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Keweenaw National Historical ParkPeople gather outside the Red Jacket Town Hall and Opera House in this historic photo.
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Keweenaw National Historical Park
Calumet Theatre
Looking down on the stage of the Calumet Theatre.
NPS Photo, Dan Johnson.
Looking down on the stage of the historic Calumet Theatre.
 

By 1898, the Village of Red Jacket (now Calumet) had a sizeable surplus in its treasury. Local leaders decided to expand the town hall with the addition of a 1,200 seat opera house. The theater opened on March 20, 1900, with a touring Broadway production of Reginald DeKoven’s The Highwaymen. Over the years, numerous well-known performers made their way to Red Jacket, including John Phillip Sousa, Sarah Bernhardt, Jason Robards, Sr. and Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. The historic opera house gives us a glimpse into the lives of the village's residents; as everyone from miners to company presidents attended perfomances here.

Now known at the Calumet Theatre, it is one of the nation's oldest municipally-built theaters and still offers a variety of performances including musicals, concerts plays and film series. This Keweenaw Heritage Site offers guided tours in the summer and self-guided tours other times of the year.
Location: 340 Sixth Street, Calumet, Michigan
Phone: (906) 337-2610.
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Ruins of the boiler house for the No. 4 mine shaft are preserved today in the Quincy Mine National Historic Landmark District.  

Did You Know?
Keweenaw National Historical Park is home to two National Historic Landmark Districts related to copper mining history. National Historic Landmarks contain one or more properties that exhibit exceptional values or qualities in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.

Last Updated: November 15, 2007 at 16:35 EST