Oxford Opera House

Oxford Opera House
(48 S. Washington St.)

The Oxford movie theatre (GQT Oxford 7) is located at the same site where the Oxford Opera House once stood.

In 1891, Judge Joseph Powell donated $9,000 to build an opera house, measuring 40’x 60’ with 342 chairs on the main floor and an additional 156 in the horseshoe balcony. The ceiling was 40 feet high.

Henry Vinton was hired to manage the opera house with a salary of $300.

From 1892-1896, Oxford was on the “lecture tour,” bringing in new plays, politicians and comedic companies. The railroad industry had a hand in its success.

The Oxford Opera House exchanged hands several times through the years. Mr. Vinton purchased the opera house in 1902 for $3000. In 1905, he sold the establishment to Samuel and Elizabeth Axford for $3500. Loluie Lenhoff owned the business in 1907 but ran into financial trouble. By 1913 Andrew Glaspie and Gent Kessell purchased the opera house from a sheriff’s auction for $1.00. In the spring of 1927, Ray Forman purchased the establishment from Mr. Kessell’s widow.

Throughout the turn of the century, Oxford’s Opera House served as a community gathering place, be it high school graduations, roller skating or indoor baseball during the winter.

By 1914, the opera house installed it’s very first motion picture, which quickly gained popularity. But tragedy struck in 1934, when the building caught fire. Upon its remodeling, the structure was set up for more motion picture viewing.

Again, tragedy would strike on February 9th, 1972 when the theatre burned down. The building next door, which had the village hall and the fire department in it was damaged, rendering it structurally unsafe for continued use. The Reed building (to the north) eventually collapsed, leaving a vacant lot. After a lengthy court battle the Twin Cinema was finished, and several years later expanded to the Reed site as part of its present footprint.