The Pocahontas County Opera House is located in rural

Marlinton, West Virginia Marlinton is a town in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 998 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Pocahontas County and is known for its scenic beauty. History Marlinton is named for Jacob Marlin, who, ...

. Court reporter J.G. Tilton, of

Mount Vernon, Ohio Mount Vernon is a city in Knox County, Ohio, United States. It is located northeast of Columbus. The population was 16,990 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. History The community was platted in 1805, and named after M ...

, built the original building in 1907. In 1910, the current building was added on. It currently serves as a performance venue for local and traveling performers as well as a

community center Community centres, community centers, or community halls are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole co ...

for county residents, although it has at times been a

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as p ...

, a

roller rink A roller rink is a hard surface usually consisting of hardwood or concrete, used for roller skating or inline skating. This includes roller hockey, speed skating, roller derby, and individual recreational skating. Roller rinks can be located ...

, and a

car dealership A car dealership, or car dealer, is a business that sells new or used cars, at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. Car dealerships also often sell spare parts and automotive mainte ...

. The Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation operates as a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

to oversee programmatic aspects of the venue. The Opera House also serves as a community center. Many organizations host suppers, meetings square dances, and even weddings at the facility. The Foundation also hosts music jams and movie nights for

Pocahontas County, West Virginia Pocahontas County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,869. Its county seat is Marlinton. The county was established in 1821. It is named after the daughter of the Powhatan chie ...

residents.

History

The Pocahontas Opera House was originally built in 1910 by lumber businessman and publisher of the ''Marlinton Messenger'', J. G. Tilton. Marlinton was the epicenter of the regions lumber business at the time. In the early twentieth century, groups from as far away as New York performed in this booming

railroad town A railway town, or railroad town, is a settlement that originated or was greatly developed because of a railway station or junction at its site. North America During the construction of the First transcontinental railroad in the 1860s, temporar ...

. In 1912, Tilton's newspaper, the ''Marlinton Messenger'', was published in the Opera House. County fairs, basketball games, and other community events took place in the space as well. As the railroad economy changed, Tilton sold the building. Throughout the rest of the century it was used for various purposes such as a

lumberyard A lumber yard is a location where lumber and wood-related products used in construction and/or home improvement projects are processed or stored. Some lumber yards offer retail sales to consumers, and some of these may also provide services suc ...

and a car dealership. In 1991, the Pocahontas County Historic Landmarks Commission bought the property. At that time, there was no floor or stage in the Opera House. Through community donations and support, the Commission restored the Opera House to its present state in 1998 when the Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation formed. The Foundation oversees the performance series which includes various musical genres from bluegrass to

salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: ...

to classical to

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

. The season also includes dance and theater.Pocahontas Opera House Web site: http://www.pocahontasoperahouse.org/index.php?s=about The Opera House received a facelift in 2021, with patching of the mortar parging of the historic building and new exterior paint by a company specializing in such work on historic buildings.

References

External links

* * {{coord, 38.222466, -80.094296, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-WV, display=title Music venues in West Virginia Buildings and structures in Pocahontas County, West Virginia Tourist attractions in Pocahontas County, West Virginia Music venues completed in 1907 1907 establishments in West Virginia Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Pocahontas County, West Virginia Opera houses on the National Register of Historic Places Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Opera houses in West Virginia