November 2, 1877 – Located on the southeast corner of Clinton & College Streets, The Grand Opera House – Iowa City’s newest theatre – is dedicated.
The Coldren Opera House was designed by the Des Moines architect, Robert S. Finkbine – a three-story brick facility built on the southeast corner of Clinton & College Streets, replacing the popular Clinton House which burned to the ground in 1872. Originally called The Grand Opera House, the Coldren name comes from its second owner, John N. Coldren – a widely respected Johnson County sheriff from 1877 to 1882 who also went into banking near the end of his career.
The Coldren interior – considered spectacular in its time – featured an array of chandelier and sconce lighting, and Its stage lighting was considered state-of-the-art during the late 19th century. Originally designed to accommodate nearly 1,000 guests, after the 1897 remodeling, The Coldren seated 845 patrons on three levels – all within the top two floors of the building – 54 steps up from the chamfered-corner entrance on Clinton & College Streets. In truth, during the last two decades of the 19th century, and until its demise in 1912, it was hard to find many civic events of Iowa City that weren’t hosted by the popular Coldren Opera House.
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