Convoy Opera House on National Register

Staff and submitted information

CONVOY — The Convoy Opera House/City Hall/Firehouse property at 111 S. Main St. in downtown Convoy was given approval September 18, 2020, by the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board as qualified for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places of the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.  

Based on the Board’s recommendation, Barbara Powers, department head of the planning, inventory and registration department of the Ohio History Connection, then signed the nomination recommending its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.   

Nomination forms were then sent to Washington, D.C., for federal evaluation.  In March, Convoy village officials and the Village of Convoy Historical Society were notified by the Ohio Senate General Assembly that the Opera House property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.

For more than two years, Ruth Ann Densel worked on research, documentation, photo preparation, application submission, etc., with Larry Webb seeking required technical info and taking photos. Powers (Ohio History Connection), with her suggestions, comments, editing, additions, and finalization of the documents, was most instrumental and the driving force for achieving acceptance on the National Register of Historic Places. 

With this accreditation, the Historical Society is eligible to apply for historical grants on the state and federal level, which could provide funding to help complete Phase III of the restoration process, the Annex Building, work to build restrooms, dressing rooms, and gathering rooms upstairs and downstairs for the Opera House, and future restoration projects, to include a museum area that would allow for local gatherings and many more opportunities for the community.

The Convoy Opera House/City Hall/Firehouse, which was built around 1901, is still basically in good condition and has historic significance in the community. The Opera House has been restored and has been used for several presentations already.

The lower level is still in use by the village for storage, but, at some point when the lower level is not needed by the village, it could house museum articles, especially the larger items. The Village of Convoy Historical Society purchased the adjacent building to the south, referred to as the “Annex”, which will enable the original structure to be more user friendly. A chair lift is already operational in the Annex.

For those who would like to support the Village of Convoy Historical Society, the regular membership level is $20, a patron membership is $50, a sponsor membership is $100, and the Robert Nesbitt Club level is $200 and above. Those wanting to contribute should make checks payable to “Village of Convoy Historical Society” and mail to P.O. Box 605, Convoy, OH 45832.