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| Allegheny Almanac |
Local steel manufacturer Thomas Struthers left his name on the town in
the late 19th Century when he wanted to build a local opera house at the
corner of Third Avenue and Liberty Street. The problem was that most
people in town looked askance at an entertainment emporium, so he
named it the "Struthers Library Building" and actually put in a stately
public library on its second floor. It also housed the local post office.
From this building grew the nationally recognized Warren Public
Library now on Market Street and an oversized Post Office just across the
street from the "Library Building."
It was an historic triple play. Warren eventually ended up with a
beautiful opera house, a substantial post office, and a terrific library. The
post office grew into one of the largest in the state, servicing a hugely
successful mail order company in town, the New Process Company,
which originally sold raincoats to undertakers.
Today it is known as Blair clothing and it has its own zip code. Blair
was so popular that tourists came by the busload to shop at its outlet in
nearby Starbrick and then attend a Broadway play at a refurbished
Struthers Library Theatre and stay overnight at a local motel.
Blair discovered it could sell more clothes on the internet so it closed
its tourist attraction, the Blair Outlet. The buses stopped coming and the
Broadway plays left Warren amidst legal disagreement.
In the 21st Century a group of civic-minded residents want to build a
new entertainment emporium, "The Allegheny Musarium," in hopes of
repeating Thomas Struthers' stroke of luck. The idea came up after the
Blair Outlet closed and the busloads of tourists went elsewhere.
History seems to be repeating itself. Although most people in town
think a musarium is an original, creative idea, they doubt the project's
feasibility. Like townspeople during Struther's Victorian Era, they are
skeptical and most local industry has adopted a wait and see approach.
The musarium organization has just completed a fund-raising
program and is awaiting an independent feasibility study which may
trigger donations nationwide from ecologically minded corporations.
Organizers for the Disney-land type project (read here for more
details) have already acquired land in nearby Starbrick, not far from the
closed Blair Clothing Outlet. Will they build it? Will tourists come by the
busloads? If they do, it may mean more seats will get filled at the
Struthers Library Theatre, the 18th oldest opera house in the United
States in continuous operation. With close to a thousand seats it is a treat
to visit. (Continued on next page.)
the late 19th Century when he wanted to build a local opera house at the
corner of Third Avenue and Liberty Street. The problem was that most
people in town looked askance at an entertainment emporium, so he
named it the "Struthers Library Building" and actually put in a stately
public library on its second floor. It also housed the local post office.
From this building grew the nationally recognized Warren Public
Library now on Market Street and an oversized Post Office just across the
street from the "Library Building."
It was an historic triple play. Warren eventually ended up with a
beautiful opera house, a substantial post office, and a terrific library. The
post office grew into one of the largest in the state, servicing a hugely
successful mail order company in town, the New Process Company,
which originally sold raincoats to undertakers.
Today it is known as Blair clothing and it has its own zip code. Blair
was so popular that tourists came by the busload to shop at its outlet in
nearby Starbrick and then attend a Broadway play at a refurbished
Struthers Library Theatre and stay overnight at a local motel.
Blair discovered it could sell more clothes on the internet so it closed
its tourist attraction, the Blair Outlet. The buses stopped coming and the
Broadway plays left Warren amidst legal disagreement.
In the 21st Century a group of civic-minded residents want to build a
new entertainment emporium, "The Allegheny Musarium," in hopes of
repeating Thomas Struthers' stroke of luck. The idea came up after the
Blair Outlet closed and the busloads of tourists went elsewhere.
History seems to be repeating itself. Although most people in town
think a musarium is an original, creative idea, they doubt the project's
feasibility. Like townspeople during Struther's Victorian Era, they are
skeptical and most local industry has adopted a wait and see approach.
The musarium organization has just completed a fund-raising
program and is awaiting an independent feasibility study which may
trigger donations nationwide from ecologically minded corporations.
Organizers for the Disney-land type project (read here for more
details) have already acquired land in nearby Starbrick, not far from the
closed Blair Clothing Outlet. Will they build it? Will tourists come by the
busloads? If they do, it may mean more seats will get filled at the
Struthers Library Theatre, the 18th oldest opera house in the United
States in continuous operation. With close to a thousand seats it is a treat
to visit. (Continued on next page.)
| The 1883 Struthers Library Theatre |
Cornerstone of a Community: Across the
street from the Sill House, in the heart of
downtown at 3rd and Liberty streets, an
accurately restored Victorian opera house
offers musical concerts, theater and art films
and business meetings throughout the year.
This is the home of The Warren Players who
are reportedly the oldest continuously
performing community theater group in the
United States, now in its 77th consecutive
season.
street from the Sill House, in the heart of
downtown at 3rd and Liberty streets, an
accurately restored Victorian opera house
offers musical concerts, theater and art films
and business meetings throughout the year.
This is the home of The Warren Players who
are reportedly the oldest continuously
performing community theater group in the
United States, now in its 77th consecutive
season.
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| Victorian Warren Pennsylvania |
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