Daum's Opera House

In the late 1890s, in competition with the Grand or perhaps because there was a need, Joseph Daum built and operated a theatre on the corner of Illinois and Second SW. This house also featured traveling entertainers and local talent.

The spirit of the showmanship prevailed the night the Grand burned. The North Bros. Theatrical Company lost all its costumes and scenery in the blaze, but Daum gave over his theatre so the North Bros. could present a benefit performance two nights later and recover some of their losses.

The opera house building was moved to a new location at 435 Dakota S. in 1902 and became part of an expanded entertainment complex consisting of the opera house; a small hall for private parties, dancing lessons, and dances; and a large arena-like room suitable for basketball, roller skating, dances, stage shows, conventions, and expositions. Each room was adjacent to the spacious lobby which provided waiting room and the ticket box office.

Although it was DAUM'S OPERA HOUSE originally, the name GRAND OPERA HOUSE was soon adopted after 1902. (Confusion can result for the researcher unless he is cognisant of the dates involved.)

High school graduation was held at Daum's Opera House as were class plays, grade school operettas, and numerous community programs. Among the professional troupes the favourites were Clint and Bessie Robbins, who appeared for a full week each year and presented a different play each evening. This troupe continued to visit Huron after Daum's theatre was torn down. They appeared at the Huron Theatre and once or twice at the Huron College Auditorium.

An epic film directed by D. W. Griffith was released in 1915. On February 21, 1916, Daum's equipped the theatre with projectors and a screen and showed THE BIRTH OF A NATION for matinee and evening performances. A 25-piece symphony accompanied the film with a score written especially for the movie. Reserved seat prices ranged from 50 cents to $2. Daum's continued to show movies occasionally but competition from regular movie houses made this venture less profitable than live entertainment.

It seems that at one time a travelling troupe was presenting a series of plays here. There was a certain popular star appearing with the group who did not confine her entertainment exclusively to the stage. Shortly after this troupe left town, several prominent gentlemen of the city were afflicted with an uncomfortable and embarrassing condition which might be termed a social infirmity - definitely not "Grand".

Daum's Opera House gradually went downhill, and being rather unsafe for large gatherings, was torn down in the middle 1920s. But Daum's Auditorium flourished another quarter century. The vast auditorium provided room for numerous sporting events including wrestling, boxing, and basketball. The first state high school basketball champion was decided in the Daum auditorium on March 16, 1912. Huron College sponsored the tournament. Redfield claimed the first title. City league basketball games were also battled out at the community's top entertainment spot with such immense crowds coming to watch that often there was standing room only.

Other events at the busy building included farm shows (one in particular was billed as "Cow-Hen-Sow" Day), auto shows, and political meetings. President Taft spoke to a huge crowd gathered in the street in front of Daum's on October 23, 1911. The platform was draped with bunting as decoration for the President and other dignitaries.

During most of its existence, the auditorium hosted dances, usually on Saturday night, and featured most of the dance bands in the area, among which were those of Don Shaw, Louie Lang, and Mike Gibbs. A young Lawrence Welk appeared there several times.

Another regular feature was roller skating which drew a faithful following and produced some "mighty fancy" skaters.

A bowling alley was build in the basement of the auditorium in the 1930s. The six lanes had no automatic pin setts and all the pins were set by hand. The building housed several shops which opened onto Dakota Avenue.

A new field of entertainment swept the country in the early 1900s and Joe Daum leased a portion of his auditorium for that purpose in 1907. An article in the JOURNAL-WORLD of June 13 stated: The COZY THEATRE, the newest amusement enterprise in Huron, is doing a good business and drawing crowds every night, the low price of admission attracting amusement lovers night after night. Moving pictures and illustrated songs comprise the entertainment, there being a complete change of program two or three times a week.

The new theatre is in the front of the auditorium, 30 feet being partitioned off for that purpose.

(No more information appeared about the COZY after June 20 so it may be assumed that it was short-lived.)

The entire Daum entertainment complex was razed in the 1950s.

In June 1904 many business people planned a gala celebration that would run June 30 through July 4. Events scheduled included races, ball games, fireworks, a parade, and a beauty queen contest. A travelling carnival complete with Ferris wheel and various side shows was set up on main street. One tent at the corner of Second and Dakota housed the ELECTRIC THEATRE and a banner was the name "CINDERELLA". This short film may have been the first movie shown in Huron.

Possibly the carnival was a little too much for Huron. The HURONITE on July 5 had this to say: For a week now everything has been given over to the street fairs. Business has been demoralised, the streets made haunts for grafters, and the town transformed from a town of peaceful industry to one of riotous pleasure-seeking. Many of the carnival attractions were unobjectionable and some very pleasing. Others low and vile.

Following the carnival is a bunch of thieves, thugs, prostitutes, pickpockets and gamblers, to whom the prison doors should swing open. For shame!

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