The Hanna Opera House and Club Room

Exhibit by Bob Leathers

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Hanna Opera House (Gert Milliken Collection from Gary Milliken)

The Opera House was operated by Thomas Love. It served as a theater and confectionary place and dance hall. It burned down following  a community Christmas tree and school program. (Hanna Miner, 1962)

1921

Thomas Love's Opera House and Club Room (The Pioneer, 1921)

Thomas Love's Opera House and Club Room included a barber shop.

1921: Barber Shop in Thomas Love's Opera House and Club Room (The Pioneer, 1921)

1924

Hanna, 1924,Tom Love. Hanna Theater, Club Room and Opera House.(Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1924)

1926

​​December 24, 1926:
The Hanna Opera House burned down. Strong winds created a huge blaze and the building burned to the ground in a short period of time. Community and school activities, such as movies and graduation held at the Opera House, were moved to the Community Hall.

(Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, January 1927)

Not long after the Hanna Community Christmas Tree program was completed, the Opera House burned down. It was a good thing the building did not catch fire while the crowd of people were still in the building. One casualty of the fire was the Hanna Band instruments. Some of the instruments were destroyed in the fire.

1927 January 16:

The Hanna Band gave a street concert to raise funds to replace the instruments which were destroyed in the fire on Christmas Eve of 1926. The concert was well attended and enjoyed by the community with a goodly amount of money collected. (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, March 1927)

When the Opera House burned down, the picture show had to be moved to the First Aid Hall which is now the Community Hall turned Hanna Basin Museum. 

1927 January 23:

Our temporary picture show theater was opened at the First Aid Hall. (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, March 1927)