The Erie Railroad Comes to Dunkirk at Fredonia Opera House
9 Church Street, Fredonia, NY 14063
The New York and Erie Rail Road was the first railroad to link the Atlantic and the Great Lakes; and when it opened in 1851 it was the longest railroad in the world. Railroad historian William D. Burt will show how it happened – the choice of Dunkirk as the western terminus, the original line NY&E built and then abandoned in favor of a better one, and the 1851 grand opening celebration. He will discuss how railroad directors speculated in Dunkirk land and laid out several blocks of the city, and how many Dunkirk streets are named for them.
Call 716-679-1891 for information or visit www.fredopera.org
Tickets: Free Admission (Donations gratefully accepted)
The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center is a 444-seat restored Vaudeville theater that offers a wide range of programming including live music, theater, dance and an independent cinema series. The Opera House also is the only venue in northern Chautauqua County licensed to present live high definition satellite broadcasts of opera productions from the renowned Metropolitan Opera in NYC, live theatre from the National Theatre, in London, and ballet from Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet. Each year in June, the Opera House also presents a three-day Baroque music festival.
A landmark fixture on Fredonia’s Barker Commons, the Opera House was saved from destruction in the early 1980s when the Fredonia Preservation Society (which came into existence in response to the threatened demolition) and a corps of committed volunteers undertook what was to become a nine-year restoration of the theater. At a cost of more than $1 million and with more than 30,000 volunteer hours, the Opera House was returned to its splendor and has operated year-round continually since its grand reopening in November 1994.
The recipient of a New York State Historic Preservation Award, the Opera House combines turn-of-the-century beauty and charm with modern comforts. In fact, many individuals and organizations find the Opera House an ideal venue and rent it for events, conferences, meetings and even weddings. For information on events, tours or rentals, contact the Fredonia Opera House at 716-679-0891 or visit www.fredopera.org.