HISTORY

Before the turn of the century the Mental and Moral Improvement Society of Irvington, founders of the Village's first public library deeded land to the Village with the proviso that the building to be placed there house a free library and reading room. Also stipulated in the original grant was the requirement that a public hall must be included.

The Theater was completed in 1902 and for her next 60-year reign the "grand dame" was the center of cultural life in the Village, hosting concerts, recitals, balls, cotillions, graduations, minstrel shows and public meetings. Her walls might echo the past with strains of opera singer Lillian Nordica floating effortlessly through the hall or Eleanor Roosevelt giving a campaign speech for Franklin, or resident Ted Mack, auditioning for his Amateur Hour television show.

By 1960, our grand dame was little used. Changes in fire and health codes meant that the Theater was in non-compliance. Fire escapes fell off and the urgent need for additional library space prompted the closing off of the central hallway and staircase leading to the Theater.

For almost 20 years our grand dame was condemned to darkness, except for a historical exhibition in 1972, a dollhouse exhibition in 1978 and The Boy Scouts camping out over night. With disuse came disrepair. Maintenance was deferred so much that lighting was non-existent except for a few bare bulbs, the skylight leaked and left the Theater open to the elements, the walls were crumbling and coming down and the heat did not work.

In 1978 an interest group made up of Village residents and The Junior League of Westchester-on-Hudson formed to study the possibilities of restoring the Theater and re-equipping it for modern use. A proposal for restoration was presented to the Village Board of Trustees. After several meetings, the Village agreed to contribute $80,000 to the restoration, contingent on the interest group raising $20,000 for no one source to show community support for the project. The non-profit corporation, Irvington Town Hall Theater, Inc. was formed and charged with funding and promotion. With $5,000 seed money from the Jr. League, ITHT, Inc. was able to raise $20,000 by May 1979. In addition the Thursday Club pledged $11,500 for Phase II of the renovation-the redecoration and refurbishment of our grand dame's facelift.

By 1980, our grand dam was ready to re-open with new fire stairwells, plumbing, fire and safety systems, new period lighting, skylight repair and plastering and painted interior so her charm could continue to be enjoyed by all her devoted patrons.