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Bent's Opera House
'', also known as Bent's Hall, is a three-story building located at 444 Main Street in Medina, New York, in the United States. The building is made of Medina Sandstone and features an opera house on the top floor. Construction began in 1864 and was completed early the next year. The building is named for Don Carlos Bent, a local farmer who owned the property and had the structure erected. A formal dedication ceremony was held on February 28, 1865, featuring remarks by a

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

officer and patriotic pageantry. For many decades, Bent's Opera House was a prominent venue in Medina for concerts, plays, shows, commencements, elections, and other public functions.

P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He was ...

and William "Buffalo Bill" Cody were among the hundreds of touring performers who brought their talents to the Bent's stage. As motion pictures and other forms of entertainment became popular in the twentieth century, the Opera House fell into disuse. Yet its legacy was not completely forgotten, as Bent's Hall was included as a contributing property to Medina's Main Street Historic District, which was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1995. In 2010,

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, the building's last commercial owner, donated the Bent's Hall property to the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. (ORG), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing arts and cultural programs to the greater Medina community. Leaders of ORG hope to restore the Opera House to its former glory as a functioning performance venue. ORG has since sold Bent's Opera House to Talis Equity. CEO Roger Hungerford is currently renovating and updating the building to include a restaurant, boutique hotel, and a wedding/event venue space. In 2012, Bent's Opera House was included on the Preservation League of New York State's annual "Seven to Save" list. This list highlights "valued historic resources hatare in danger of disappearing."

References

External links

Orleans Renaissance Group

Bent's Hall on Facebook

Bent's Hall: Bring It Back video on YouTube
{{coord, 43.2206, N, 78.3873, W, source:wikidata, display=title Buildings and structures in Orleans County, New York Theatres completed in 1865 Music venues completed in 1865 Opera houses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state)