Ford's Theatre Architecture - Modular

[scldrgnfly]

I was wondering, is there any other theatre with the same modular construction as Ford's and Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Carolina?? I am being lazy right now, does anyone know who designed them and manufactured the components for each?

If anyone would really like to get in touch with the time and the process and may happen to be into Pascal and his "Wager," you really need to see the movie, "Oscar and Lucinda.". The music is exquisite. The movie is wonderful. There are a couple of questionable scenes for younger viewers, but it is an incredible view of what the Industrial Revolution meant to industry and especially architecture...and the effects of gambling. It has been on cable tv recently.

[J. Beckert]

I can't find my book about the restoration of Ford's, but if I'm not mistaken, head carpenter James Gifford was the architect that designed and built the "new" theater after the old church was burned.

[L Verge]

I'm pretty sure you are right, Joe. Gifford had worked for Ford on the Baltimore Theatre. He was also the architect for the Booths' Tudor Hall.

[scldrgnfly]

I found a great little pamphlet done by the government that is very detailed about the structural restoration and even lists the plays performed with the actors.

If you ask me, while Lincoln's acceptance of Ford's invitation may have seemed last minute, that may only have a formality, in case some emergency prevented his attendance. They had not only written a song for the occasion to be performed by the whole troupe(practice, practice, practice?), but Laura Keene's very own Chickering Box Grand Piano was brought in for the performance that night. It definitely was not a regular performance...but one that certainly would draw the President out if any would.

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Oh, I forgot, not only could the architectural plans not be found (are there some in the cornerstone?), but they did not have any sources for the cast iron columns. Gifford did the original and at least one rebuild. After he was no longer available an architect from NY, did a later restoration, Richard Dunbar.

I really wish I could find the foundry where the original columns were fabricated.

[J. Beckert]

I think Ford requested the columns for the scrap value and I believe Dunbar was awarded the contract to gut the theater and renovate it for it's use as a Gov't warehouse. I don't know if his methods were to blame for the collapse in 1893.