The Convoy Opera House/City Hall/Firehouse property at 111 South Main Street in downtown Convoy was given approval on September 18, 2020 by the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board as qualified for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places of the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. Based on the Board’s recommendation, Barbara Powers, Department Head of Planning, Inventory and Registration Department of Ohio History Connection, has signed the nomination recommending its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination forms were sent to Washington DC for federal evaluation. In March, the Village of Convoy & the Village of Convoy Historical Society have been notified by the Ohio Senate General Assembly that the property at 111 South Main Street in Convoy has been accepted to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.
For more than two years, Ruth Ann Densel, worked on research, documentation, photo preparation, application submission, etc. with Larry Webb seeking required technical info and doing photography. Barb Powers(Ohio History Connection) with her suggestions, comments, editing, additions and finalization of the documents, was most instrumental and the driving force to achieve acceptance to the National Register of Historic Places.
With this accreditation, the Historical Society will qualify to apply for Historical Grants on the State and Federal level, providing funding to help with completing Phase III of the restoration process, the Annex Building, continuing to build restrooms, dressing rooms and gathering rooms upstairs and downstairs for the Opera House and future restoration project to include a museum allowing for local gatherings and many more opportunities for the community.
The Convoy Opera House/City Hall/ Firehouse was built circa 1901 and for many years used accordingly. The building is still basically in good condition and has historic significance in the community. The Opera House has been restored and has been used for several presentations already.
The lower level is still in use by the village for storage. At some point when the lower level is not needed by the village, the area could house museum articles, especially the larger items. The Village of Convoy Historical Society purchased the adjacent building to the south referred to as the “Annex” which will enable the original structure to be more user friendly. A chair lift is already operational in the Annex.
