The Marion Opera House at 400 N. Market Street was built in 1904 by contractor Robert Sparks under the ownership of Joseph H. Moss and C.G. Wilson. The house at that time was being operated by C.W. Hay and performances were given by road shows and stock companies. The Opera House was not the first theatre in the city as previous to its operation under the management of Mr. Hay there was a show house on the public square where the Ed Jeter Dry Goods Company is now located in 1904 (602-604 Public Square, west side, south of W. Main).

E.E. Clark of the Silver King Café operated the old Opera House from 1907 to 1916 and was the first man to establish a regular performance of vaudeville and pictures in Marion. Mr. Clark put in a projection machine and moved to that building from the Roland Theatre (114 E. Union St.) which he had operated during the summer of 1907 when it was a new house.

In 1915 Herman Whiteside and his brother-in-law named Kelley visited Mr. Clark at the theatre and asked his price for his lease and equipment. Mr. Clark, not expecting to sell, named his price and the men bought it. They operated it a short time and disposed of it to Harry Bracy who was at that time operating the Family Theatre. After running the Opera House a few months Mr. Bracy closed it and the house passed out of business as a theatre. As late as 1916 it was remodeled on the second floor and made into residence flats.

On November 11, 1925, the entire Burnett Building (owned by John H. Burnett) in which it was housed wiped out the structure known to the older residents of the city as the “Old Opera House”. It wasn’t until the 1939 directory that another business used the 400 N. Market address, Kroger Store #2. Kroger Store #1 was then located at 707 W. Main Street.

(Photos and some data from 1905 Souvenir Book, WCHS; city directories and fire reports)