Fulton Theater, Lancaster PA: "The Grand Old Lady of Prince Street"
The Fulton Theater, also known as the Fulton Opera House, is thought to be the oldest continuously operating theater in the USA. It first opened in 1852 as Fulton Hall, named after Lancaster County's Robert Fulton, the renowned steam engine pioneer. Fulton Hall was built on the site of Lancaster's former pre-revolutionary jail, the site where the infamous Paxtang Boys gang had massacred the last of the Conestoga Indians, who were being held there for their own protection. The exterior wall of the old jail's courtyard was built into the rear wall of the Fulton.
The first concert at Fulton Hall was by the famed violinist Ole Bull. Since then, a host of top entertainers and artists have played the Fulton: dramatic actress Sarah Bernhardt, Mark Twain, Al Jolson, W. C. Fields, Helen Hayes, and mime Marcel Marceau, among a host of others.
In 1995, the Fulton underwent an extensive $9.5M renovation, restoration and expansion. Known as "The Grand Old Lady of Prince Street", the Fulton Opera House is one of only eight theaters in the United States recognized as a National Historic landmark. The beautifully renovated Victorian interior combines elegant beauty with amenities like air conditioning and the technical facilities of a modern theater.
The wooden statue of Robert Fulton that originally had been part of the exterior , has been restored and is now proudly on display in the safety of the lobby. The architectural features have been faithfully restored, and new features adapted so that they blend in with the original. For instance, the new box office is built behind the facade of an earlier one.
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