Once the stage for grand performances by travelling opera and acting troupes, minstrel shows, local dramatic clubs, orchestras, and other entertainments, the Lathrope & Ruffing Opera House was closed in 1914 by order of the Fire Marshall as it had only one exit in the event of fire. Cornetists John Lathrope and Walter B. Rogers, renown soprano Marie Litta, Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, and many other performers graced its stage. Commencement exercises were held there as were many informative programs.

After its close, the opera house became the storage room for store displays, shipping crates, and other paraphernalia from the businesses on the first and second floors of the building. Since the late 1990s when the Delphi Preservation Society acquired most of the Assion-Ruffing City Hall building, the attention has been on stabilizing the structure and clearing out its grand hall, separating artifacts from debris. Formed in September 2005, the Opera House Task Force is now focused on the restoration of the nineteenth-century theater on the third floor as well as the rest of the Assion-Ruffing City Hall building. This group picks up the torch from the individuals who have devoted countless hours in efforts to clean up the opera house and draw attention to its importance to Delphi and Carroll County

The Task Force in late 2005 quickly focused on developing a vision and long-range goals for the restoration project. During that winter, members took road trips to other historic theaters to learn from the experience of others and to see first hand what some of the opportunities and problems would be. Each of those trips reinforced two notions: that it would indeed be possible to recreate a performing arts center in the heart of Delphi, and that our opera house—even in its current state of deterioration—was even grander than we had imagined.

In 2006, assessments were completed by a theater design consulting firm, an elevator installation company, and others. KJG Architecture, Inc. of West Lafayette has hired to complete a structural analysis of the entire building to make sure that there were no major issues that would preclude proceeding with the restoration. In the fall of 2006, this same firm was enlisted to provide planning services to work with the Task Force in developing schematic designs for the restoration of the Assion-Ruffing City Hall as well as the third floor opera house. The goal: return the building to its glory days and bring the performing arts back to the center of Delphi and Carroll County.

Members of the Task Force work on promoting the opera house as well as on clean-up crews. They learn about the history of the building and the grand hall and conduct tours to enable others to see the hall and feel the excitement.

Many opportunities exist to get involved in this project from event planning and giving tours, to fundraising, and other activities. If you would like to help, email us at:

operahouse@delphipreservationsociety.org

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