Illinois
Harper's Theatre
Saturday, April 29, 1882
The Decorative Arts
Newspaper reports
The Rock Island Argus, April 30, 1882, 4
The Rock Island Argus, April 22, 1882, 4
Harper's Theatre
Northwest corner of 16th Street and Second Avenue, Rock Island, IL
Built: 1878 (I. N. Holmes, architect)
Named for: Benjamin “Ben” Harper (1817–1887) businessman, politician and president of the Board of Education
Seating capacity: 1000
Sold: 1901 to Clemann and Salzmann, furniture retailer
Interior damaged (fire): January 15, 1917, rebuilt
Sold: 1952 to Edwards brothers
Destroyed: 1960 to make way for new on-ramp to the Centennial Bridge
Source:
Rock Island Preservation Society
Harper House
2nd Avenue & 19th Street, Rock Island, IL
Built: 1870-71 (Isaac Holmes, architect)
Named for: Benjamin “Ben” Harper (1817–1887) businessman, politician and president of the Board of Education
Opened: February 1871
Remodeled: 1898
Sold: to the DeSilva family, again remodeled 1908, and again in 1934
Sold: to Harper House, Inc., 1964
Demolished: 1973, now the site of an office building
Source:
Rock Island Preservation Society
Wilde stayed Saturday night at the Harper House, and left Rock Island by the east bound train on the following morning.
Oscar Wilde In America | © John Cooper, 2023
