OTHER Miscellaneous News

2021 Activities

Promotional Insert provided to the Harrington Chamber of Commerce in 2021

June 2021

There have been several successful Rummage Fundraiser events this year. The one during the Harrington Vintage Country Fair on June 26, 2021 (Rummage actually started on the 25th) included two rooms plus the sidewalk. Carol and her helpers sorted and arranged household items in the "Rummage Room." And, HOHS volunteer, Sheryl Stedman took the lead in artfully displaying vintage items in The Art Room as a Vintage Shoppe. The Annual Quilt Show, coordinated this year by Paula Harrington, owner of Studio 1 on Third St., invited folks to examine the beautiful fabric creations in the air conditioned auditorium while the outsed temp hovererd around 100 degrees! Linda Wagner on piano and Karen Robertson on dulcimer alternated providing background music.

February 2020 Newsletter

Pages 1-3

Page 4 - Memorials & Supporters

Pages 5-6 - Membership & Support Form

Complete Newsletter (LARGE File)

US Bank Grant

On July 9th, U.S. Bank Harrington Branch Manager, Summer Shockley,(on the right) presented a $1,000 US Bank Grant award check to Harrington Opera House member, Billie Herron. The grant will be used to further music and art education for all ages in the Harrington Opera House Art Room. It will also help with overhead expenses  such as piano  care, heat, and lights. Photo by Ed Haugan.

We now have high-speed internet at the Harrington Opera House!

Contact us about booking small or large meetings and events involving remote presenters, attendees, or access to on-line media. Call Linda at 509-253-4719 or info@harringonoperahouse.org.

HOHS 2016 Review Newsletter

HOHS 2015 Review Newsletter

Membership
Membership dollars help with operating expenses, fund-raising, and bringing entertaining and educational events to the Opera House. Membership year is January 1st. to December 31^st. Membership support accepted at anytime! Support Form

Elevator in Use!

After officially passing inspection on June 14, 2016, the first public use of the elevator was much appreciated by several "car loads" of audience members at the Bel Canto Choral Concert on June 25, 2016. The Official Gala & dedication for the elevator and the Boston Grand Piano will be on October 1, 2016.

The Grand Arrival!

The Grand Arrival from Karen Robertson on Vimeo.

As we look back over the past 24 years of our project to rehabilitate the Harrington Opera House, we want to thank the many who have helped us through their generous support. One of our major goals has been to acquire a grand piano for the stage in the auditorium. The cost to rent and move a piano in and out for a performance now averages $2,000. Thanks to the efforts of several HOHS volunteers and MANY supporters, the culmination of a three year effort to acquire a concert grade piano resulted in purchase of a 7’1” Boston designed by Steinway grand piano!

On March 15, 2016, in the midst of the construction for ADA access and the installation of the elevator at the historic Harrington Opera House (pardon our dust!) the 7' 1" and VERY heavy Boston designed by Steinway grand piano, finally arrived!

This piano will be an asset to our regional performance venue. While the purchase is secured, donations are still appreciated to pay back some of the funds borrowed from our general fund, pay for professional tuning and possibly a climate controlled "envelope". Thanks again to ALL who made this dream come true!

Elevator and ADA Access Construction is Underway!

Preparations for the elevator and ADA access projects began in earnest before Christmas and on January 14, 2016, Western States Constructionbegan laying the foundation in the basement for the elevator shaft. The masons started laying blockfor the hoistway on the 27th and should have the shaft complete to the roof by Friday, Feb. 5th. Funded through donations from HOHS supporters and WA State Building for the Arts Grant and a substantial WA State Department of Commerce Community Capital Facilitatie Grant, current projects include elevator installation, access between The Art Room and the lobby, addition of an accessible rest room adjacent to the 2nd floor auditorium, plumbing for auditorium snack area, and upgrades to original staircase for safe emergency use.

JavaScript Slideshow

HOHS 2015 - 2016 Piano & Arts Program

This year's instructor:
Heather Safe (2nd year with HOHS), M.M. degree in piano pedagogy, Music Teacher's National Member (MTNA), teaches classical, sacred, and beginning methods. Excellent rapport with children and accepts students ages 6 and up. Lessons in the HOH Art Room on Mondays. Class currently full.

Creative Arts Activities - Carol G. has been facilitating quiet art projects for those interested during piano lesson sessions.

We are currently in need of scholarship support for a couple of our dedicated students.
If you can help, or for general information, please contact: Billie Herron- 509-253-4594
Interested "Youth Centered" Music Instructors and Arts/Crafts volunteers can also contact Billie for possible additional day of instruction.

Photo: Heather's HOHS Monday students played for residents and guests of the Davenport Retirement Village on December 21, 2014.

Artists and Artisans Needed!

The HOHS features works by area artists and artisans in The Art Room. We invite all who have art work, craft items, photography, etc. to contact Carol at 509-253-4748 for details. We especially like to have displays in The Art Room during Harrington wide events such as Fall Festival and Spring events.

New Willis St. Sidewalk Installed

May 20, 2014
Midnight Finishings of Davenport recently poured the new sidewalk along the south side of the Harrington Opera House. The new surface will help make the first floor of the HOH more wheelchair accessible. Funding for the project came from the Lincoln County EDC, Rural Development Grant.

Elevator Project
At the February 2014 meeting of the HOHS, Sue Lani Madsen, presented the initial architectural plans for the elevator project. This completed the first step. Additional plans, funding, & permitting are proceeding to incorporate a bathroom in the current storage area between the stage and the location of the planned elevator. All part of meeting ADA requirements. On August 5, 2015, the HOHS received notification of a grant appropriation award from the WA State Capital budget for 2015 - 2017 which should be enough to complete the ADA project including purchasing and installing the elevator. The goal is for the elevator to be installed by the fall of 2016!

Other updates from the February 2014 Meeting   
Upcoming events include continued themed "Rummage Elevator Fundraisers," "Community Artisans" shows in The Art Room, and the Horse Crazy Cowgirls with Dave McClure in March. "New" stage curtains have arrived thanks to Bonnie & Michael Hardy. HOHS members voted to hire professionals to re-size and install on the HOH stage. The donated curtains formerly adorned the stage in the Showalter Hall Auditorium at Eastern Washington University. The decision was also made to rehabilitate the south and east walls of the auditorium to their original look. So the remaining plaster will be replaced with sheet rock. Bonnie is busy already busy working on refinishing the window and door wood molding accents. The group agreed to hire Sue Lani to design plans to replace the sidewalk along the south side of the building with ADA access to the Willis St. entrances. Piano & Art lessons continue to be held on Mondays & Wednesdays in The Art Room.

2013 Annual Report and Election of HOHS Officers

At the HOHS Annual Meeting on January 13, 2014, Linda Wagner presented the Annual Report for 2013. Officers elected for 2014: President - Mark Stedman; Vice-President - Carol G.; Co-Treasurers - Edwin Haugan and Sheryl Stedman; Secretry - Linda Wagner; and Historian - Bunny Haugan.

Rummage Sales have become a monthly event

What started as a single sale of items from two estates donated to the HOHS has become a regular event since the September Fall Festival. Vintage and collectible items along with everyday household goods are finding new homes and providing donations towards the Harrington Opera House Elevator Fund.

The Harrington Opera House was featured on Northwest Profiles

Last fall a crew spent an entire day talking to members and taking video.  They were wonderful people and we are grateful for their interest in the historic Opera House and the community of Harrington as well as Lincoln County. This fall's Northwest Profiles edition was broadcast on KSPS Channel 7 on Oct. 24, 2013. If you missed it, you can sign-in to see it on-line HERE

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We have stage lights! Purchased from Silhouette Lights & Staging (Spokane, Wa) with a portion of the WA State Building for the Arts grant. Volunteers Gordon Herron and Mat Kennedy assisted Jess Cumpton of Aztech Electric (Spokane Valley) with the install over several days in early August, 2013.

On July 29, 2013 US Bank employees presented the Harrington Opera House with a grant award check of $2,000 which will be applied to improvements to The Art Room and the lobby.
Photo provided by Ed Haugan

Harrington Opera House Tours
HOHS Volunteer, Ed Haugan, has been busy giving more tours of the Opera House andBank Blank building. Eastern Washington University students, with Larry Cebula - Assistant Digital Archivist for WA State, got a look at some of Harrington's historical downtown, including the Opera House on February 16th. As part of a project to create an historical walking tour of Harrington, and other projects, the students plan to research some of the names signed on the walls of the stage and scenic backdrops.

Here is one of the results (so far):
The History of Harrington: The Harrington Museum is dedicated to the history this quintessential eastern Washington wheat town. The firm of Harrington, Furth, and Robinson, composed of speculators from Calusa County California, established Harrington in 1882 after purchasing 1,500 acres of land in the Big Bend wheat belt. Harrington continued to grow after the construction of the Great Northern Pacific Railroad and station in 1892, which helped wheat farmers transport their product to distant markets for sale. The first store opened in 1883 and slowly the town expanded opening a saloon, Tinsley House (a boarding house), a blacksmith, and Pickell Hotel. . . . Harrington at its peak included luxuries of any growing railroad town. The citizens enjoyed a modern opera house, built in 1904 that attracted touring groups from all across the area. FULL HISTORY ARTICLE

2012 Annual Report
2012 was once again a very rewarding and productive year for the Harrington Opera House Society.  We realized additional accomplishments in moving the building forward and ever closer to completion and greater utilization of the facility. Read the full Report

The Art Room Update
January 17, 2013
What an exciting day yesterday! Had our first art and piano lessons and continue to be amazed at the talent our students have!  Art room was warm and toasty and Gordon had enough lights up to make it feel like home. Have 4 more to go plus the fan.  Is really a one man job, but Amy, Carol, Jessie and I have been around painting so were the gophers for him.

Thrilled with the opportunities that await us with this phase of the Opera House nearing completion.  Stop in if you are around and take a
peak!  Still finishing touches to complete and the west wall is awaiting some more work before the paint goes on.

Thanks to everyone for all the work that has been done to the room this past year.
Billie and Gordon

See Past Events for photos from some of the recent activities
including the Sept. 9th "A Grand Interlude"!

WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONING!
Air conditioning was installed in the auditorium on August 1, 2012!!!

Calendar
The Calendar will be updated to include tentative and confirmed events and other HOHS activities. This will be helpful to visitors, potential fundraisers and performers/presenters, as well as to HOHS members and committees as we plan HOHS tasks. CALENDAR

Thank You to. . . .

• To Bonnie, Stephan & Rebecca Hardy, Carol Giles, Linda Wagner, Gordon Herron, and Ed Haugan for the work on the walls & ceiling of The Art Room!
  
  
• To the Hardy family and the Steinway Gallery of Spokane for the awesome piano and voice concert!
  
  
• To the many people who have recently dontated or bequested support to the HOHS!
  
  
• Jim Kershner and Dan Pelle for the awesome article in the Spokesman Review. Also thank you to Jim and the Humanities Washingto program for bringing a presentation to the H. Opera House on July 13, 2012.
  
  
• The Ritzville Community Theatre group for bringing their entertaining Three in a Row - A Game Show to the Harrington Opera House and donating ALL proceeds to our rehabilitiation efforts! Thanks also to the businesses who provided prizes.
  
  
• Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel for another outstanding concert!
  
  
• The Davenport Study Club for the beautiful antique display case for the lobby.
  
  
• Billie Herron for teaching piano lessons in the Art Room and donating proceeds to HOHS
  
  
• Amy Yirak and Carol Giles for providing quiet arts & crafts activities during "Piano Lesson Time" on Wednesdays.
  
  
• The Harington School bands and choruses for giving their Holiday Concert in the Opera House and donating proceeds to the Opera House!
  
  
• Davenport Dance Academy for their wonderful evening of dance (A Little Taste of Christmas) to benefit the Harrington Opera House
  
  
• To Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause (a.k.a. Kerry & Kelly Hensley) for visiting with good boys & girls of all ages at the Harrington Opera House in December.
  
  
• Steve Brewster for giving a "Sound Tech" class and helping us sort out our new sound system!!
  
  
• Mark Stedman, Gordon Herron, & Ed Haugan for installing ceiling fans in the Opera House!
  
  
• Lincoln County EDC and Commissioners for awarding a .09% Sales Tax Grant or $25,000 to the HOHS towards the Elevator Project!
  
  
• Ray Harrington and and helpers, Gordon Herron, Ed Haugan, and H-CATS members Branden Bragg & Casey Brooks for working on patching the plaster on the proscenium of the stage, on October 15th.
  
  
• US Bank for $2,000 towards new portable sound system.
  

Note to HOHS supporters - The refreshment table at our events helps bring in much needed donations. We can always use extra desserts, finger foods, beverages, etc. If you can help, contact Bunny Haugan at City Hall 254-4345 or contact us at infoharringtonoperahouse.org   Please check out the calendar and indicate for which event(s) you are willing to help provide refreshments and a general idea of what you might bring i.e. dessert, cheese & crackers, hors d'oeuvre, beverage, etc. Thank You!

Benefit Events Needed - The Harrington Opera House Society is looking for groups and individuals willing to perform, present, or exhibit at the Harrington Opera House for free or extremely reasonable fees to help fund our efforts to rehabilitate the Opera House auditorium and the Bank Block Building. Proceeds will help pay our operating expenses or fund priority projects such as the purchase of a sound system, installing an elevator, and rehabilitating the stage rigging and lighting.

If you or your group are interested, or you have artists or events to recommend, contact us at infoharringtonoperahouse.org or call Linda Wagner at (509) 253-4719.

The HOHS Annual Meeting
Attendees of the January 10, 2011 meeting at the Harrington City Hall, enjoyed delicious refreshments during the presentation of the Annual Report accompanied by Power Point slides. A short business meeting followed the report presentation.
Report (Word)   Report (PDF)    Power Point (Click to advance slides)

2010 Photo Page (PDF)

All Welcome to attend the next Harrington Opera House Meeting:
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Minutes and More on Meetings

Building Rehabilitation Update

Help Restore Part of Harrington's History!

October, 2010
Recently, much of the original equipment from the Harrington Palm Barber Shop was discovered for sale on the Internet. The items, dating from the early 1900's, were quite "pricey" and beyond the Opera House's budget. Rather than risk losing these historical items for all time, arrangements were made to acquire them.

Click HERE for a list of the items and how you can help the Harrington Opera House keep a part of Harrington's History available for public display.

Destination for Tour Groups

Wedding at the Opera House!

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, Jordan Wagner and Heather Yirak celebrated their wedding in the historic Harrington Opera House.

Click on
Britton Photography -Heather & Jordan Wedding Link
for beautiful photos of event.

A few "non-professional" photos (Click on photos for larger view)

Building Update Recent work included replacing the curtain covering the "Box Office" in the lobby with sheet rock. Eventually, wainscoting may be added to the bottom portion of the wall, replicating the historical decorative styling from the Opera House auditorium.
	Clint Dinwiddie working on "Box Office" Click for larger & more views

HOHS featured on Cathy McMorris Rodgers August 2009 Web Page

The Annual Meeting
on January 11, 2010 was well attended. Gordon Herron, President, presented the 2009 Annual Report. Word Document   PDF accompanied by PowerPoint slides.

The February meeting was also well attended, and the next meeting is Monday, March 1, 2010 - 7:00 p.m. in the Opera House or Harrington City Hall, depending on weather.
New members welcome! Click HERE for more

Grant Received!
OnMonday, December 7, 2009, the Lincoln County Commissioners awarded the Harrington Opera House Society with a grant of $9,000 which will go towards installation of lighting in the Opera House auditorium and stairways.

2009

Thanks to Alan Whitman and Washington Window & Door in the Spokane Valley
for the donation of the replacement window in the South wall of the lobby!
And thanks to Alan & Ed Haugan for the installation!

The Harrington Opera House
A shining star in the heart of Lincoln County

Click HERE for article by Karen Allen,
printed with permission from the May 2009 issue of Wheat Life,
the official publication of Washington Association of Wheat Growers.

Recent Grants Received

4,500 from U.S. Bank

$2,500 from the Avista Foundation
to be applied to our lobby & auditorium heating projects.

Thanks to Billie Herron for writing the grants and
to Avista & US Bank for their support!

 Wanda Buddrius helps with the bathroom tile project