Echoes of the past
Seymour stirs up efforts to save old auditorium

By Lara K. Richards/Times Record News
March 28, 2006

SEYMOUR - The opening bars of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" float through the air of the old Seymour City Hall Auditorium. The pitter-patter of tap shoes on the wooden stage mix with the sound of fiddles playing old country music favorites.

If you listen closely, you can hear the echoes of the past inside the historic 1924 building.

For years, the auditorium was the center of activity in Seymour. From piano and dance recitals to concerts, school plays, graduation ceremonies and other performances, the auditorium was the place in town. If it happened in the city, chances are it happened there.

"It was the hub of the life of this town at one time," Seymour Economic Development Director John Studer said. "Whenever there was a public gathering, it was there."

Over the years, though, the auditorium became less of an attraction and more of an eyesore. The last event held in the once-bustling structure was sometime in the early '70s, Studer said.

But that doesn't mean the town and its residents forgot about the building.

Studer said a push to restore the auditorium, which is located on the second floor of the city hall, began about two years ago, but really got under way this past year. The city is currently pursuing grants for the restoration, estimating the project will take around $300,000 to complete. Fund-raising efforts have already begun.

"Everyone wants to see this thing done. Everyone has memories of this," Studer said. "I did a third-grade play in here. There used to be a lot of piano recitals in here. Just think how many kids performed up there."

It's these memories that will propel the project to completion, Seymour Chamber of Commerce Director Myra Busby believes.

"It's just getting everyone's memories awakened," she said. "Everyone remembers this."

Everyone can also see the history that has already been buried in the town, she said. Like many small towns, Seymour has already lost many of its historic structures. The old courthouse is long gone, replaced by the newer model in the center of town. The old hotel that used to sit near city hall is no more.

And that's why saving this particular building is so vital, said Clifton Talley, a member of the Seymour City Hall Auditorium Restoration Committee.

Continue Next Page