1860 - City Theather Opens

Page Path: Home / STUFF / history / Biddeford / 1851-1875 / 1860_CityTheaterOpens.aspx

This Page is a PRE Phase 9 Page, so the formatting might not be on par with the newer pages in the site.

1860: City Theater Opens

Culture Comes to Biddeford

The Biddeford Opera House shared space with the City Hall.

In 1840 land was purchased at the corner of Adams and Main Streets for the purpose of building an opera house to rival those of much larger cities, and bring prominence to Biddeford.

The Opera House was completed in 1860. On the eve of the Civil War the Opera House had its first production - The theme was about slavery.

From 1860 to 1894 many productions took place at the theater including such names as Edwin Booth, Joseph Jefferson and Pat Rooney. On December 30, 1894 the building was destroyed by a raging fire. One week later a meeting was held to rebuild on the original site. Thirteen months later on January 20, 1896, the rebuilt Opera House opened.

The Opera House remained open until 1965 when it was closed due to the need of interior improvements. In 1976 a group of local citizens gathered to discuss the revival of the Theater and after months of repair and clean up the reopening was set on April 5, 1978.

Funding from the City of Biddeford allowed the theater to obtain new seats in 1997 and the floor was refurbished along with the staircase and landings in the lobby.


The Opera House has played host to a number of celebrities, including Charlie Chaplain, Fred Astaire, Mae West, and W.C. Fields

The City Theater continues to produce its own shows and serve as a rental facility to the community. Restoration and renovation efforts continue with the hope of providing year round cultural and educational entertainment in a historically restored Opera House for many years to come.