The Perkins Opera House (also known as the Monticello Opera House) is a historic theater in Monticello, Florida, United States. It is located at the corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Street.
- Venue
- Perkins Opera House
- Address
- 185 W Washington St, Monticello, FL 32344
- Town
- Monticello, US
The Perkins Opera House (also known as the Monticello Opera House) is a historic theater in Monticello, Florida, United States. It is located at the corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Street. The Perkins Block Building was named after Monticello businessman John H. Perkins. As new railroads brought travelers through Monticello, the town hoped to build hotels and cultural attractions that would profit from the new tourist industry. Perkins was given a ten-year tax break on the condition that he funded a building that could house storefronts and a theater. An architect from Chattanooga, W. R. Gunn, was hired to build the structure, and completed the opera house in 1890. The building included three first floor bays housing Perkins' mercantile interests - a general store and sewing machine shop, a hardware store and a farm implement supply store. In addition, Perkins built a stable behind the building from which horses, mules and wagons were sold. The second floor of the Perkins Block included a large foyer and an opera house boasting unparalleled acoustics and the largest stage in the region. Perkins had hopes of establishing the opera house as a major theater in the South. For several years, performances included both professional touring groups and local vaudeville productions, such as The Mikado and She Stoops to Conquer. Shortly after the turn of the century, however, the railroads were re-routed, by-passing Monticello. The wealthy patrons who had once wintered in south Georgia and north Florida sought destinations further south in Florida, and the opera house faced financial disaster. Unable to attract the once-popular theatre productions, Perkins discontinued live performances. One of the final productions at the theater featured future Governor of Florida LeRoy Collins. A failed attempt to utilize the building as a movie theater led to the abandonment of the auditorium. Although the downstairs bays saw continuous occupation for a variety of uses, the oper