Pratt Event Center

About

The Pratt Event Center in Albion, NY consists of three adjoining buildings, all of which have been connected at different times in their history. All three buildings have been undergoing serious restoration efforts over the last 15 years. The three buildings consist of The Day and Day Building, The Grand Opera House/Pratt Opera Theater and The Stone Building.

Day and Day Building

The Day and Day Building includes a preserved meeting room of the Grand Army of the Republic, where Civil War veterans from three Orleans County brigades and later, their descendants, gathered for nearly 50 years. Veterans once climbed three flights of stairs to meet in the third-floor room, which still displays its original 140-year-old wall embellishments: Loyalty, Fraternity and Charity.

Restoration efforts are underway to return the entire third floor to its historic state, using original materials, including doors and trim. Visitors often describe a lingering presence in the room, a sense of camaraderie and sacrifice forged during the nation’s most brutal war. Through a peephole once used by privileged members to discreetly observe meetings, one can feel the solemnity of this sacred space.

Many say they sense a watchful, non-threatening presence guarding the hallway and stairwell, as though protecting the memory of those who once gathered there.

Grand Opera House / Pratt Opera Theater

The Grand Opera House, later known as the Pratt Opera Theater, must be experienced firsthand to fully appreciate the emotions it stirs. In its heyday, which lasted more than five decades, it drew audiences from all walks of life. Wealthy patrons occupied box seats while local farmers sat in simpler ones, all sharing in the joy, excitement and laughter of performances like the onstage wedding of actors Robert Sherman and “the Dainty Miss Flo.”

The theater also holds memories of tragedy, disappointment and personal loss. Some visitors report feeling the presence of John Pratt himself, or perhaps his nephew, still guarding the ticket booth. Others mention a boy who once stoked coal stoves on cold nights, or the ghostly sound of piano keys as a performer gazes over the Erie Canal from the balcony.

Built in 1890, the theater’s stage was expanded in 1902 when Pratt added space from an adjacent alley. It became the largest stage between Buffalo and Rochester for many years. Originally seating 800 people, the opera house included a horseshoe-shaped balcony, orchestra pit and four surviving boxes. A pressed-metal fire lining was added during the 1902 renovation. Actors and crew often signed their names on backstage walls, a tradition that can still be seen today.

The second floor includes the ticket booth, dressing rooms and artifacts uncovered during recent renovations. Remnants of vintage theatrical posters cling to brick walls in the green rooms, and historic photos line the hallways.

The Stone Building

The Stone Building predates both the Day and Pratt structures. It was built in 1840. The ground floor once housed four separate mercantile shops and saloons, one of which gave access to upstairs hotel rooms used by visiting performers. Local lore suggests the presence of a brothel as well.

The third floor features a layout that indicates it was used as a dance or party room. A unique feature of this structure is its hand-powered, rope-driven elevator, which remains operational today.

For those who want a paranormal experience or are just lovers of history, we encourage you took book a tour. The owners have recently made the premises available for paranormal investigations. To book a private investigation/tour please call or text 585-200-2400.