By Tom Collins

On the southeast corner of Cortez and Goodwin streets, the current site of the City of Prescott building, there once stood Howey's Hall, the cultural center of Prescott.

For some fifteen years, citizens gathered there for theatrical performances, orchestral concerts, socials and balls, lectures, magic shows, skating parties, graduation exercises, and even church services. Built in 1876 by E. I. Roberts for local blacksmith James Howey, it originally housed the Goldwater & Brothers Mercantile business on the first floor, and soon the Masonic Lodge on the second floor. It was one of the first brick buildings in town, a classically designed structure, 60 feet long and 33 feet wide, each story rising 14 feet between the joists.

The Arizona Miner of December 15, 1876, announced that, "Upper and lower stories are now being fitted up, regardless of cost, for Mr. M. Goldwater, who will shortly fill them with goods of all kinds.

When the Goldwaters erected their own building in a remarkably similar style and moved out, taking the Masons with them (mid-1879), Howey attempted for months to sell his establishment.

Although Prescott old-timer, W. G. Heisler, wrote a letter to the editor of the Courier in the 1950s crediting Howey with the conversion of the building into an opera house, the historical evidence suggests otherwise. Howey's newspaper ads (September-December, 1879) touted his building as a fine structure suitable for a hotel or "any other business." They say nothing about a theatre on the second floor. In a Courier article dated March 16, 1962, Lucille Ewin states that, "The culture-conscious city of Prescott was in need of a theater at the time the Howey building was advertised by James Howey, owner and proprietor." But in fact the city had two fine performance spaces: the City Hall Theatre, built in 1877; and the Prescott Theatre, built in 1878, on the northeast corner of Alarcon and Liberty streets. The latter was the home of the Prescott Dramatic Association, a very active amateur community theatre, and it was there that the Pauline Markham Theatre Company performed "H.M.S. Pinafore" ( 1879-80) and "Little Mattie, the most wonderful of all child actresses," appeared on March 22 and 24, 1879. The Star Novelty Troupe and the Nellie Boyd Dramatic Company also performed twelve or so different plays there in 1880. Ms. Ewin also refers to a caustic editorial by the Miner's editor, Charles Beach, who wrote that, "The Arizona Minstrels can't get the theatre building to perform in. The heavy stock holders are going to put the building into extensive repairs for the next anniversary of the 'Consolidated Chicken Show.

In fact, the Arizona Minstrels wished to perform in the Prescott Theatre, not Howey's Hall. In 1879, the Howey building was owned solely by James Howey. The Prescott Theatre, on the other hand, was owned by a joint stock company, with a number of "heavy stock holders." On April 24, 1879, Beach had written a caustic editorial badgering the Prescott Dramatic Club for being in debt and unwisely resorting to bulletin boards for gratuitous advertising (instead of buying ads in his newspaper). Later, on November 10, Beach wrote, "Some time since we asked, on behalf of the stockholders of the Theater building, for a statement as to the indebtedness of said building. No notice was taken of the request, and now, we are again asked by John Raible and others, to repeat the question." This may explain Beach's earlier barnyard metaphor accusing the Prescott Dramatic Association of being "chicken" - i.e., reluctant to disclose the facts of their fiscal mismanagement. It does not imply, as Ms. Ewin suggests, that Howey's Hall was originally "a barn or a barn-like structure," nor does Beach's antagonism towards another theatre troupe motivate the "meagerness of the infrequent articles concerning Howey's Hall presentations." The more likely explanation is that between 1879 and October 1884 there were no productions in Howey's Hall because there was no theatre there. Levi Bashford, an extremely successful and enterprising businessman, bought the vacant building at auction in September 1881, and, after a six-month grace period, took formal possession in March 1882.

The question now was, what would Bashford do with the building? After a long period of inactivity, the Miner announced (March 17, 1883) that "the Howey building is being fitted up for territorial library and officials." Renovations began in May, but no business activity was reported there. The deciding factor seems to have been the burning of the Prescott Theatre - home of the Prescott Dramatic Club and venue for traveling professional theatre troupes - in November, 1883. Perceiving the need for a new performance space, Bashford built a modest little theatre on the second floor of his establishment. Judging from the dimensions of the building and assuming that the stage was raised the standard three feet, it is likely that the stage was no more than 32 feet wide and 22 feet deep, with a proscenium opening no more than 22 feet wide and perhaps 10 to 11 feet high. The auditorium seated about 250. The first recorded performance took place on October 24, 1884, when the Prescott Dramatic Club presented a comedietta called, "The Dumb Belle," an interlude entitled, "Mistaken Identity," and the one-act farce, "Slasher and Crasher." In addition to several other short farces, the Club gave two performances of the renowned temperance melodrama, "Ten Nights in a Bar Room," (Feb, 1885).

When the Club ultimately collapsed, talented semiprofessional actor-singers, Joseph Dauphin and Harry Carpenter, who had arrived in Prescott in December 1879, with the Pauline Markham Theatre Company, formed a new dramatic club whose mission included musical theatre. They initially produced a few short farces, but soon graduated to Gilbert & Sullivan and Offenbach. Jessie Stevens, a talented soprano, sang the leading roles. Perhaps nudged by Joe Dauphin, Bashford remodeled the theatre in the months of October and November 1886, to create a suitable "opera house." He built an addition at the rear of the building for dressing rooms, improved the stage, and installed upholstered opera chairs. The opening of the new-and-improved theatre was celebrated on January 12, 1887, with a concert featuring the singing talents of Jessie Stevens, Joe Dauphin, and Harry Carpenter, among others, followed in February by Offenbach's, "The Rose of Auvergne," and Sullivan's, "Box and Cox.

In the meantime, Bashford converted the first floor of the Howey building into a skating rink. "The new skating rink in the Howey building will be formally opened this evening. All objectionable characters will be rigidly excluded and the best order maintained, while the managers of the rink will strive to make it a pleasant resort for all patrons" (Miner, April 17, 1885). An ad in the Miner, dated May 1, 1885, announces that the Skating Rink is open every afternoon, 2 to 4; evenings, 7:30 to 10. Tuesday and Friday afternoons are free to the Ladies. Music is provided by Prof. Tuthill's Band on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. "No Improper Characters Admitted. Everything First-Class." The rink quickly proved to be one of the town's major attractions and certainly a profitable investment for Bashford and his co-manager, J. L. Smith.

In his most notable achievement, Bashford booked the nationally renowned actress, Minnie Maddern, and her theatre company in April, 1887. Famed for her revolutionary, realistic style of acting, Minnie Maddern starred in her productions of Howard Taylor's, "Caprice" and Victorien Sardou's, "Frou-Frou." In the latter drama, she played Gilberte Brigard (a role initially made famous by Sarah Bernhardt), a spoiled, frivolous, willful young Parisienne who unwisely marries Henry Sartorys, a quiet and somber fellow with a future as an ambassador. True to her character, 'Frou Frou,' as Gilberte is nicknamed, is four years later an utterly ineffectual wife, mother, and household manager. She and her doting husband invite 'Frou Frou's' practical older sister, Louise, to live with them permanently, manage their household, and mother their infant son, Georgie. The plan backfires. Louise, who has always loved Sartorys, is so effective in her mission that Gilberte angrily resigns husband and son to her sister and runs off with an ardent lover. They live for a time in Venice until that relationship deteriorates. Sartorys follows her to Venice and kills her lover in a duel. Deathly ill and repentant, 'Frou Frou' returns to Paris to obtain forgiveness and see her little son one last time. She dies surrounded by those who have loved her all "too well." This was, for the era, a shocking play and a bold role for an actress to attempt. The local newspapers wondered at Miss Maddern's utterly convincing, realistic acting, which contrasted so sharply with the more overtly melodramatic style that audiences were used to seeing. Maddern's engagement was followed in 1888 by the celebrated Grismer-Davies company performing Dion Boucicault's sensational melodrama, "The Streets of New York." Hugh Conway's, "Called Back," and Frank Harvey's, "The Wages of Sin." Joseph R. Grismer and his costar, Phoebe Davies, brought with them scenery and special effects from the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco. But it is difficult to imagine how the larger-than-life action and scenic spectacle of these plays would have fared within the confines of Howey Hall's tiny proscenium.

Meanwhile, a young German immigrant named Prof. Ludwig Thomas, who became naturalized in Prescott in 1888, assembled a fine orchestra that was soon performing excerpts from Verdi and Donizetti operas with the local singers. Of special note was his instrumental and vocal concert "with the largest orchestra ever heard in Prescott" and nationally renowned pianist, Mrs. N. Ellis (Nov 10, 1887), his presentation of Act IV of Verdi's, "Il Trovatore," and the male chorus from Verdi's, "Ernani" (Oct. 26, 1888), and his staging of "the finest gems" from Wallace's opera, "Maritana," complete with scenery, costumes, and full orchestra (Nov 27, 1888). A talented pianist, Professor Thomas, also gave a recital with violinist, Professor Neilsen (Sept 27, 1889).

And who could resist the lure of magic? In an effort to draw in a broader audience, Bashford booked the famous magician, Professor Zamloch, "The Wonder Worker of the World and Exposer of Spiritualism," for four nights in March 1888. Zamloch's illusions and hypnotic acts astounded local patrons, who packed the opera house for each of his varied presentations. The success of this event prompted Bashford and his co-managers to invite Zamloch back in August 1891 and to book another magic act, The Roikger Brothers, for three nights in February 1892. Zamloch would return to Prescott for a third appearance in 1894 at Patton's Opera House.

Check back next week for the conclusion of "Howey's Hall."

(Tom Collins is a retired college professor of theater history and a volunteer of the Sharlot Hall Museum Archives.) 

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(BU-B-8158p).  Reuse only by permission.
Howey's Hall, c. 1878.