The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
Built 1886 by R. E. Stafford, 1834-1890, millionaire cattleman. Stately interior (which seated 1,000) had gas-burning chandeliers and an elaborate hand-painted curtain. Architect was N. J. Clayton, who designed many opulent Texas buildings. Opening performance, "As in a Looking Glass," starred famous Lillian Russell. Magician Houdini also played here, as did other prominent entertainers. On performance days, special trains ran from distant towns.
Stafford Opera House is a historical marker in Columbus, Colorado County, dedicated in 1969. It is one of 110 historical markers documented in Colorado County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 129 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 29.7053, -96.5404 near Columbus. The nearest cataloged historic site is Confederate Memorial Museum (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Stafford-Miller House, The Rangers of Austin's Colony, and Tumlinson Family.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5089005087. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
See this site and every marker, cemetery, courthouse, museum and landmark across Texas on one live map — find what's near you, get directions, and check in as you roam.
