#6. The Opera House Collapse

Collapse of Opera HouseThe Alliance Opera House was built in 1867-68 at a cost of $75,000. There were doubts to its safety and arrangements were in progress to put it in a secure condition when it was inspected by J. T. Weybrecht the morning of June 2, 1886. He warned all inhabitants to vacate the premises. At approximately 4:30 p.m., the building collapsed. The cause was from defective bricks used for its construction. There was some speculation that vibrations from closely passing railroad trains contributed to the shifting of the bricks. No one was hurt in the collapse. Remnants of the building were still extant until the final demolition in the 1970s after Chuck’s Inn collapsed during renovation.