, c. 1900 The
Grand Opera House was built in 1899 as the main
opera house in
Brunswick, Georgia. Plans for the construction of the building had been in place since 1895, and the building served as a replacement for the L'Arioso Opera House, which had been destroyed by a storm in 1896. In addition to the theater, the building housed several
retailers on its first floor, and the second and third floors served as the general offices of the
Brunswick and Birmingham Railroad. Following renovations in the 1920s or 1930s that included the installation of a
marquee, the building was renamed the
Ritz Theatre and converted to a
movie palace. During this time, the theater was
segregated, with
African Americans allowed to enter the building through a separate door and view showings from the
balcony. In 1980, the city of Brunswick bought the property, and since 1989 it has been managed by the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association. Today, live performances, movie screenings, and other art exhibits are held at the venue. == References ==