineteenth century, many opera houses like the Grand Opera House were built with the intention of presenting “legitimate theater,” meant to elevate public taste and appeal to genteel audiences. Legitimate theater was distinguished from vaudeville and burlesque, two popular types of performance that were designed for different audiences and purposes. Vaudeville, an outgrowth of “variety acts,” was usually comprised of music, singing, dancing, or comedy performed in a series of short, independent acts. Burlesque was a theatrical performance that poked fun at or mocked an idea or well-known person, often with crude humor, the use of the term “opera house” was an attempt to emphasize musical performance over vaudeville and burlesque, which were considered evil or immoral by a large percentage of the American public. Opera houses attempted to broaden theater audiences to include more conservative patrons and were often given noble names such as the “Grand Opera House” or the “Academy of Music.”

The Grand Opera House, known after the early 20* century as the St. James Opera House, brought the arts to St. James. Performances exposed members of the community and surrounding farm families to a wide range of actors, directors, musicians, comedians, and other performance artists who came to St. James from all parts of the country. In the era before movies, radio, television, and automobiles, the opera house played a particularly important educational and cultural role in bringing information and ideas from the “greater world” to this small.