LEADVILLE, COLO. — Angela Henry and I wandered through the third story of the Tabor Opera House, off-limits to most touring the historic theater in downtown Leadville.
The Tabor stands discretely among the businesses in downtown, a small sign is all that marks its presence.
Room after room, the opera house was stacked full of items in preparation of an upcoming auction.
Organizers Sharon Bland and Gretchen Scanlon were behind the massive effort. As we maneuvered our way past relics of the 1800s — dresses, props, uniforms, furniture and countless other items — Bland began a running commentary on the theater’s history built by Horace Tabor in 1879.
It also has personal history for SAFE BASE Director Angela Henry.
HENRY BEGAN traveling with her family to Leadville as a child, and according to her sister, Gale Hoag, she immediately became fascinated by the old opera house. Many years later, in 2001, she decided she wanted to volunteer to help restore the old theater. So, she made a phone call.
Weeks later, she eventually came in contact with Evelyn Furman, who had retained ownership of the theater from the Elks Lodge. Henry spent the next two months of the summer living with Furman and helping to restore the old building. It was then that she met Scanlon.
SCANLON’S INTEREST in the theater was piqued when researching different venues Harry Houdini had performed in during the 1900s.
Her journey indirectly led her to the Tabor, where Houdini (supposedly) performed. She is skeptical. Nevertheless, Scanlon became infatuated with the building, and became involved in the renovation process.
“There’s an incredible feeling when you walk in (to the Tabor),” Scanlon said. “You can just imagine John Philip Sousa marching the Army band up those stairs.”
She said live entertainment was a mainstay during Leadville’s mining boom, and the Tabor is the only remaining monument to that fact.
“It’s the only monument to theaters in Leadville, and we had a lot of theaters, like 25,” she said.
Scanlon has written a book about live theater in Leadville, titled “A History of Leadville Theater.”
She said she came to know Henry over their two months working together. She laughed as she reminisced about Henry living with the elderly Furman.
