Boyertown Area Historical Society Invites You To a Remembrance of the Opera House Fire

by Luann Zambanini

As the church bells strike the 1:00 p.m. hour on Sunday, January 12, 2025, a small crowd will have gathered on Fairview Cemetery. Those gathered (by the Tomb of the Unidentified from the Boyertown Opera House fire) will be doing so in remembrance of what happened in town on January 13, 1908. 

On that day, as the winter chill filled the air, townsfolk were excited to be able to climb the stairs of the Rhoad’s Opera House to watch the play, “The Scottish Reformation.” It was presented by St. John’s Church as a fundraising event. Most everyone in town had tickets for that evening’s performance or the performance on the following night. 

As these people climbed the stairs, they had no idea what was to come. The play started and everyone was enjoying the performance. Many sat very proudly as they watched their children, or nieces or nephews, as the actors. Then, a fire broke out on the stage and the disaster took place. 

One hundred and seventy people would die as a result of the incident. Everyone in town would know someone who died in the fire, and some businesses would never reopen in town. The cigar factories and the casket company would lose many workers. The school lost several teachers and many students. Some children lost both parents that night. Some parents lost their children. Heartbreak covered the people of the town. The town would never be the same.

This is the reason why the Boyertown Area Historical Society sets aside a Sunday to pay tribute to those who died as a result of the fire. You are invited for a short remembrance service at the Tomb of the Unidentified. This year we will be highlightening the Anderson family who lost six family members. One of these members is buried with the unidentified, while others are buried with other Anderson family members throughout Fairview Cemetery.

Please dress warmly and join us for this event on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. We will meet on Fairview Cemetery by the Tomb of the Unidentified.

If anyone would be interested on a full program to learn more details of the fire, Luann Zambanini will be presenting a full program about the fire on Tuesday, January 14, at 6 p.m. at the Pottstown Library in Pottstown Public Library at 500 E High St, Pottstown, PA 19464. You can email or call to resister for this program.

Emailmbealer@mclinc.org or telephone 610-970-6551 x102

You can read more about the fire by clicking here.

More News from Boyertown

• A Pictorial Tour Through the History of Boyertown: Fire Companies page 70 Fire Companies--page 70
• Endorsement Urges Applause for Poet Phil Repko’s Book Signing Be there: Phil Repko, former Boyertown High School teacher, endorsed by fellow poet John Yamrus, will host a poetry reading and book signing.