Even More Historic Churches of Wapella: Presbyterians and the Opera House

Here are two good shots of the Opera House, which was formerly the Presbyterian Church.

A bit on the Presbyterian Church from the Centennial booklet

The Presbyterian Church of Wapella was organized May

26, 1868. Some of the first charter members were John and

Jane Potter, Homer, Mary and Martha Buck, Thomas, George

and Lucinda, Hugh and Emehne Watson, EH and Zavilda Cant-

rall, Joshua Hull, Nancy Hickle, Susanna Certwill, S. A. and

Mary Longbrake, James Ellis, Ray Nelson, Mary Abbott, and

Marcuda Hull. The building and lot cost about $4,000, and

$7,000 was the amount paid for the pastor's salary and for

other church purposes. The following ministers served as pas-

tors: Samuel Stevenson, A. L. Knox, W. L. Rabbe, and W. W.

Farris.

A Sabbath School was organized in the fall of 1871 and

continued for about five years, but the members becoming few

in number and living in the country, it was disbanded and united

with other schools. The church was abandoned about 1876

and bought by Mr. Spafford and used for an opera house; then

in turn was owned by A. A. Alexander, Frank Cunningham,

and W. A. Graham. It was located on the lot across the street

from the Kenneth Duncan residence, but was moved to its pres-

ent location in 1908 by W. A. Graham, who now uses it for a

garage. The Rev. Samuel Stephenson was the pastor that held

the last church services in the Presbyterian Church.

One is in it's original location and the other is on main street after it was Graham's Garage. Note that the building resembles a church, has church windows and the base of a steeple or bell tower. The latter shot was taken shortly after the new firehouse was built.

Hat Tip, as always to Wapella's ace of photographers, George Spray.