Tabor Opera House
Tabor Opera House is a historic performing-arts and heritage venue in Leadville, Colorado, opened in 1879 and preserved as one of the state's notable nineteenth-century theaters.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Tabor Opera House is a historic theater and cultural landmark in Leadville, Colorado. Built during the town's late-nineteenth-century silver boom, it was commissioned by Horace Tabor, a prominent mining entrepreneur who later became Leadville's first mayor. The building opened on November 20, 1879, with a production of the comedy The Serious Family. Its construction reflected Leadville's rapid growth and ambitions: the three-story structure was built from stone, brick, and iron, while building materials were hauled overland from Denver. Contemporary descriptions treated it as one of the finest brick buildings in the developing town, and later accounts identified it as the most expensive structure in Colorado at the time of completion. A 1935 newspaper report placed the original cost at somewhat less than $75,000, although the precise construction figure is not established here as an independently audited amount. The theater quickly became a venue for touring entertainment and civic events. Programs during its first years included appearances by performers such as Kate Claxton, Chas. A. Stevenson, and Minnie Palmer. The building was also used for public ceremonies, including the June 1880 funeral of frontier figure Texas Jack Omohundro, whose service was held on the stage. These uses illustrate the opera house's role as more than a commercial theater: it served as a gathering place for Leadville's entertainment, social, and public life. The collapse of silver prices after the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893 severely damaged Leadville's economy and Horace Tabor's finances. Tabor consequently sold the opera house for $32,000. Algernon Weston became its owner and retained it until his death in 1897. In 1901 the property was sold to the local Elks organization, which reopened it in 1902 under the name Elks Opera House. The building later suffered a fire in 1936 after a patron dropped a cigarette into upholstery in the bar area. Despite changes in ownership and use, the structure survived as an important physical record of Leadville's boom-era architecture. In 1955 Evelyn Furman purchased the building for $20,000. She maintained it for decades and opened it periodically for tours and performances. Her stewardship helped prevent the site from disappearing while many other historic commercial buildings faced alteration or demolition. Furman continued this work until her death in 2011. The City of Leadville acquired the opera house in 2016 for $600,000 and subsequently placed renovation oversight with the nonprofit Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation. Preservation work has increasingly emphasized the theater's original stage technology and scenic collections. In 2020, Dr. Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett of Historic Stage Services documented hundreds of stage settings associated with the building's nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century theatrical history. Some scenery had been stored above the auditorium ceiling and was lowered for assembly and cataloging. Fourteen theater collections have been identified, including scenery and stage machinery dating from approximately 1879 to 1902. The venue's present identity therefore combines historic preservation, architectural interpretation, theatrical research, tours, and occasional performances. It is best understood as a civic heritage institution and historic venue rather than a conventional commercial entertainment brand.
History
Tabor Opera House was built in Leadville, Colorado, during the community's rapid expansion as a mining center. Its patron, Horace Tabor, was a leading local businessman and later served as the town's first mayor. Construction required stone, brick, iron, and materials transported by wagon from Denver. The resulting three-story building was regarded as an exceptional structure for the young town and was described in period and later accounts as Leadville's finest brick building. It opened on November 20, 1879, with the comedy The Serious Family. During its first years, the opera house hosted touring theatrical companies and well-known performers. A March 1880 program advertised Kate Claxton and Chas. A. Stevenson in a six-night double bill, while an April program featured Minnie Palmer in Minnie Palmer's Boarding School. The building also accommodated civic and ceremonial events. On June 29, 1880, the funeral of Texas Jack Omohundro took place on its stage, demonstrating the venue's importance as a public gathering space as well as a theater. The building's fortunes followed those of Leadville's silver economy. After the 1893 decline in silver prices and the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, Horace Tabor's financial position deteriorated and he sold the opera house for $32,000. Algernon Weston owned it until his death in 1897. In 1901 the property passed to the local Elks organization, which reopened it in 1902 as the Elks Opera House. The building later experienced a 1936 fire that began in the bar after a patron dropped a cigarette into upholstery. Evelyn Furman bought the property in 1955 for $20,000. She maintained the structure and made it available from time to time for tours and performances. Her long period of stewardship continued until her death in 2011. In 2016 the City of Leadville purchased the opera house for $600,000. Preservation and renovation work have been overseen by the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, a private nonprofit organization associated with the building's conservation. Recent preservation has focused not only on the architecture but also on the theater's surviving contents. In 2020, Dr. Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett of Historic Stage Services recorded hundreds of stage settings connected with the venue's nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century operation. Some scenery had been stored in the space above the auditorium ceiling and was brought down for examination, assembly, and cataloging. Fourteen theater collections have been identified, including scenery and stage machinery dating from 1879 to 1902. The opera house consequently functions as a historic site, museum-like educational resource, and occasional performance venue. Its significance derives from the combination of Leadville's mining-era history, surviving theater architecture, and unusually important evidence of nineteenth-century stage practice.
- 2020
Stage collections documented
[1]Historic Stage Services documented extensive scenery and stage machinery collections dating from 1879 to 1902.
- 2016
Municipal acquisition
[1]The City of Leadville purchased the property and renovation oversight was assigned to the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.
- 2011
End of Furman stewardship
[1]Evelyn Furman's death ended her long period of private preservation and care for the opera house.
- 1955
Evelyn Furman becomes owner
[1]Evelyn Furman purchased the building and maintained it for more than five decades, periodically opening it for tours and performances.
- 1936
Bar fire
[1]A fire began in the bar after a patron dropped a cigarette into upholstery.
- 1902
Reopens as Elks Opera House
[1]After acquisition by the local Elks organization, the building reopened under the Elks Opera House name.
- 1893
Silver-market collapse changes ownership
[1]The collapse in silver prices and repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act forced Horace Tabor to sell the Leadville opera house.
- 1880
Early touring programs and civic use
[1]The theater presented touring performers including Kate Claxton, Chas. A. Stevenson, and Minnie Palmer, and hosted the funeral of Texas Jack Omohundro.
- 1879
Opera house opens
[1]Tabor Opera House opened on November 20 with a performance of The Serious Family.
Products and positioning
A preserved nineteenth-century opera house positioned as a Leadville heritage attraction, historic performance venue, and research site for early American theater architecture, scenery, and stage technology.
Heritage tourism
Historic tours
Guided and interpretive visits present the building's architecture, ownership history, Leadville's silver-boom context, and continuing preservation work. Tours are part of the opera house's role as a public historic attraction rather than a conventional commercial theater product.
Performing arts · 1879
Historic performances and events
The opera house is periodically opened for performances and cultural events. Its historic auditorium and stage provide the setting, while programming remains secondary to the site's preservation and educational functions.
Theater heritage collections · 1879
Stage scenery and machinery collections
The venue preserves identified theater collections containing scenery and stage machinery dating from approximately 1879 to 1902. Documentation work has included material stored above the auditorium ceiling, making the collections a resource for research into nineteenth-century theatrical production.
Brand decisions
2016
Municipal purchase and preservation transitionOtherBackground
After decades of private stewardship by Evelyn Furman, the historic building required a public preservation framework.
Action taken
The City of Leadville acquired the opera house, with renovation oversight assigned to the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.
Aftermath
The acquisition established municipal ownership and continued nonprofit-led preservation planning.
Purchase price. 600000 USD (2016)
Recent events
- 2020
Historic stage settings documented at Tabor Opera House[1]
Other
Historic Stage Services documented hundreds of stage settings and related theatrical materials, including scenery and machinery dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- 2016
City of Leadville acquires Tabor Opera House[1]
Other
The City of Leadville purchased the historic opera house and assigned renovation oversight to the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.
Sources3 sources
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