Skip to content

Opera House tower was never rebuilt after devastating fire of 1915

Skyline of Orillia looked dramatically different 100 years ago
2018-03-24 8 Miss St looking west from West Street 1919.jpg

Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau. Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia. Watch for this feature every Saturday morning.

This bird's-eye view of  Mississaga Street looking west is dated 1919, however the view shows the tower of the original Opera House built in 1895. After a fire destroyed much of the Opera House in July 1915, this tower was not rebuilt. The sign on the building at the southwest corner of Andrew Street says “ORILLIA GARAGE, TUDHOPE AND FORD AUTOMOBILES”. The building on the northwest corner, past the public library, was a grocery store run by the Plunketts. When the First World War came, the Plunkett boys, known as the “Dumbells”, became famous entertainers for the troops. 


Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.