Smith Opera House

Smith Opera House

The Smith Opera House as it appears after a restoration begun in 1994. The exterior has been restored to its original 1894 appearance; the interior was restored to 1931, when the property was a lavish art deco movie theater.

Suffrage poster

Suffrage poster

This poster announces an 1897 statewide convention of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association (NYSWSA) organized by Elizabeth Smith Miller and her daughter, Anne Fitzhugh Miller. Large public sessions were divided between the Opera House and another public event space, Collins Hall ("Collin's" as shown in this poster is a typographical error). William Smith regularly donated the use of his hall for suffrage events.

Newspaper Ad for Convention

Newspaper Ad for Convention

Newspaper ad promoted convention events at Smith Opera House (bottom) and Collins Hall (top).

Program for Two Evenings and a Day at the "Smith"

Program for Two Evenings and a Day at the "Smith"

Page 2 of the 1897 NYSWSA Convention program describes an evening, a day, and a second evening's activities at the Smith Opera House, including lectures by Julia R. Jenney, Annis Ford Eastman, Harriet May Mills, and Anna Howard Shaw.

Rev. Annis Ford Eastman

Rev. Annis Ford Eastman

Rev. Annis Ford Eastman (1852–1910) of Elmira spoke at the 1897 NYSWSA convention. She was one of the first women to be ordained a Congregational minister and a suffrage activist. She and her husband, also a minister, campaigned from their shared pulpit for suffrage and other social-reform causes.

Associated Historical Events

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