Elliott Opera House

 

 

Press and Carolinian Trade Edition, 

January 1890

ELLIOTT & ELLIOTT.

This co-partnership is composed of Mr. J. D. Elliott, of Burke county, and Mr. J. W. Elliott, of Mecklenburg county. They are practical builders and contractors, and have been associated together as a firm for the past five years. As building contractors they are among the largest and most widely known in the State. Indeed, the many edifices erected by them in various States stand as monuments to their fame as superior workmen and supervisors. They have executed large contracts in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama and Arkansas. They were the builders of the Asheville passenger depot, also all the depots on the H. P. B. & A. Southern railroad; Jackson county Courthouse, contract $12,000.00; Galloway Female College (Searcy, Ark.), contract $30,000.00; Claremont College addition, etc.

One of the grandest pieces of their architecture, however, is the ELLIOTT OPERA HOUSE of this city, and which deserves more than passing notice.

The arrangements throughout are as perfect and complete as the size of the building will allow, and are not to be excelled in the south.

The auditorium will seat 750 people comfortably, and the parquet will contain 320 opera chairs. The parquet and gallery will be arranged in elevated tiers of seats with inclined aisles.

On each side of the stage will be a proscenium box accommodating 8 persons, and above each of these, on a level with the gallery floor, will be an oriental balcony to hold six persons.

The house will be lighted with electricity, controlled from the stage.

The dimensions of the auditorium are 58x64 feet with a clearing of 24 feet from the orchestra circle to the ceiling. The stage floor is 58x32 feet with a 28 foot ceiling.

The proscenium arch requires a drop curtain 20x28 feet and scenes will be 15x24 feet. There will be 13 full and complete scenes, which in combination will form 18 distinct changes. All backings will be mounted on flats, which, with the numerous cut pieces, sets, flies and accessories, will form for each a most realistic representation of nature. One hundred and twenty-one pieces of scenery, with a top roll, balanced drop, counter-balanced sets, alternating flies, set waters and traps, complete the stage outfit.

The auditorium will be adorned with an ornamentation appropriate to the place, displaying an elaborate design of French renaissance and special studies in mythological allegory in fresco.

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Newton Enterprise

December 26, 1902 

 

Big Fire at Hickory.

Opera House and Six Stores Burned.

 

At 2:30 A. M. Tuesday morning the Elliott Opera House in Hickory was found burning.  The fire started on the steps leading from the sidewalk to the door of [the] opera house on the second story.  The building was entirely consumed.  The first floor was occupied by the Ingold Hardware Company and by Setzer & Sons dry goods merchants.  In addition to these four other stores south of the opera [house] were burned.  These were J.P. Little & Co., C. T. Morrisons, K. C.  Menzies vacant house and a restaurant.

 This is the biggest fire that has ever occurred in Catawba county.  We cannot get an estimate of the loss, as the telephone wires are not working this morning.  But it will probably foot up $30,000 or $40,000.

 It is believed to have been an incendiary fire as the lower part of the steps when the fire was discovered were covered with oil.

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See Also

Hickory Daily Record-----Saturday, September 11, 1965  (50th Anniversary Issue)