MANDAN Historical Society

Working to Preserve & Promote Mandan's Heritage since 2004

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1911 Fair & Airplane Demo

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1958 Lincoln Stamp FDC

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Area Landmarks

Cary Bldg - Mandan Drug

CCC Camp Chimney

Christ the King Church

Collins Av Civic Bldg

First Lutheran Church

First National Bank Bldg

First Presbyterian Church

Great Plains Academy

Great Plains Expermt Stn

Lewis & Clark Hotel

Mandan Hill

Mandan Theatre

MV Produce Warehouse

Methodist Church

NP Beanery

NP "Colonial" RR Depot

NPRR Freighthouse

NP Rail High Bridge

Roughrider Statue

St Joseph Church

WWar Memorial Bldg

Youth Correctional Center

Gone Forever

Central School

Collins Ave Courthouse

Cummins Building

Deaconess Hospital

Eielson Field

Emerson Inst/Opera House

First St Federal Building

Havana Club

Hotel Nigey

InterOcean Hotel

Liberty Memorial Bridge

Mandan Creamery & Produce

Mandan Flour Mill

Merchants Hotel

NP "Queen Anne" Depot

Original Passenger Depot

Palace Theatre

Peoples' Hotel

Rock Haven

Topic Theatre

Young's Tavern

Heritage Homes

Altnow-Smith Home

Dunlap-Harris Home

Ellis-Uden Home

Freeburg-Esser Home

Lyon-Weigel Home

McGillic Home

Olson-Brick Home

Parkins-Cooley Home

Stutsman-Wyatt Home

Swanson-Reichman Home

Welch-Ness Home

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Biographies A-C

J D Allen

Franklin Anders

Richard Baron

James Bellows

George Bingenheimer

Margaret Bingenheimer

Philip Blumenthal

Elijah Boley

Frank Briggs

Leo Broderick

William Broderick

Frank Bunting

Lyman Cary

James Clark

Henry Coe

Viola Boley Coe

Daniel Collins

Elizabeth Custer

George Custer

Biographies D-L

Alice Dahners

Henry Dahners

C E V (Charles) Draper

Esther Davis

Tony Dean

Joseph Devine

Ronald Erhardt

John Forbes

Palma Fristad

Gilbert Furness

Aloysius Galowitsch

Frederic Gerard

Zalmon Gilbert

Charles Grantier

James Hanley Jr

James Hanley Sr

Mary Harris

C Edgar Haupt

Michael Lang

William Langer

Albert Lanterman

William Lanterman

Richard Longfellow

Rolland Lutz

Hiram Lyon

Biographies M-R

George Marback

Gary Miller

Lee Mohr

Margaret Naylor

John Newton

Anton Ness

John Osterhouse

George Peoples

Arthur Peterson

Nels Romer

Hoy Russell

Walton Russell

Antonie Rybnicek

Ervin Rybnicek

Hynek Rybnicek

Biographies S-Z

Margaret Schaaf

George Shafer

Benjamin Shaw

William Simpson

Anna Knox Stark

Mary Stark

Benjamin Stephenson

J O Sullivan

John Sullivan

Era Bell Thompson

Andrew E Thorberg

Ida Thorberg

C L Timmerman

George Toman

Earle Tostevin

Edwin A Tostevin Sr

Edwin D Tostevin Jr

Walter Tostevin

Felix Vinatieri

A B Welch

Levon West

Frank Wetzstein

Harry Wheeler

Philomena Yunck

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What's New

Emerson Institute/Opera House - 200 1st Ave NE
Enlarged Excerpt of "Birds Eye View" of Mandan - 1883
The second public building in the city of Mandan (after the log cabin county courthouse) was the Emerson Institute.   The Emerson Institute had its origin in "a debating society which was conducted for the mental recreation and imporvement of the first settlers of the town."  Finished in the fall of 1882 only 3 years after the founding of the city, Frank Mead, Michael Lang; B.L. Winston and P.O. Chilstrom all contributed to the purchase of the land.  Donations were solicitied from the general community to raise $3000 ($75,000 in 2015$) to construct the original 36 by 80 foot wood building.  It contained "all the modern improvements, tastefully painted and finished" including a ticket office on the right and a waiting room / ladies dressing room on the opposite side.
 
The service of the building was described in the February 18, 1882 Mandan Weekly Pioneer: "The theater, though on rare occasions in the use of traveling professionals, is almost entirely in the hands of the Mandan dramatic club, whose members are the very cream of this city.  They give frequent and most enjoyable amateur performances.  The existance of such a society in so young a town as this is especially significant, as it speaks volumes as to the prosperity of the inhabitants who are so favored that they may safely unbend their minds, relax in the rigid pursuance of their avocation and let pleasure attend upon the cares of business, which makes the third feather in the cap of all Mandanites."     

The venue was further highlighted in the 1884 Mandan Pioneer Immigrant Edition, touting the cultural and social activities associated with a city of 2500 only three years in existance.  The original east end stage was described as "large enough for all ordinary purposes," being provided with scenergy, foot-lights and all the accessories necessary for a "first class proscenium."
 
Tuttle and Wilson were the original facility managers; but by 1884 H.R. Lyon had assumed the role as manager.  

Click to Open
1884 Newspaper Description
Opera House circa 1906
The venue was listed in national theatrical guides as originally having a 30' x 40' stage, with a proscenium with 20 wide feet and height of 12 feet.  It had seating for 300 (with chair rental available through Binginheimer & Taylor's Drug Store) and piano and scenery was available on-site.
 
The building was a civic highlight of the Souvenir Book published in 1906 to promote the City of Mandan and the economic opportunities available here.

Events included 4th of July and New Year's Eve dances plus live performances which ranged from serious drama to vaudeville acts.  Basketball games, graduation ceremonies and public meetings were also held at the site.
 
A major addition to the east side of the building was completed in the Spring of 1893, expanding the stage and backstage areas and increasing seating to 500.  The facility was renamed the Opera House with the completion of the addition.

1903 New Year's Eve Ball
Library Benefit Dance held at the Mandan Opera House in Mandan North Dakota 
 
Dancing parties were a frequent fundraiser occurance in the early 1900s.  The "Ladies of the Library" board would hold and annual dance at the Opera House on New Years Eve. Lochner’s Orchestra of seven pieces frequently furnished the music.  Supper was served at 11 o’clock on the stage to the merry dancers.  Dorothy Fiske was Board President.

The building was home to a wide range of social and cultural events during 1880s through 1920s. High school athletic events were moved to the gymnasium at the school upon its construction in 1919.  With the opening of the Palace Theatre on Third Ave NW between the Lewis and Clark Hotel and the Hotel Donaldson in December 1916, it became far less popular for live entertainment.

Upon construction of the World War Memorial Building (today's City Hall building) in 1934, the need for the venue diminished and the building was torn down.

The MHSoc's museum and office is located at 3827 30th Avenue NW; PO Box 1001; Mandan, ND 58554
Contact us at info@mandanhistory.org


Last Updated 03/28
/23    ©  2007-2023  Mandan Historical Society   All rights reserved