Oscar Wilde In America

A Selected Resource Of Oscar Wilde's Visits To America

Rock Island

Illinois

Harper's Theatre

Saturday, April 29, 1882

The Decorative Arts

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Verification

Newspaper reports

The Rock Island Argus, April 30, 1882, 4

The Rock Island Argus, April 22, 1882, 4

Venue

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

Accommodation

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.

Recommended reading:

Ebook cover Oscar Wilde On Dress by John Cooper

Oscar Wilde On Dress hardback cover by John Cooper

Ebook cover Oscar Wilde On Dress by John Cooper

Ebook cover Oscar Wilde On Dress by John Cooper

Ebook cover Oscar Wilde On Dress by John Cooper

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