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Pine Plains Opera House celebrated with unveiling of historic marker

Pine Plains Opera House celebrated with unveiling of historic marker
From left, Gary Cooper, Thayer Durrel, Little Nine Partners Historical Society President Dyan Wapnick, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature Gregg Pulver (R-19), Dutchess County Historian William Tatum and Pine Plains town Supervisor Darrah Cloud celebrated the town’s first William G. Pomeroy Foundation historic marker commemorating the town’s Opera House on Saturday morning, May 1.
Photo by Kaitlin Lyle

PINE PLAINS — Falling in line with their work in honoring the past and preserving its future, members of the Little Nine Partners Historical Society (LNPHS) invited the Pine Plains community to join them in the unveiling and dedication of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation historic marker on Saturday, May 1, to commemorate the town’s Opera House.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the LNPHS couldn’t have asked for a more pleasing spring morning to hold the unveiling or a more delightful turnout in front of the Pine Plains Pharmacy, located at 2965 Church St., where the Opera House was once established. Welcoming everyone to the event, Little Nine Partners Historical Society President Dyan Wapnick disclosed to attending officials and residents that they were there to honor the first William G. Pomeroy Foundation historic marker the town of Pine Plains has ever commemorated. 

Since 2006, Wapnick announced that the Pomeroy Foundation has funded more than 1,300 signs across the U.S.

“When I first applied for the grant, these Pomeroy people really want you to succeed with this,” she said as she praised the foundation for its support and encouragement on the town’s application.

Wapnick voiced her gratitude to pharmacy owner Nasir Mahmoud for his support as well as Director of Dutchess County Highway Construction and Maintenance Gary Cooper and the Pine Plains Highway Department for finding a location for the marker. She also gave thanks for the encouragement the LNPHS received from local historians.

With a flourish, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature Gregg Pulver (R-19), a multigenerational Pine Plains farmer, and Dutchess County Historian William Tatum removed the marker’s covering and the community gave a cheer at the sight of it.

Considering the amount of work that went into checking its accuracy, language and other details before installing the marker, Tatum remarked, “This is a tremendous monument to your community.”

Applauding the Historical Society for its tremendous work, Tatum asked community members to remember whenever they see the marker that it represents months of hard work by the local and county historical societies and the Pomeroy Foundation to preserve local history.

Dressed as Jacob Bowman from head to toe, local resident Thayer Durrel delivered a reprisal performance of the visionary behind the Opera House to further enlighten the community of its historic value in their small town. Darrel previously took on the role of Bowman during the 2020 Evergreen Cemetery Tours organized by the LNPHS and the Pine Plains Free Library during Halloween.

As he recited that the Opera House was first built in 1895, Durrel proclaimed, “This has become a community space and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Stepping back into the community’s view, Wapnick shed a light on what happened to the Opera House in later years: Bowman sold the Opera House in 1905 and passed away six years later. The Opera House continued under a succession of owners before closing in 1916.

Wapnick then encouraged the community to go to the Little Nine Partners website, www.lnphs.org, for more details.

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