Civil War Washington data: Sources

Bibliographic Citation:

Bloomfield, Maxwell, "Wartime Drama: The Theater in Washington (1861-1865)," Maryland Historical Magazine, vol 64.

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Relationship updated: 2011-07-27 01:55 PM

Dates: Nov 01, 1861
Place information: Known prior to the war as the Washington Assembly Rooms and the Adelphia Theater, Canterbury Hall opened as a music hall and theatrical venue. One of the more popular performance venues, it featured plays, burlesques, comedy routines, circus acts, and melodrama. An observer described its atmosphere as consisting of "soldiers and roughs, screeching, catcalling, smoking, and spitting."

Relationship updated: 2011-08-09 01:49 PM

Dates: Dec 31, 1862 - Dec 01, 1865
Place information: A renovated carriage house, The Varieties featured plays, burlesques, comedy routines, circus acts, and melodrama.

Relationship updated: 2012-02-20 10:05 PM

Dates: Jan 01, 1857
Place information: Billing itself as "The" Theater at the start of the Civil War, Washington Theater was a small venue that doubled as a dancing hall and saloon. It was the only theater in operation when the war began in April 1861. Beginning in 1864, it joined Odd Fellows' Hall in featuring dioramas or stereopticon projections. Production was temporarily suspended after the start of the war, due to (as an announcement stated in the Evening Star newspaper) "the condition of affairs here just now not being favorable to theatricals." The hiatus began around April 22, 1861 and lasted only about a week.