National Register of Historic Places

Metropolitan Opera House

Iowa Falls, Hardin County, Iowa
Listed
February 20, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75000690

About this property

The Metropolitan Opera House (MOH) is a historic opera house in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2012 it was included as a contributing property in the Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District. The Metropolitan Opera House was designed by the Omeyer & Thori architecture firm and opened with its first performance on December 27, 1899, with an audience numbering over 800, later proclaimed as the "biggest social event in the history of Iowa Falls." The house hosted notable artists including Otis Skinner, Walker Whiteside, and John Philip Sousa and his band. Between 1930–54, the house presented films and served as a venue for concerts and drama and dance productions of Ellsworth College and Iowa Falls High School. The theatre underwent restoration in 1993 and received upgrades to its digital projectors in June 2013 after it was purchased by John P. Whitesell of Iowa Falls. Oscar-nominated actor Hugh Jackman appeared at The Met's grand re-opening with his family on September 20, 2013. He introduced two of his films — Prisoners and The Wolverine.

Location

515 Washington St.
Iowa Falls, Hardin County, Iowa
42.51517, -93.26923

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

River Street Bridge
Industrial
0.3 mi
Washington Avenue Bridge
Industrial
0.3 mi
W. R. C. Hall
Industrial
0.4 mi
McClanahan Block
Industrial
0.4 mi
Princess-Sweet Shop
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Metropolitan Opera House listed on the National Register?

Metropolitan Opera House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 20, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Metropolitan Opera House?

Metropolitan Opera House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Metropolitan Opera House?

The period of significance for Metropolitan Opera House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Metropolitan Opera House?

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