Bent's Opera House

{{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} thumb|right|Bent's Opera House '''[https://www.facebook.com/bentsoperahouse/ Bent's Opera House]''', also known as '''Bent's Hall''', is a three-story building located at 444 Main Street in Medina, New York, in the United States. The building is made of Medina Sandstone and features an opera house on the top floor. Construction began in 1864 and was completed early the next year. The building is named for Don Carlos Bent, a local farmer who owned the property and had the structure erected. A formal dedication ceremony was held on February 28, 1865, featuring remarks by a Civil War officer and patriotic pageantry.<ref>{{cite web |last=Waldo |first=Russell |title=Medina's Old Hitching Post Days-May 19, 1954 |url=http://www.eggstreet.org/Bent's%20History.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524095909/http://www.eggstreet.org/Bent%27s%20History.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2012 }}</ref>

For many decades, Bent's Opera House was a prominent venue in Medina for concerts, plays, shows, commencements, elections, and other public functions. P. T. Barnum and William "Buffalo Bill" Cody<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031556/1936-02-06/ed-1/seq-6/|title=News Events of Other Days|date=6 Feb 1936|work=The Medina Tribune|access-date=16 Jan 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031556/1877-02-08/ed-1/seq-2/|title=Bent's Opera House Buffalo Bill Combination|date=8 Feb 1877|work=The Medina Tribune|access-date=16 Jan 2019}}</ref> were among the hundreds of touring performers who brought their talents to the Bent's stage.

As motion pictures and other forms of entertainment became popular in the twentieth century, the Opera House fell into disuse. Yet its legacy was not completely forgotten, as Bent's Hall was included as a contributing property to Medina's Main Street Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

In 2010, Bank of America, the building's last commercial owner, donated the Bent's Hall property to the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. (ORG), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing arts and cultural programs to the greater Medina community.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kropf |first=Virginia |title=Historic Medina opera donated to local group |url=http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_b630c1e6-083e-5f7c-9b53-dab2b5aa6850.html?mode=story |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204031509/http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_b630c1e6-083e-5f7c-9b53-dab2b5aa6850.html?mode=story |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |newspaper=Batavia Daily News |date=November 24, 2009 }}</ref> Leaders of ORG hope to restore the Opera House to its former glory as a functioning performance venue.

ORG has since sold Bent's Opera House to Talis Equity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://orleanshub.com/list-of-7-endangered-sites-in-ny-includes-historic-opera-houses/|title=List of 7 endangered sites in NY includes historic opera houses|date=9 April 2018|website=Orleans Hub|access-date=16 Jan 2019}}</ref> CEO Roger Hungerford is currently renovating and updating the building to include a restaurant, boutique hotel, and a wedding/event venue space.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://orleanshub.com/medina-lions-club-hears-about-ambitious-projects-at-bents-old-medina-high-school/|title=Medina Lions Club hears about ambitious projects at Bent's, old Medina High School.|date=10 Nov 2017|website=Orleans Hub|access-date=16 Jan 2019}}</ref>

In 2012, Bent's Opera House was included on the Preservation League of New York State's annual "Seven to Save" list. This list highlights "valued historic resources [that] are in danger of disappearing."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.preservenys.org/seven-2012/seven-05.html |title=PLNYS Seven to Save 2012 |access-date=2012-12-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311201757/http://www.preservenys.org/seven-2012/seven-05.html |archive-date=2013-03-11 }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120719063619/http://www.eggstreet.org/bentshall.php Orleans Renaissance Group] * [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bents-Hall/227554951743 Bent's Hall on Facebook] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaFj_LXp5z8 Bent's Hall: Bring It Back video on YouTube]

Category:Buildings and structures in Orleans County, New York Category:Theatres completed in 1865 Category:Music venues completed in 1865 Category:Opera houses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state)