Historical Images of Porter County

Memorial Opera House and Jail
Valparaiso, Indiana

Date: Circa 1910-1913
Source Type: Postcard
Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Lowenstine & Sons, Portage Publishing Company
Postmark: July 28, 1913, Valparaiso, Indiana
Collection: Steven R. Shook
Remark: The Memorial Opera House, seen to the left in this image, was named so as to commemorate the soldiers of the Civil War, was designed by Valparaiso architect Charles F. Lembke. The structure, located at 104 East Indiana Avenue, was built during 1892 and 1893. Numerous individuals of international, national, and regional fame found an audience at the Memorial Opera House. With the growth of the motion picture industry, a period of decline set in. However, the Memorial Opera House found new life in 1955 when it began to be used once again for theatrical performances. The Italianate structure to the right in this image served as the residence for the sheriff of Porter County. To the far right can be seen the tower of the Porter County Jail. Located at 153 South Franklin Street, both the sheriff's residence and jail were constructed around 1871 at a cost of $26,500. They served their original purpose until 1974 when a new Porter County Jail was built on Franklin Street.

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Image and related text prepared by Steven R. Shook