HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1974-05-23, Page 13M, 77MVNM1111�Tl rX
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When •-we $to
rt
looking into
$v.4forth's past we - -to struck by
the fast that much has changed
aid yet sd much Is still the same.
In 1877 Seaforth's population was
about What'it is now, just under
2,500. Main Street had suffered a
serious fire -in September '167.0
and both std of the street were
'being., rebuilt with new brick
sfores.
Seafortli was very much 4
frontier farming town in 1877.
Main Street was of mud, and
wooden boardwalks form 'd the � f�r?
between stores. 'it
side%%
wasn't until 1879 that the town
fathers got around to making it
illegal for cows . to wander the
stteets. Their by-law 'threatened
that "all bovines running at large
will be put in, the pound".
Rough
LOOKING UP AT CARDNO'S HALI.'— The next tiMe you are walking downMailn
Street take a look up at the ornate brick building tower ihA't Wsl�Uru�
RECOGNIZE ANYONE -7. Plays produced. by local directed by Miss M. E. Turnbull.,the cast shown 'on In the fairly rough and tumble andH ,n top qf'
a i
It atmosphere or Seaforth in 1§77 five res on the west side of the street. The building �'�ck itha no's Ha dilt as an
organizations were popular features in Cardno'"all the Cardno Hall stage included (left) (Standing) and in the bustle and bustle of 6pat-4 and theatre house in 1877 by Alexander Cardno, (Staff Photo)
Gordon Rennie, Alice Daly, X: 1. McLean, Helen .
and, as a. rule played to packed houses for two and reconstruction following the fire a
-three nights. Several hundred reserved seats were rcher, John C. Crich, Murray Savauge, Ed. year earlier, one far sighted min length of back -stage decorated with fading far superior
to, any halls around
McKe' dances runs the whole
su r1or
sold for each performance and in most cases were Daly, Margaret Crich, George Crich, Mary Jackson in Seafort4 took the time to plan the 'main- room . An arched paintings on the walls ' . "Don't ere. n fact Hall is the
old out days in advance. Typical was the .(seated) Janet ' Cl uff, - Sally Wood, -Margaret with imagination a building that doorway provides 4.ccess between mark on the walls" says one sign, b t auditorium in town.
would make his name familiar to'.,,' the two rooms. surrounded by the autogniplis of
presentation of '.'Here Comes the Bride by the Armstrong and Helen, Lane.
everyone who has lived here When it was fi�st opened the long gone actors and stage hab&..
Seaforth. Collegiate Alumni Assorlation'which was since, except perhaps the current hall , was lit with gasolin I e f loui.rish
re Kitthon
veneration. chandeliers-, says John! Cardno, a If Cardno's Hall were ever to
The man who took a. chance grandson of Alexander - and John Cardno also pints opt tif'e flourish again it would make a
present owner of the hall.' A %all's --kitchep, �3� )if perfect home for It little theatre
:mSeaforth growing and on I i4st "a big
couple of the old lamps ar stilfin which - looks group or as a community concert'
itizens needing and wanting a empty room, w ic
-oncert hall was Alexander the building and Mr. rdno inefficidnt by today's, standard hall.
Cardno. His fine brick building, pointed them out during cent becau it's not , directly.. -- it's a shame that a magnificent
tout- of the hail that conn in
called variously Cardno's Concert As ect d4to the 'din"g room. auditorium like Cardno's Hall lies
e t a lot o
Seaforth's cultural centre. "Theri� used to be a bigAitchen empty an unused Hall and Ca�diio's Opera Hall
opened in December 1877. Fora 'it to
range along that wall",. Mr. money is needed to'restore.
An apron stage runs the
small town in the 1870's CArdno's length of the north wall and a. Cardno says. •its former glory. John Cardno
H411 -painted curtain with a says he has no plans for the ball in.
ggl provided Seaforth and. hand lake sce 'The biggest crowd I ever
MR11
district with access to the plays, romantic emember seeing in the hall,", the near future.
'advertising from Seaforth -says John Cardno "was -during Grants. are available fiom.
strel shows
opera companies; mini
and lectures that usually could be merchants of the early 1900'6 Sills the dirty thirffbg. Local people put government organizations such as
and"Murdie,' Henderson Rotos,. on- a talent show and a
-'cities.
seen only in the u s the Ontario Heritage Foundation
-four to refurbish old buildings. Most
Pichard Co.) stillhangs where t
crowded in, for three or
came down on thousands of local nights". of the government grants though,,
ww�
For more than fifty years after and traVelling performances. That thirties crowd were are qnly, available for, publicly
'i'N
Alexander built Cardno's Hall it Pieces of the scenery that a" probably the children and owned buildings.'
was home to amateur nights, Michigan. Srtist painted in 1878 grandchildren - of those' who Alexander. Cardno, who died in
travelling theatre groups,, are still around backstage. The crowded Cardno's - Hall on 1892 at the age of 89, - woiild
8eqforth Collegiate -Alumni artist, according to an early Openhig Night, December 15, probably be pleased to' see "his
3 W a popular 'place
1_", , VA Dances, silent rdovie, shows, Expositor, painted eight different 187-T. The hall was christened that famous, hall
as d the floor' -After all the man who
piano recitals ind Christm scenery bdckgrounds. night when -the walls an again.
concerts. of the Stage were -sprinkled with made Cardno'sRail also helped
After the second world 'war the .,The rock sparkling champigne by Mayor to establish the' town. When
in forth Coleman and' Mr. M -.Hayes Alexander Cardno died the
use of Cardno's Hall as a centre of Earlyl)laygeierb . P
the - community declined. to limit thp"catrical viewing to who paid tribute to the building's expositor said in his obituary:
Regulations about fire escapes' The Rock, Landscape, Woods, "elegance and convenience"..' "He was a good business man
and wiring in -public buildings Street, Kitchen, Bedroom, Prison . eardno's Hall,, is still the being shrewd and far seeing and
became more stringent and it was, and.. PiTiour. tven a list of the biggest auditorium in the area being -of a somewhat. speculative
easier than before to go to the sets available conjures up visions (with -the exception of the arenas) turn, he was always. ready for'a
cities for entertainment. TV came' of what early' audiences were seating at least 600 people. Th 'deal in anything from a farm to a
alonW.the fiflies too and CitiZeriS most interested in'--,- the hasics_ se who heard concefts and.plays steer or pig and was very
THE &ORY THAT WAS'�-John Cardno shows a watermarked stage
e curtain. The pillars. on the right' ever here stayed away from all love, crime, household tragedy there say that the acoustics are sticcessful.
portion of an old I movie poster that st arias against ' 11 provide support' f6r. the clock. tower bn top of , the kinds of organized entertainment and comedy.
in Favour of watching the tube in The proportions of the hall are
e,mail of Qardno's Hall, The stage in,the centre of. building, Mr., Cardno says. The door at right leads to their own livingroom. graceful and all the detail work ---
(Staff Photo)
shig,rooms. that a ''wooden an
toot 'tts'old baCkstarge'arlid two dres' Thig'79'b6w it happened' d pragter Wdfdiiigs, gilt
-te long M'alh-'rooffi of the hall still ha's
--- those who is 'like nothing that is
w built
*h6.1e generationpaint
were born after the, war or moved these ) days. The hall is practically r
11110C town in the la 'empty now but until Mr. Cardno' m
to
e
have
a missed the,glorSh, that was solo them a few years ago, 400
Ca"rednTis Hall: Thqy may have guristock chairs, ochre coloured 4
heard,hoftthe hall but they don't with hand painted black
k it still exists or have no stencilling which provided
N idea where it IS. seating for many audiences were
Most', people in town and there. Long , benches . -which
tourists ' passing through have matched the gunstock chairs lined
72--- noticed the old Victorian clock the walls of the hall. Those that
tower on the west side of Main haven't been sold, mainly the
Street.'Under the clock ', which very long ones, are stqcked in a Vials
pia until the post Office' was built in corner of the dining room.
1913 was the main time piece in The walls of the main room of
•town is Cardno's Hall. the. hall were somewhat dayiYaged
by water when part of the roof
Huge room W ! 1�§,.blown off by a storm in the' q
AL#t:9JL,&U.&&-_i A' A The Hall is a huge" roorn- early'1960's. elk,
stores on Backstage, two trap doors
running above five brick
. Main Street. The main part of the provide entry to under the stage
hall, with a stage at one end and a where John Cardno's so' KendS
R;DraLE' balcony or gallery (where 'the- found a - variety � ofcigarette-
AIDS
chaperones used to sit) at the packages and gum wrappers from
other, is 90 feet long and 45 feet the turn of the eentury and,
wide. A dining room where bW- et' earlier.,
suppers were served prior- to Two, dressing rooms are
R
F1
KMK
!OLD LOVE SEAT — Nobody knows whether it was a,
"
prop for a.pl,ay or part of the hall's furnishings but CLOSE UP ON THE CURTAIN On each side of G, -
this old love seat ,.now, sits forlorn backstagq, at. THROUG14--THtSDOOR —SeAforth insurance man
the hand painted scene in the centre of the, stage
Caedno's Hall. A poster advertising Scott Bros. John Card 4>�s a trap door; one of two on,.the
curtain at Cardno's Hall several turn of the century I
pianos and organs, sits on the love seat. (Staff Photo) -stage of Cardno's Hall which were part of the plot of
Seaforth business people advertised their wares.
many•a play in the days when travelling theatrical
companies played regularily in Seaforth.
Photols. (Ertaff.Photo)
mall
01
10 .by
y a
LIZ'.
rt it
.7
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Story
by• v
4L4
j5d, FROM LONG AGO AUDIENCES — Old cigarette, J
REAR GALt-6RY In'thls gallery or balcony along the South wall of Cardno's Hall, Susan candy and gum wrappers, dropped under the HOT PEANUTS —This little stove, painted red with
"the chaperones and elderly' ladies used to sit and watch the dances and. parties. A Cardno's Hall stage by generations of actors and gold lettering, was the peanut vendor's headquarters
few pieces of furniture and household effbcts are stored irr the hall.- The benches at r a0diences are tacked up- in a bit of a display at In the days when Cardno's Hall hosted all kinds of.
left are the type that originally lined the whole room., In the corner at left is one of Cardno's Hall. Many of the brands, Turret rri
Tuxedo shows. ."I can rdmebigr that It had a brags top on
the gas lights that originally lit the wholO building. (Staff Photo) White and Old Gold'are no longer made. (Staff Photo) It", John Cardno says. (Staff Photo)