Built between 1912-1914 by the Homestake Mining Company, this $250,000 facility included not only a beautiful modern opera house with a seating capacity of over 1,000, but also a bowling alley, swimming pool, library, social rooms, and billiard and game rooms. The Opera House itself was, for almost 70 years, the scene of many activities including opera, ballet, vaudeville, concerts, plays, movies, high school commencement exercises, boxing matches and festivals. Originally managed by the Homestake, the facility was given to the city of Lead in 1972. Tragically, on April 2, 1984, the Opera House portion of the building was gutted by a fire which had begun beneath the stage. The undamaged main floor recreation section of the structure has since reopened to house several small businesses.
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