New $6 Million Arts Center Aims for a Burst of Cultural Activity
Plus, Davis businesses warned of major roadwork next year, and more
Supporters of a stunning new performing arts center in Thomas say a burst of construction activity is slated to start in the spring, and an opening date is finally within sight.
The center will host a wide variety of events including concerts, plays, community events, and arts education camps for kids. It will be located in Cottrill’s Opera House on Front Street, a historic structure that was severely dilapidated until a series of major structural repairs over the past four decades rescued it from potential demolition.
Dave Esch, president of Alpine Heritage Preservation, the nonprofit that owns the facility, said he hopes the performing art center will open in 2027 — if additional funding can be secured.
Esch, a former preservation architect, said local artists have demonstrated that a vibrant artist community can thrive in Thomas, and he believes the performing arts center will be an accelerant for more cultural activity in the area.
“I deeply admire what the artists have done in Thomas,” Esch said. “It’s become an economic engine for this region.”
Risqué history
The structure was built in 1902 by Hiram Cottrill, a former mine superintendent and saloon owner. The area was booming at that time thanks to the coal and timber industries.
The facility hosted vaudeville shows, movies, concerts, and theater productions. Historians suspect that calling it an “opera house” was an intentional misnomer intended to avoid scrutiny given vaudeville’s risqué reputation. Historians say that Jack Benny, George Burns, and Gracie Allen were among the luminaries who appeared there.
As the coal and timber industries faded, the building changed hands several times and slid into disrepair. Betty Stuart, its last commercial owner, donated the building for preservation in 1978.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Restoration efforts began in the early 1980s with extensive work on the bones of the building including the roof, joists, and brickwork.
Most of that work is done, and the ground floor of the building is occupied by retail tenants. The focus now is on restoring the performing arts venue, which occupies the entire second floor and a balcony.
Backers of the project say it will attract more overnight visitors to the area, which will be especially important during periods when tourism has typically been low. An economic impact study of the facility projects annual revenue of nearly $700,000 in its fifth year of operation, with much larger ripple effects for the area’s economy.
Purple Fiddle connection
John Bright, owner of the Purple Fiddle, a renowned live music venue in Thomas, is working closely with the nonprofit that owns the building and will help book acts at the venue. Bright said he has no worries about losing business to the new facility.
“It will be fantastic for the town of Thomas, and that’s the important thing,” Bright said. “It will raise the profile of all of Thomas as being an arts destination.”
The new performing arts center will be able to hold about 325 people — roughly triple the capacity of the Purple Fiddle. That extra capacity will make Thomas a destination for much bigger acts, musical and otherwise.
“There are so many bands that have outgrown the Purple Fiddle that I would still love to book” at the new venue, Bright said.
Fundraising push
Estimates show the facility needs $5 million to $6 million to get the venue ready to open, Esch said.
Backers of the project are securing funding from a variety of sources. The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History and the Appalachian Regional Commission have provided funding, and more grant applications are in the works.
Fundraising in 2023 netted $1 million, mostly in the form of a $500,000 federal earmark which required matching funds from private donors. One local donor gave $250,000 toward the match, and other donors kicked in another $250,000 to secure the full federal earmark.
So far in 2024, donors have given $600,000, Esch said.
One option for a major donor is naming rights: Esch said that in exchange for a $2.5 million donation, the facility could be renamed the “_______ Performing Arts Center at Cottrill’s Opera House.”
Naming opportunities are also available for smaller amounts, ranging from $1,000 for naming wall recognition to $1.5 million for the theater.
The nonprofit is applying next year for a $2 million grant with a match requirement. The nonprofit needs another $400,000 to secure that grant, Esch said.
“We’re on a good trajectory, and we need to keep up the efforts,” he said.
Fast Facts
Size: 11,800 square feet, with additions planned for stage support spaces
Seating: 325
Events: Live music, theater production, movies, educational programming, art camps for kids, after school programs, community events.
Projected opening date: 2027
Fundraising: The facility is owned by Alpine Heritage Preservation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Donations are tax deductible
Accessibility: The facility will be ADA accessible, which requires an elevator, new bathrooms and other improvements.
More News
Davis Mayor Details Roadwork Disruptions in Meeting With Businesspeople
By Mat Cloak, contributing writer
William Avenue in Davis will be torn up for about two months in the fall of 2025 for road improvements by the West Virginia Division of Highways, Mayor Al Tomson told local businesspeople Thursday night.
The construction work on William Avenue, which runs through the town’s business district, will require reducing traffic to a single lane, Tomson said.
About 20 local businesspeople and residents attended the meeting, which Tomson organized to keep businesses updated about a number of changes in store for the town. Attendees asked few questions and provided relatively little feedback. Some expressed concerns that town officials were not adequately addressing the needs of local business owners.
Tomson has previously warned that upcoming road, sewer, and sidewalk upgrades will cause extensive disruptions for local residents and businesses.
Tomson also discussed plans for Riverfront Park and efforts to extend the town’s network of sidewalks. Those plans include extending sidewalks from downtown to Camp 70 Road, and from downtown to the baseball field.
Editor’s Note: Readership Hits New Records
The previous two editions of Country Roads News reached jaw-dropping levels of new readership.
The October 17 edition with the story about Big Timber Brewing opening a tap room in Davis prompted nearly 5,000 views, a record for Country Roads News.
Clearly, beer remains popular.
But the October 29 story about Western Pocahontas’s plans for development in the region roared past that milestone, topping 8,500 views. Equally important for the long-term viability of this publication, that story also sparked a 19 percent surge in paid subscribers.
While the number of paid subscribers lags far behind total readership, both numbers are moving strongly in the right direction.
Week after week, readers keep demonstrating that they value high-quality local news. I can’t thank you enough.
Dan