Shelby Once Had an Opera House That Seated 1,500 People

In the 1880s, Shelby had a building known as Blanton’s Hall, which was part of a brick structure on North LaFayette Street, directly across the alley from the old Masonic Temple. According to Benjamin Baxter Suttle, Blanton’s Hall was considered one of the finest opera houses in Western North Carolina at the time. The building measured 52 by 110 feet and could seat about 1,500 people, which was remarkable for a town whose total population was under 1,000. Major performances, public gatherings, and cultural events were held there, making it a regional entertainment center long before Shelby was considered a large town. 

Mamie Jones