{"nrhp_refnum":"73002276","name":"Stafford Bank and Opera House","other_names":["R. E. Stafford's Building"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Milan and Spring Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Columbus","county":"Colorado County","state":"TX","lat":29.70603105500004,"lon":-96.54025171699999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-05-08","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Performing Arts"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A large brick bank and opera house building at the southeast corner of Milam and Spring Streets in Columbus, Colorado County, Texas, completed in 1886 for R. E. Stafford and designed by Nicholas J. Clayton.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as a fine example of Victorian and Second Empire architecture by the noted architect Nicholas J. Clayton. It also served as the cultural center of the Columbus region, hosting nationally known performers from 1886 to 1916.","narrative":"Built in 1886 at the corner of Milam and Spring Streets in Columbus, Texas, this brick building combined a bank on the ground floor with an opera house above. Cattleman, banker and industrialist R. E. Stafford commissioned it from architect Nicholas J. Clayton at a cost of $50,000, plus $10,000 for stage equipment. The design mixes Second Empire form, Victorian detail and Romanesque-inspired motifs, with a mansard roof, bichrome brickwork, French doors on the street front and cast iron columns made in Galveston. The opera house seated about 1,000 and opened with a play starring Lillian Russell. Until 1916 it belonged to a circuit of Texas cities, bringing performers such as Al Jolson and Houdini to Columbus. Afterward the ground floor became a Ford agency, the upper floor held a roller skating business, and the stage area was turned into apartments. A preservation group bought the building to restore it as a cultural center, and it was recognized for its architectural importance.","period_of_significance":"19th Century","architect_builder":"Nicholas J. Clayton, architect; J. F. Tamon, Superintendent","architectural_style":"Second Empire (with high Victorian elements and Richardsonian Romanesque motifs)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition listed as fair and altered. Ground floor has been used as a Ford automobile agency, with the upper floor converted to apartments. Recently purchased by a preservation group intending restoration as a cultural center.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:19.670698-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/38/9715/40971538/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/73002276.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73002276/68543498f6-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73002276/68543498f6-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 4.0","author":"Larry D. Moore","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stafford_bank_and_opera_house_2008.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Larry D. Moore</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stafford_bank_and_opera_house_2008.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971538","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stafford_Opera_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56676094"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/colorado-county/stafford-bank-and-opera-house-73002276/"}