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May, 1870, on the opera house site. Construction began about July 1, and by August 9 the first floor was "nearly completed." By mid-September, brick work of the second floor had been completed and work had started on the third. In January of 1871, the theatre walls were "about ready for the frescoers," and by mid-February, 750 chairs had arrived and on February 20, Owner Albert Bull conducted a tour of the nearly completed structure for members of the press and other dignitaries. The theatre was completed in March.
Built for Albert Bull, it was at that time the largest building "ever put up... by one individual." Mr. Bull Owned a drug and provision store on the corner of East Main and South Street, and was descendant of William and Sarah Wells Bull. The Opera House was designed by Middletown architect Samuel H. Wilcox. Captain M. O'Donovan was the mason, Theodore Wilkes the Carpenter, Cha Pitts had done the roofing, the patent felt and cement, H.J. Randall had done the painting, excluding the frescoing. The iron work, "of which an immense quantity" had been used, was from the Orange County Foundry in Middletown.
The building measures 60 by 90 feet and has a Mansard roof. "The front is of Philadelphia pressed brick, with brownstone trimmings and heavy cornice." On the first floor were two large and one small store. The stores had ceilings of fourteen feet, the highest of the village at the time. Another feature was the store windows of heavy French plate glass. Not only were these the largest in Orange County, but were "hardly excelled by the most pretentious shop windows of the largest cities. The weight of the plate glass is 5,000 pounds; the largest is 68 by 130 inches."
The second floor was divided into offices, as well as "a reception room and restaurant for use of the Opera House." The auditorium itself was on the third floor with the balcony on the fourth. The floor was laid "with Georgia pine, and deafened with English felting. Timbers in this building are heavy, and the structure is very fine throughout."
- The interior was lit by gas. Scenery and frescoing were done by J.E. Shedick, "an accomplished artist in his line. The drop curtain is a beautiful painting representing a Temple in Baalbec. The surroundings of mountains, sky, clouds and foliage are admirably and artistically done. There are some twenty-four shifts of scenery, representing landscape, drawing room, prison, library, temples, grottoes, streets, etc." The public was assured the scenery was not flammable, and "every precaution has been taken to guard against fire, and a consequent panic, by any accident occur." It was noted the "decoration and interior arrangements cost something over seven thousand dollars."
The Middletown newspaper was very enthusiastic: "There is nothing of the kind that will begin to compare with it in this County, nor indeed anything on the line of the Erie, except it be