TODAY, WE'RE EXPLORING A REGION OF SOUTHERN OHIO KNOWN AS THE LITTLE CITIES OF BLACK DIAMONDS.

IT WAS COINED BY A NEWSPAPERMAN IN THE 1960s TO DESCRIBE THESE TOWNS.

WITH THE NEED FOR COAL DWINDLING, INDUSTRIES CLOSED DOWN, BUT THERE ARE SOME TOWNS LIKE NELSONVILLE THAT HAVE FOUND NEW LIFE.

WE SENT JEFF DARBEE OVER THERE TO CHECK IT OUT.

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>> WE'RE IN THE REGION KNOWN AS THE LITTLE CITIES OF BLACK DIAMONDS.

THE NAME WAS GIVEN TO THE CITIES IN OHIO, THE COAL MINING TOWNS.

AFTER ABOUT 1920, THEY FELL ON KIND OF HARD TIMES AFTER THE COAL INDUSTRY BEGAN TO DECLINE, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A RECOVERY TAKING PLACE.

WE'RE SEEING NEW INVESTMENT, NEW BUSINESSES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO VISIT NELSONVILLE TODAY AND VISIT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDINGS IN TOWN.

STUART'S OPERA HOUSE, WHICH IS WELL OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT AN OLD TIME OPERA HOUSE WAS LIKE AND HOW IT SURVIVES TODAY.

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>> HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?

WELCOME.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR INVITING US.

THIS IS QUITE A SPACE.

>> IT IS.

YOU ARE STANDING IN THE GRAND LOBBY OF STUART'S OPERA HOUSE.

THIS SPACE IS A MULTIPURPOSE SPACE.

LOBBIES FOR SHOWS THAT HAPPEN IN THE OPERA HOUSE AS WELL AS WEDDINGS AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.

>> SO THIS IS A NEW SPACE, BUT VERY HISTORIC BUILDING.

>> VERY.

IT WAS BUILT BY GEORGE STUART WHO RAN A SHOW BOAT ON THE CANAL SYSTEM HERE IN SOUTHEAST OHIO.

THE SHOW BOAT SANK IN THE CANAL.

HE CAME BACK TO NELSONVILLE AND WAS MARRIED TODAY A MEMBER OF THE DEW FAMILY HERE IN NELSONVILLE.

THEY OWN THIS PROPERTY HERE AND HE BUILT THIS OPERA HOUSE IN 1879.

>> WAS OPERA ACTUALLY PERFORMED HERE?

>> NO, SO THE INTERESTING THING, HISTORY OF OPERA HOUSES IN SOUTHEAST OHIO WERE THAT THEY WERE OFTEN STYLED SIMILARLY IN ARCHITECTURAL TERMS AS FAR AS OPERA HOUSES IN EUROPE.

THEY WERE CALLED OPERA HOUSES BECAUSE IT SORT OF ELEVATED THEM CULTURALLY AND AESTHETICALLY ABOVE THEATRE.

SO OBVIOUSLY THEATRE WAS A MAJOR THING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THOSE SPACES, BUT THEY WERE ALSO COMMUNITY CENTERS.

SO THERE WOULD BE FAMILY REUNIONS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.

THERE WAS EVEN A BOXING MATCH THAT HAPPENED UP IN STUART'S OPERA HOUSE.

>> LUCKY TO HAVE IT.

SO MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE LOST THEM.

BUT FORTUNATELY YOU HAVE YOURS.

>> WE DO.

IT OPENED IN 1879.

RAN UNTIL ABOUT 1942.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THAT TIME WAS THE RISE IN MOTION PICTURES SO A LOT OF OPERA HOUSES HAD TO PIVOT BECAUSE THE DEMAND FOR ENTERTAINMENT WAS CHANGING.

MY UNDERSTANDING WAS STUART DID ATTEMPT TO BECOME A MOTION PICTURE, BUT THERE WERE TWO OTHERS ON THE PUBLIC SQUARE HERE.

IT CLOSED IN 1924 AND LITERALLY THE OWNERS LOCKED THE DOOR AND WALKED AWAY LEAVING EVERYTHING IN THAT SPACE, WHICH IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR ABOVE US.

>> HOW LONG DID IT SIT UNUSED?

>> UNTIL THE MID '70s.

THAT'S A LONG TIME FOR A COMMUNITY TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST BUILDINGS ON THEIR PUBLIC SQUARE.

A SMALL GROUP OF CITIZENS IN NELSONVILLE RECOGNIZED ITS VALUE.

THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FORM A NON-PROFIT AROUND THE THEATRICAL HISTORY THAT WAS PRESERVED AND OPEN IT UP AS A PERFORMING VENUE, WHICH THEY DID IN THE LATE '70s.

>> GLAD TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THE BUILDING, BUT I IMAGINE THERE'S MORE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

FOLLOW ME.

>> OKAY.

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>> WELCOME TO THE HISTORIC GREEN ROOM.

>> IT'S NOT GREEN, BUT PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

>> IT'S A SPACE WHERE THE ARTISTS COME SO THEY CAN GET READY, BE SPOILED, EAT, SHOWER, DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO BEFORE THEY GET ON STAGE AND PERFORM FOR EVERYONE.

>> I DID SEE SOME OLD POSTERS.

TELL ME ABOUT THOSE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THOSE.

THOSE ARE YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY TURN OF THE CENTURY LATE 1800s, SO TRAVELING THEATRE GROUPS WOULD COME UP THE THEATRE SYSTEM, TRAVEL FROM TOWN TO TOWN AND PUT UP PLAY BILLS AND FLIERS OF THEIR UPCOMING PERFORMANCES.

THESE WOULD ORIGINALLY ADORN THE BACK WALL OF THE STAGE, WHICH WE LOST IN A FIRE, HOWEVER, THIS GREEN ROOM WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE FIRE.

SO WE ARE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE WHAT FEW ORIGINAL PLAY BILLS THAT WE HAVE.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE BALCONY AND THESE SLIDING DOORS.

>> THOSE ARE ORIGINAL DIRECTING ROOMS.

THEY WERE NUMBERED 6 THROUGH 12.

THE OTHER SET WOULD HAVE BEEN ALONG THE BACKSTAGE OF THE THEATRE.

THOSE SUFFERED A FATE IN THE FIRE.

>> ALL THE POSTERS, THESE REPRESENT SHOWS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SINCE WE REOPENED, WE HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIER PRESENTING THEATRES IN SOUTHEAST OHIO SO THESE POSTERS ALL REFLECT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, GRAMMY AWARD WINNING, YOU NAME IT, THAT HAS PERFORMED ON THE STAGE.

>> MUSICIANS TOURING THEATRE COMPANIES.

>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR OWN COMMUNITY THEATRE GROUP.

ABC PLAYERS.

THEY'LL PUT ON FOUR TO SEVEN PRODUCTIONS A YEAR.

>> SO THIS IS WHERE THE ACTOR, PERFORMERS WOULD GET READY, THEN WOULD HEAD FOR THE STAGE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S THE MAIN ATTRACTION.

LET'S GO.

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>> THIS IS LOOKING FAMILIAR.

BRIEF ACTING CAREER IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND THAT FEELING OF WHEN YOU GET ON STAGE, THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT.

>> THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT, IS IT?

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>> SO IT'S A MARVELOUS SPACE.

THE BALCONY'S BEAUTIFUL.

YOU SAID THIS WAS DAMAGED IN THE FIRE.

>> YEAH, SO THE OPERA HOUSE REOPENED IN THE LATE '70s AND THE COMMUNITY WAS EXCITED.

THINGS WERE HAPPENING THEN THERE WAS A FIRE.

THE FIRE DESTROYED THE STAGE WE'RE STANDING ON NOW.

THE BOX SEATS AND THE HOUSE FLOOR.

WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL SEATING BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR RESTORATION.

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE PRESERVED THAT ASPECT OF HISTORY.

>> SO THE THEATRE IS IN ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION AFTER THE RESTORATION?

>> SO, ORIGINALLY, THE HOUSE FLOOR YOU SEE NOW IS RAISED.

BACK IN THE DAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FLAT FLOOR WITH NO FIXED SEATING.

AND THE PURPOSE BEHIND THAT WAS THAT THIS WAS A MULTIPURPOSE VENUE.

THERE WERE FAMILY REUNIONS HAPPENING.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.

THEY WANTED TO BE ABLE TO CON FIGURE THE SPACE AS IT MADE SENSE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THE OTHER FEATURE IS THE DOME IN THE HOUSE CEILING, WHICH MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE CONTRIBUTES TO THE GOOD ACOUSTICS IN THE SPACE, BUT ALSO IT WAS PROBABLY VENTILATION PRIOR TO ELECTRICITY.

SO WHEN DIFFERENT GASLIGHTING AND THINGS WERE HAPPENING IN THE HOUSE, THE FUMES NEEDED SOMEWHERE TO GO.

>> WHAT'S THE CAPACITY?

>> 395.

WE SET UP FOLDING CHAIRS IN THE BACK.

SOLD OUT SHOWS, ABOUT 450.

>> SO IT'S SAFE TO SAY YOU'RE ON A REASONABLY SOUND FINANCIAL FOOTING.

>> WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY DEDICATED MEMBERSHIP BASE.

LOCAL FOUNDATIONS THAT SUPPORT US AS WELL AS RENTAL ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE.

ALSO THE MUSIC FESTIVAL IS A OUTDOOR FESTIVAL THAT STUART'S PRODUCES AND THAT HAS BEEN FINANCIALLY VERY IMPORTANT.

>> SO CLEARLY, YOU'RE A BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO GET PRESERVED?

>> ECONOMICALLY, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO SMALL COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL IMPACT THAT NELSONVILLE AND STUART'S OPERA HOUSE HAS MADE.

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SO IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE HAVE AN ARTS EDUCATION CENTER AND A DYNAMIC ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND OFTENTIMES FREE TO PARTICIPATE FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S A WAY TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE OPERA HOUSE.

WE TELL THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS YOUR OPERA HOUSE, YOUR SPACE.

>> IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT A PLACE LIKE THIS HAS AN ECONOMIC BASE THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ENABLES IT TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL TOUR.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

>>> COLUMBUS RAILROAD IS A PART OF A VAST NETWORK CONNECTING COUNTLESS DESTINATIONS.

IN THE LATE 1800s, THOUSANDS CAME FROM HAYDENVILLE, THE LAST COMPANY TOWN IN OHIO.

HERE'S THE STORY OF PETER HAYDEN AND THE EMPIRE HE BUILT WITH COAL AND CLAY.

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>> PETER HAYDEN WAS THIS RATHER REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL FROM NEW YORK.

HE STARTED OUT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 19 YEARS OLD AND SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THE AUBURN PENITENTIARY FOR INMATE LABOR.

HE CREATED A SADDLERY WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE PRISON USING THE INMATES TO CREATE THE HARDWARE FOR THE SADDLES AND HE ALSO MADE HAND TOOLS.

HE DID THAT FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS OR SO AND FOR SOME REASON, HE DECIDED TO COME TO COLUMBUS.

HE STRUCK A DEAL WITH THE OHIO PENITENTIARY TO USE INMATE LABOR TO CREATE ANOTHER SADDLERY AND ANOTHER COMPANY MAKING HAND TOOLS.

AT SOME POINT, HE DECIDED HE NEEDED COAL AND HE WAS DRAWN TO THIS AREA.

>> WE HAVE THE IRON ORE. WE HAD COAL.

THERE WAS SALT DOWN HERE.

SAND STONE.

ALL THIS THAT THEY NEEDED ELSEWHERE.

>> HAYDEN WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT HE ARRIVED JUST AS THE SYSTEM WAS UNFOLDING ACROSS OHIO.

THE FEEDER CANAL TO COLUMBUS WAS COMPLETED IN 1831 AND STARTED EXTENDING THIS WAY, REACHING DOWN TO NELSONVILLE TO ATHENS.

>> I'M AMAZED.

THIS CANAL RAN FOR ABOUT 1836, THERE WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS.

ABOUT ALL THEY GOT.

THEN IT WAS REPLACED BY THE TRAIN.

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>> HAYDENVILLE IS ONE OF THE LITTLE CITIES OF BLACK DIAMOND.

THEY WERE CALLED THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE DEVELOPED AROUND COAL MINING.

COAL WAS DISCOVERED IN THE VALLEY AS EARLY AS 1755.

>> THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT WHEN HE CAME HERE AND FOUND THE COAL WAS HE ALSO FOUND REALLY RICH CLAY.

>> IT WAS IN 1883 THAT PETER HAYDEN FOUNDED THE HAYDENVILLE MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CLAY HERE.

AND THEY USED THE CLAY FOR BRICKS, FOR SILO TILE, FOR CONDUIT.

ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN MAKE OUT OF CLAY, THEY MADE HERE.

THEY EVEN MADE UMBRELLA STANDS.

>> WORK IN A TILE FACTORY WOULD BE VERY HARD, VERY HOT LABOR.

IT WOULD BE SWEATY.

YOU WOULD BE ON A TEAM WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING VERY, VERY MANUAL WORK.

>> THE PLANT HAD UP TO 360 PEOPLE FOR THEM WORKING FOR THEM.

WORKING IN COAL MINES, CLAY MINES, SOME ON THE RAILROADS.

IN THE FACTORY AND KILNS.

THERE WOULD BE SOMEBODY STANDING THERE SHOVELING COAL IN THAT THING ALL DAY.

>> THE THING ABOUT HAVING THIS MANUFACTURING OPERATION HERE IS YOU NEED HOUSING FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND HE HAD THIS IDEA FOR CREATING A MODEL COMMUNITY AND HE ENDED UP BUILDING ALL THESE HOUSES OUT OF PRODUCTS THAT CAME OUT OF HIS PLANT.

BUILT OUT OF BRICK, TILE, SEWER PIPES.

>> BEING IN A COMPANY TOWN MEANS EVERYTHING IS OWNED BY THE COMPANY.

THE COMMUNITY, THE HOMES.

ALL YOUR NEEDS ARE MET BY THE COMPANY.

SO IN A COMPANY TOWN SINCE THE COMPANY OWNS LAND AND HOUSES FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR.

HOUSING WOULD BE ASSIGNED MOST LIKELY BY THE COMPANY SO DIFFERENT FAMILIES OF DIFFERENT SIZES MIGHT BE ABLE TO SORT OF ARGUE THEIR WAY INTO SOMETHING MORE UNIQUE, SOMETHING BIGGER IF THEY NEEDED IT.

ALSO, SUPERVISORS MIGHT BE ENTITLED TO A LARGER HOUSE, MORE SPACE, A LARGER YARD.

>> I PARTICULARLY LIKE THESE BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE DECORATIVE FEATURES THAN STRAIGHT ROW HOUSES DO.

YOU SEE THEY'VE GOT ARCHED WINDOWS AND DOORS.

ROW HOUSES DON'T.

BUT THE SEWER PIPES, GOTHIC, MAKES IT REALLY STAND OUT.

I ASSUME THESE WERE SOME OF THE HIGHER PEOPLE IN THE COMPANY.

SO IT WAS JUST A GROUP OF THEM.

>> BEHIND ME IS A REALLY UNIQUE CHURCH.

THE HAYDENVILLE CHURCH BUILT OUT OF THE HAYDENVILLE TILE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ALL LOCAL CLAY YOU SEE THERE.

MAKING REALLY BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS.

>> I FOUND THIS FASCINATING.

THE TOWN BASICALLY WAS SALES MAN SAMPLES THAT THEY WOULD BRING CUSTOMERS TO HAYDENVILLE TO SEE HOW THEIR TILE AND BRICK AND EVERYTHING THEY MANUFACTURED, CERAMICS COULD BE USED.

THE HOUSE BEHIND US IS BUILT WITH SILO TILE.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF IT.

>> THERE WERE 17 OR SO BUILT ABOUT 1917.

WE HAD A COUPLE OVER BY THE RIVER AND WE HAD THIS ONE AND THEN THE REST WERE CLEAR OVER AT THE MINES.

>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH A COMPANY TOWN, WHEN THE COMPANY LEAVES, FOLDS, MASSIVE LAYOFFS, THERE'S NO LONGER A TOWN TO BE SUPPORTED.

NO MORE COMPANY STORE.

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE EITHER DON'T HAVE THEIR HOMES ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WORKING FOR THE COMPANY ANYMORE OR IF THE LAND HAS BEEN SOLD OFF TO INDIVIDUALS, THERE'S NO REAL REASON TO STICK AROUND.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S PART OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS AREA.

PARTIALLY DUE TO THE RISE OF MECHANIZATION.

>> HAYDENVILLE IS CONSIDERED THE LAST OF THE COMPANY TOWNS.

THE COMPANY SOLD OFF THE HOUSES IN 1964.

THAT TIME, THERE WERE 112 HOUSES.

EIGHT OF WHICH WERE DOUBLE.

>> FROM AN INDUSTRIAL STANDPOINT, PETER HAYDEN WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF COLUMBUS.

HE HAD HIS FINGERS IN EVERYTHING.

HE HAD BUSINESSES IN CHICAGO, DETROIT, SAN FRANCISCO, NEW JERSEY.

HE WAS IN BANKING.

HE WAS INVOLVED WITH STREETCARS.

HE MADE CANNON BALLS DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

HIS BANK WAS THE OLDEST BUILDING ON CAPITAL SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS AND YET WE DON'T REALLY RECOGNIZE HIS NAME ANYMORE.

>> HE WAS ALSO WELL LOVED HERE.

VERY GOOD TO HIS TEAM.

FOR A GOOD HARD DAYS WORK, HE GAVE THEM A GOOD LIVING.

>> THE DESCRIPTION OF BEAUTIFUL WINDOW WHICH WAS DEDICATED TO PETER HAYDEN READS SO HE FED THEM ACCORDING TO THE INTEGRITY OF HIS HEART AND GUIDED THEM BY THE SKILLFULNESS OF HIS HANDS.

I THINK THAT REALLY IS KIND OF A TESTAMENT TO THE LEGACY OF PETER HAYDEN IN HIS COMMUNITY.

>> I THINK THE LEGACY OF HAYDEN IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN THESE TOWNS.

AS WE WERE RESEARCHING THE BOOK, WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DEVOTED TO THIS AREA.

MAYBE THEIR GRANDFATHERS OR GREAT GRANDFATHERS WORKED HERE.

THEY LOVE IT HERE.

>> TOWNS LIKE THIS REALLY NEED SOMETHING NEW TO COME IN.

TOURISM COULD BE WONDERFUL IN THIS AREA.

IT'S A GORGEOUS AREA.

SO WHAT HAYDENVILLE REALLY NEEDS IS ANOTHER LIKE PETER HAYDEN.

SOMEONE WHO SEES THE POTENTIAL VALUE.

SEES WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND REALLY MAKES IT HAPPEN.

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>> THEATRES HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN THE PLACES THAT HAVE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND IN SHAWNEE, OHIO, THEIR HOPE IS THAT BY RESTORING THE TECUMSEH THEATRE, THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE A GATHERING PLACE.

JEFF DARBEE AND NANCY RECCHIE VISITING SHAWNEE TO FIND OUT MORE.

>> IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN OHIO.

I THINK IT'S YOURS, TOO, ISN'T IT?

SHAWNEE?

>> IT IS.

PART OF THE REASON IS YOU BROUGHT ME HERE WHEN WE WERE JUST BEGINNING TO DATE AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS A REALLY INTERESTING PLACE TO GO.

I WAS NEW TO PRESERVATION AND YOU WERE INTRODUCING ME TO INTERESTING PLACES AROUND THE STATE.

AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT.

I THINK IT WAS BACK IN 1976.

>> YEAH, A LONG TIME AGO.

1973 ALONG WITH THE REST OF THIS COAL PRODUCING REGION IN APP LATCHEN, OHIO.

TOWNS LIKE THIS LOST THEIR BASE, WHICH WAS BASICALLY COAL MINING.

HISTORICALLY, A VERY IMPORTANT PLACE.

ARCHITECTURALLY, QUITE UNUSUAL.

PARTICULARLY FOR THE OVERHANGING TORCHES.

WE'LL SEE THEM WHILE WE VISIT THE TOWN.

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WELL, YOU KNOW, HASN'T CHANGED RECENTLY.

>> IT HASN'T.

>> STILL SHAWNEE.

>> STILL OVERHANGING TORCHES.

REALLY INTERESTING ARCHITECTURE.

YEAH.

>> UNIQUE TO THE REGION.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> IT'S REALLY WHAT STRUCK ME THE FIRST TIME WE CAME.

I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.

>> THIS IS A TECUMSEH THEATRE BUILDING.

ACTUALLY, THE IMPROVED ORDER OF REDMOND BUILDING.

BUT THE THEATRE IS IN HERE AS WELL.

>> THOSE WERE CULTURAL.

>> THEY WERE.

THE DAYS BEFORE TELEVISION, EVEN BEFORE RADIO.

THAT'S WHAT YOU DID IN THE EVENINGS.

>> AND HERE'S JOHN.

YOU MADE IT.

>> HOW IS EVERYTHING?

>> GOOD, GOOD.

>> SO THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG WITH THE TECUMSEH THEATRE.

>> YEAH, WE KEEP MAKING STEP BY STEP, INCH BY INCH.

>> CAN WE HAVE A QUICK TOUR?

>> COME ON IN, YEAH.

>> THANKS.

>> THIS IS GREAT.

>> I SEE WE'RE BEING GREETED BY TECUMSEH.

THAT'S GOOD.

>> SCULPTURE.

>> CHAIN SAW ART PROJECT FROM OUR SUMMER ART PROGRAM.

>> GOOD FOR THEM.

PART OF THE BUILDING WAS A MOVIE THEATRE.

WE'RE IN A PART THAT WAS COMMERCIAL.

AND THE THEATRE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE NAME OF THIS THEATRE.

LINDA.

LINDA THEATRE.

>> YEP.

>> LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THIS.

I REMEMBER THIS WHEN IT WAS JUST AN OLD, RUSTY SIGN.

>> LOOK AT THAT.

>> YOU'VE GOT IT ALL LIT AGAIN.

>> NOT JUST THE LINDA.

THE NEW LINDA.

>> IT SAYS NEW BECAUSE THE OWNER REMODELLED THIS SPACE AFTER IT OPENED AS A MOVIE THEATRE AND BROUGHT IN THE FIRST SOUND PICTURES IN THE AREA.

NEW VELVET COVERED SEATS.

A CONFECTIONARY FOR CUSTOMERS AND IT WAS A SHOWCASE FOR A MULTICOUNTY AREA.

>> SO THE MOVIE THEATRE WAS HERE AND THERE'S ANOTHER UPSTAIRS SO THIS WAS A REAL CULTURAL CENTER.

>> IT WAS AND IT IS TODAY, TOO.

BUT LET'S GO SEE THAT OTHER THEATRE.

>> LET'S GO DO THAT.

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>> WHAT A WONDERFUL -- >> YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND I'D REALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT WHOLE STAGE AND HOW MUCH WAS STILL IN TACT WITH ALL THE WATER THAT GOT THROUGH.

IT'S REALLY -- >> AND EVEN WITHOUT THE PLASTER, YOU CAN TELL REALLY WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.

MUCH OF THE PLASTER WAS GONE.

>> WATER DAMAGE.

>> SURE.

>> BUT YOU CAN SURE SEE THE CONTOURS OF THE SUPPORT BEACHES AND THE FRONT OF THE BALCONY.

THAT ELEGANT CURVE.

THOSE BEAMS ARE STILL I BEAMS AND THEY CALL THIS A SKYSCRAPER IN 1908 WHEN THEY BUILT IT.

>> IT'S A TRIBUTE TO HOW WELL BUILT IT IS THAT WITH ALL THAT WATER AND NEGLECT AND VACANCY FOR ALL THESE YEARS THAT YOU'D HAVE THIS MUCH ORIGINAL FABRIC TO WORK WITH.

>> ALSO HAVE A PIECE OF THE ORIGINAL BACKDROP SCENERY FROM SOME OF THE PLAYS AND SHOWS THAT WENT ON HERE.

>> NOW, THOSE WERE PAINTED ON CANVAS.

THAT'S WHY A FABRIC PAINTED.

>> RIGHT.

AND WE'VE SAVED A LOT OF THE CANVASES AND THEY'RE IN STORAGE.

PEOPLE ARE AMAZED THAT SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED HERE WERE BASKETBALL TEAMS.

OHIO UNIVERSITY'S TEAM PLAYED IN THIS SPACE AND HAD TALL CEILINGS.

SO IF YOU HAD A HIGH, ARCHING SHOT, IT DIDN'T HIT, WHICH WAS A PROBLEM IN OTHER VENUES.

>> THE THIRD FLOOR, WAS THAT THE LATCH HALL?

>> THE IMPROVE ORDER OF RED MAN, WHICH WAS A FRATERNAL ORDER.

THEY HAD A HUGE ROLE IN THESE EARLY MINING TOWNS WITH SOCIAL EVENTS AND RULES OF BEHAVIOR AND WITH THAT SAID, THEY HAD THEIR CEREMONIAL BALLROOM UPSTAIRS WHICH WAS ANOTHER WONDERFUL, USABLE SPACE IN THIS BUILDING AS WE RAISED FUNDS TO UTILIZE THIS.

>> YOU WERE IN A GROUP THAT ACQUIRED THIS IN THE '70s.

>> 1976.

$500.

>> FOR A WHOLE BUILDING.

>> YEAH.

>> A FEW MORE DOLLARS OVER THE YEARS, BUT STILL YOU SAVED THE BUILDING FOR $500.

>> I THINK YOU GUYS TOLD US ABOUT MOTH BALLING THIS.

SO AS TIME MOVES FORWARD, WE'RE ABLE TO RAISE FUNDS TO RESTORE IT.

>> IT'S A LEGACY PROJECT.

YOU SPENT A LOT OF YEARS WORKING ON IT, BUT THE IDEA THAT THESE ARE IRREPLACEABLE BUILDINGS, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS DO IT RIGHT AWAY.

IT'S VERY INCREMENTAL, BUT YOU'VE HAD STAYING POWER IN THIS BUILDING HERE TODAY AND THAT'S REALLY A TRIBUTE TO THE WILLINGNESS TO WORK AT SOMETHING AND NEVER GIVE UP.

>> THESE BUILDINGS, THEY'RE SO WE BUILT THEY CAN LAST A VERY LONG TIME EVEN WITH THE ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND THEY ARE RESTORE RESTOREABLE IF YOU TAKE CARE OF THEM.

>> IT'S REALLY SYMBOLIC.

IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THINGS TO DECLINE.

WE THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO RESTORE THESE TOWNS, BUT WE'RE WORKING AT IT GRADUALLY AND STEADILY AND MAKING PROGRESS.

>> YOU PROBABLY BUILT A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY BY HAVING THAT FIRST FLOOR USABLE WHILE YOU'RE WORKING ON THE REST OF THE BUILDING.

THEY HAVE AN OWNERSHIP, AN EXPERIENCE THAT'S DIFFERENT IN IT BEING VACANT AND MEMORIES FROM THEIR PARENTS.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S GIVING LOCAL ARTISTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM, EXHIBIT OUR HISTORY DURING LITTLE CITIES OF BLACK DIAMONDS DAY.

AND PEOPLE ARE BUILDING UP A LOT OF WEDDINGS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND EVENTS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS A SOURCE OF SYSTEM AND ALSO CONNECTED THE COMMUNITY TO THE BUILDING.

>> WELL, JOHN, THANKS SO MUCH.

IT'S REALLY AMAZING WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED HERE.

IT ONLY TOOK 42 YEARS.

>> COME BACK IN 42 MORE AND WE'LL HAVE IT DONE.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

WE LOVE COMING AND VISITING AND WE'LL BE BACK TO WATCH YOUR PROGRESS AS IT CONTINUES.

>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND REMEMBER YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

PLUS, SEE OUR STORIES ON THE W OSU MOBILE APP AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS.

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