Owens Station and Opera House

Originally owned by John Owens In the late 1870s, the Owens Quarry Opera House was one of many small opera houses along the railways in Ohio which served as a social hot spot to watch big-name entertainment. It was in the small village of Owens Station in Marion County. You’ll find the Owens Quarry Opera House still quietly nestled beside the railroad on Owens Road. Experience life as it were in the 1800s with several architectural restorations – a covered bridge, a blacksmith barn, a small Indian settlement, and more.

Per The Marion Star:

• John D. Owens started a quarry around 1860 in western Pleasant Township at what is now the intersection of Owens and Gooding roads.  The operation grew steadily and eventually developed into a “company town” named Owens Station. The community had more than 20 homes, a general store, a post office, an express rail station, and an opera house. Owens, who believed in the value of education, built a two-story school for the children of his employees, many of whom were of German descent and could not read or write the English language. Many of the buildings were built from specially formed concrete blocks designed to resemble cut limestone blocks.
• John D. Owen’s quarry in Pleasant Township produced both “blue” limestone which was used primarily for buildings and “gray” which was processed into quicklime by burning small chunks in kilns. The processed quicklime was used to make mortar and plaster as well as in farming where it would help “sweeten” acidic soils. Perhaps the most unusual use of quicklime was developed by a Scottish engineer who invented a special container with a glass lens that allowed the quicklime to be safely burned. The resulting bright light was used as a spotlight in theatres where performers were put in the “light of the lime” or “in the limelight.”
• While methods varied depending upon the quarry operation, a common method of quarrying was to use a tripod drill to make a hole in the limestone six inches in diameter and up to 30 feet deep.  Black powder was inserted into the hole and then ignited.  The resulting explosion broke away large chunks of limestone which were then further processed either by hand or by running through a crusher plant to reduce the limestone to smaller sizes. Workers were paid $0.65 to $1.50 an hour for ten-hour working days.
• In an effort to help entertain the workers and families in his company town of Owens Station, John D. Owens built an “opera house.” It featured a stage, a small orchestra pit, and a large coal furnace located under the stage. The location next to a rail line made it a convenient stop for traveling entertainers. The facility closed in the late 1920s and was then used for storage before being refurbished by current owners Dennis and Donna Mattix. The facility is available for meetings and tours.