Built at 100 Main Street in Ansonia in 1869-1870, the Ansonia Opera House served as the lower Naugatuck Velley’s premier theater and public hall until the Sterling Opera House was built in Derby in 1889. The Ansonia Opera House’s hall is on the third floor of the the building, while stores are located on the first floor. Until 1910, the hall was run by a corporation called the Ansonia Hall Company, in which Jeremiah Bartholomew and his descendants held a controlling interest. Connecticut’s oldest opera house, for sixty years it was the center of Ansonia’s civic and social activity and entertainment, including graduations, dances, recitals, basketball games and boxing matches. Sometime after 1896, additional windows were added to the building‘s second floor. In 1971, the state fire marshal’s office closed the hall to public assemblies. It was later rented out as a gym and then as storage space and is currently in need of restoration.
Boxing was quite popular in Ansonia during the 1920’s. My father had three fights at the Opera House and won the State Flyweight Championship there on 10.17.25. He went on to win the World Flyweight Championship two years later in Bridgeport, CT. He was an Ansonia native his whole adult life. The building has a proud history and is still standing and admired with respect.
My name is David Manch, and I am the owner of Silver Crescent Photography in Indian Orchard, MA. Together with my business partner Mike Minicucci (of 4ONE3 Photography) we run successful photography workshops in historic and unique New England/Greater New England locations. Out most recent series of workshops at the Victory Theater in Holyoke, MA, has enabled us to donate over $1,000 to the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA) towards their restoration efforts. Additionally, we will be commencing a series of benefit workshops at The State Theater in Stoughton, MA, starting tomorrow. Could such an event be conducted at The Ansonia Opera House? It would be a unique opportunity for well versed photographers to capture this historic landmark through their cameras under the careful guidance of myself and Mike.
I appreciate your time and consideration toward this request, and I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.
Regards,
David Manch
David March,
This is a private blog where I feature historic buildings. You will need to locate the owners of this particular building in order to make any requests.
I will let the owner of the building know of your interest!
I’d be interested in both workshops.