RISINGSUN, Ohio — If you blink, you'll miss it.
Drive through the small town of Risingsun, and you might not even notice a piece of local history.
The current town hall building was built in 1901 and was originally the community opera house. It has served as a civic center for the community for more than a century.
"Weddings have taken place here, cantatas have taken place here from the area churches," Sandy Stephenson, president of the Risingsun Area Historical Society, said.
At the turn of the century in the age when a round trip to Toledo could take up an entire day, opera houses like these were vital for rural communities.
"You came and watched a play or something like that here," Stephenson said. "You didn't have access to movie theaters or the big cinemas. This was the entertainment for the town."
After its life as an entertainment venue, the building now serves as village offices and houses the police and fire departments.
It has taken multiple generations of work from the Risingsun Area Historical Society, but finally, the building has been officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The hope is that the designation can help more people in the area appreciate the piece of history right in their backyard along with helping preservation efforts.
You'll be able to check out this opera house yourself, in person, during an open house following a dedication ceremony for the historic plaque on Oct. 28, at 3:30 p.m.
