Marlin Opera House

After the Civil War, Silas J. Marlin returned to Brookville and, using his fortune from the lumber industry, began building the Marlin Opera House Block in the spring of 1883. The building included retail spaces and offices as well as an elaborate theater on the second and third floors above Main Street. The Marlin Opera House operated only from 1886 to about 1904, when traveling groups performed on its stage and Brookville High School held its graduation ceremony there. In the late 1800s, such theater productions were one of the few forms of entertainment available, but with the emergence of motion pictures at the end of the 19th century, the success of live entertainment began to fade and the opera house lasted only about twenty years. The theater remains in remarkable condition, with vibrant hand-painted wall details, a few original seats, and a grand gas-lit chandelier. It could seat 900 people in three sections, two on the floor and one in a balcony, with different prices for each section.

Brookville, Pennsylvania · United States