Cloud County, Kansas History, Genealogy Trails

BRIEF HISTORY - The Brown Grand Theatre was built in 1907 by Napoleon Bonaparte Brown. Brown came to Concordia in 1876 with his wife, Katherine; small son, Earl; and two carpetbags full of money. He began loaning that money to people at 10-18% interest and made his fortune. As the town's wealthiest citizen, he offered to build Concordia an Opera House. Earl, Brown's son, and Gertrude, Earl's wife, were instrumental in making most of the decisions about the Brown Grand's architecture. The theatre was designed by Kansas City architect Carl Boller and and built by a local contractor, W. T. Short, who also built the Brown's mansion on Sixth Street, Brownstone Hall. Brown had expected to pay $20,000 to have the theatre built, but the actual cost was $40,000. The playhouse opened September 17, 1907, featuring the musical "The Vanderbilt Cup." Earl presented his father with The Napolean Drape, the signature piece of the theatre, on opening night.

Four years after the opening, Napolean died of old age. Fifteen months later, his son, Earl, the manager of the theatre, died unexpectedly because he contracted an infection after a gall bladder operation. The Brown Grand Opera House operated as a playhouse until the mid-1920's when it was converted to a movie theater. It operated as a movie theater for the next fifty years. During that time, the interior was painted pink with silver and blue trim. The original seats were replaced with movie theatre seats. In 1973, it was listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. In 1976, a movement began to restore the theatre. After extensive restoration, the theatre opened as a playhouse once again on September 17, 1980.

During the Restoration, the entire interior needed to be re-plastered and repainted to the original white, gold and green decor. The front Napolean Drape was replicated since the original had been damaged by wind and rain in a tornado. Marian Cook, a local benefactor, donated the money for the new curtain as a memorial to her late husband. The Twin Cities Scenic Company, the company that originally made the curtain was still in operation and made the reproduction. Shortly after it was hung, that company from Minneapolis, MN, burned to the ground and was never rebuilt. Thus, the Napolean Drape was the last curtain they produced. There are three other original drapes which hang above the stage but are seldom used because of the difficulty of raising and lowering them. The chairs in the auditorium, donated from Bethany College in Lindsborg, are close to the original design. Also during the Restoration process, numerous turn-of-the-century playbills were found on the back wall of the stage under layers of tar paper. These posters are now displayed on the second floor lobby. Over 200 feet of brass railing was installed as a safety measure. Electrified when it was built, the auditorium is illuminated with over 500 lights surrounding the stage, ceiling and balconies. The Restoration, which cost $500,000 in 1980, was completed because of hundreds of hours of volunteer labor and the tireless efforts of the Restoration Committee.

The Brown Grand has operated on a theatre since that time, hosting numerous plays, concerts, lectures and other entertainments. Over 10,000 people attend events here annually and over 1,000 people a year tour the Brown Grand. The Brown Grand hosts 60-70 events per year. Most of these are groups which rent the space for their performances, private suppers, weddings or special events and meetings.

LADIES' PARLOR - The ladies' parlor was a place where the wealthy ladies waited until their carriages were parked and the gentlemen could escort them into the theatre.

Four portraits hang on the walls. The portrait above the fireplace is of Napolean Bonaparte Brown, the builder of the Brown Grand. The picture on the mantle is of a younger Napolean. Above the piano hangs a picture of his wife, Katherine. Katherine was a sixteen-year-old waitress when they married. He was twice her age. The photographs next to each other on the wall are of their son, Earl, and Earl's wife, Gertrude. Earl met Gertrude while he was attending Harvard, obtaining a law degree.

The player piano, although not original to the Brown Grand, was of the same era as the opening of the theatre. During the movie theatre days, the ladies' parlor was the concession stand.

AUDITORIUM - The Brown Grand seats approximately 630 people. It originally seated 1,000 because benches were used in the upper balcony. The box seats, which contain the original chairs, were the most expensive seats, followed by the seats on the main floor. The least expensive seats were in the balconies, which had a separate entrace, stairway and box office window. This outside doorway is labeled "The Gallery."

GHOST? - Numerous unexplained occurrences and an occasional sighting have led to the rumor that the Brown Grand is haunted by the ghost of Earl, son of Napolean Bonaparte Brown. Earl died unexpectedly at an early age. He managed the Brown Grand from the opening until his death. There is a newspaper article in the ladies' first floor restroom which describes this haunting. Most occurrences of the sightings have occurred on the second floor balcony.