| Year(s) Listed: • 2005 |
| City/Town: • Grainfield |
| Location Class: • Theater |
| Built: 1887 | Abandoned: N/A |
| Historic Designation: • National Register of Historic Places (November 28, 1980) |
| Status: • Under Renovation |
| Contributor: Kansas Preservation Alliance |
This 2-story brick structure has an ornate cast iron façade manufactured by Mesker Brothers of St. Louis. The 50’X 100’ building is located at the corner of 3rd and Main. Much of the exterior maintenance and repair has been completed but the small group of community volunteers has reached the point of needing more help to get this wonderful building, visible from I-70, into productive service. They have had two Heritage Trust Fund grants. That has meant raising the matching funds which totaled $30,000. The Lions Club owns the building and does most of the volunteer work in this town of just over 300 people.
The building will accommodate businesses on the 1st floor with an auditorium on the second floor which could showcase live performances. It would make a lovely venue for wedding receptions and similar events. The long decade of hard work will be a waste if the project isn’t finished so the Grainfield Opera House can again be a shopping and social destination for residents of Gove and Sheridan Counties, people from Colby to Hayes, and travelers along I-70.