Delphi Opera House: A Restoration Story Success

In 1865, a three-story structure, then known as Assion-Ruffing City Hall, opened at 107 S. Washington St., says Sara Daly Brosman, executive director at Delphi Opera House. In the years that followed, the building hosted a variety of community events and touring performers, such as poet James Whitcomb Riley and soprano Marie Litta. Unfortunately, the fire marshal ordered its closure in 1914 due to safety concerns.

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Thanks to the efforts of the Delphi Preservation Society and Anita Werling, chair of the Opera House Advisory Board, the story doesn’t end there. More than 80 years after the building’s closure, the preservation society purchased the building plus two adjacent retail bays and launched an ambitious renovation. Major changes included the relocation of the building’s entrance to 109 S. Washington St. and the addition of an elegant grand stairway to allow easier access to the upper floors. Throughout the renovation, the group sought to preserve the historical integrity of the site, right down to the woodwork and window glass.

“What started this project was knowing there was history and beauty to the actual building, and we didn’t want to disrupt that in any way,” Brosman says.

The Delphi Opera House celebrated its grand reopening in October 2015 and boasts an exciting schedule of upcoming events ranging from Whipstitch Sallies in Concert to Afternoon with James Whitcomb Riley. Purchase your tickets at delphioperahouse.org.