By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
The Wilson Czech Opera House has made strides in restoring the property after a fire that burned most of the building.
Constructed in 1901, the opera house, 415 27th St. in Wilson, was initially called Turner Hall, made from quarried stone from five miles outside of Wilson.
Equipped with a dining hall, kitchen, gymnasium, stage floor and balcony, the opera house hosted a variety of events, including dances, gymnastics, weddings and pageants.
In November 2009, a fire from a neighboring building spread to the opera house, reducing the venue to ruins despite attempts to extinguish the flames.
President of the Wilson Czech Opera House, Allison Ford, is a former Czech dancer at the Opera House as well as having started a children's theater company within the opera house.
"I was devastated, the community was devastated because everyone had a connection with the opera house," she said.
Ford became president of the opera house in 2010 and has been working to get the opera house walls restored.
The Wilson Board of Directors, some of whom are descendants of the opera house's builders, initiated the restoration process despite interest in discarding the remains.
"To [the descendants on the board of directors], it was extremely important that we save the walls," she said. "There were a lot of opinions on what to do with some in the community wanting to tear it down."
Fully rebuilding the opera house proved to be an unachievable task, as Ford said the expenses could exceed well over $10 million.
To preserve the remnants of the opera house, the choice was made to transform the property into a distinctive location.
"It would be a unique venue for Wilson to have an open-air theater, we would still get to see the beauty of these stone walls," Ford said.
The outdoor theater will include a stage, newly constructed sidewalks and kiosks that will highlight the history of the opera house.
Community events, such as musical and theater performances, are anticipated to be hosted once fully redesigned.
Ford is working with the Wilson Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion, located to the west of the former opera house.
"We're working together so when you drive into town, not only do you see this amazing hand-painted egg but the open-air theater too," she said.
The World's Largest Hand-painted Czech Egg, standing at 20 feet high and 15 feet wide, is to the east of the former Opera House.
Ford said their mission is to create a space where both the local community and tourists can appreciate history and enjoy entertainment.
"We're hoping to have a pleasing place for tourists to come and see the egg," Ford said. "We want to create a park to show the history of Wilson and to enjoy the theater."
The opera house has received substantial support from organizations, including the Kansas Department of Commerce, Dane G Hansen Foundation and Smoky Hills Community Foundation, through grants and tax credits.
"In addition, local donations and purchases of engraved bricks for our fundraiser, which will be placed where you first walk into the opera house, have also helped," Ford said.
To buy a personalized brick with your chosen color, message and emblem, and to express your support through other initiatives, click here.
The opera house has secured complete funding for the restoration of the limestone walls. The next step involves adding the final elements to transform it into an open-air theater.
"The next phase is to put in a stage, get electricity, establish a sidewalk and get the bricks laid," Ford said. "Once we have a steel bracing up, we can take down the fence so that people can finally come in and use the facility."
The restoration of the 30-foot walls is anticipated to be completed in May for a public opening.
The required funding for the last components of the open-air theater is estimated to be $230,000. The group needs to secure the funds by 2025.
Ford said the aesthetic of Wilson will greatly improve once the fence, installed shortly after the 2009 fire, has been removed.
"The fence has been an eyesore for the community, so we're very excited for it to come down and create an inviting environment," she said.
For more information on the history and restoration of the Wilson Czech Opera House, click here.
You can follow Wilson Czech Opera House on Facebook.