User:Minimac/Crosby Opera House

The Crosby Opera House was an opera house that was constructed by Uranus Crosby in 1865. It was demolished on October 8, 1871 after it caught fire from the Great Chicago Fire.

Creation
Uranus Crosby, who was awarded as a distiller, used his money to create the Opera House. The Opera house was opened on April 20, 1865 After the initial construction Uranus' budget was severely compromised.

Events
The Opera House held the 1868 Republican National Convention from May 20 to May 21, 1868.

Destruction
When the Great Chicago fire set off, the House caught the fire and it burned. In January of 1867, Crosby announced he was broke as he was therefore holding a lottery. Two-hundred-ten thousand tickets would be sold at $5 each. A drawing was conducted after 185,000 tickets had been sold. A retired ship's captain from Prairie de Rocher, Abraham H. Lee, won the lottery and was awarded the Opera house; it had been built at a cost in excess of $600,000.00. Captain Lee then sold the Opera House back to Crosby for $200.000.00. It was estimated that Crosby was $650,000.00 to the good after the lottery.