.jpg)
The City of Columbus and Columbus Community Industrial Development Corporation (CCIDC) met the matching pledge challenge of an anonymous donor and approved $100,000 in funds for the “Save Our Opera House” capital campaign. Those funds along with the matching $100,000 added $200,000 to the growing campaign monies which are now at $401,569.
“CHPT (Columbus Historical Preservation Trust) is extremely thankful to the City and to CCIDC for recognizing the importance and value of the Opera House to this community and to the county,” CHPT Executive Director Melissa Parker said, “There aren’t many pictures of Columbus that don’t include the Stafford Opera House in them as an iconic center piece that is widely regarded as the crown jewel of Columbus and beyond.”
Built in 1886 by R.E. (Robert Earl) Stafford, the Stafford Opera House was and is a historical masterpiece by renowned architect, Nicholas Clayton. Mr. Clayton has more than 50 iconic structures built mostly in Texas but also outside of Texas. Bishops Palace in Galveston is among them.
