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Early Urbana Opera Houses

busey_s block 1873 map.jpg

Busey's Block and the Burt & Gill building was built in 1870. Busey's Hall was on the top floor. The buildings survived the Great Urbana Fire of 1871, but not a fire in April 1878 caused by a defective flue that destroyed both buildings. It was quickly rebuilt as a two-story building, again with Busey's Hall on the top floor. That building still stands. The W.I. Saffell department store took over the entire building in 1898.

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The Tiernan block from an 1873 map. The third floor opera house opened in 1872. The building was sold to the Urbana Masons who used the opera hall as their main lodge room. The building was expanded and a new facade installed in1914. This building still stands on Main Street in Urbana.