On this day in 1923, a fire destroyed the old Orpheum Theater on Main Street (and was originally known as the Grand Opera House).
While the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, the blaze occurred only 30 minutes after patrons left the theater that evening for a performance from singer Blossom Seeley.
From the ashes, however, construction would begin on what would later be called the New Orpheum Theater, a $1.6 million project that would open to the public in 1928.
The “new” facility remains a Memphis staple to this day and is proof of the enduring importance and resilience of the arts in this humble river town.
