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CORTLAND -- The Cortland-Bazetta Historical Society added on to the historic Opera House, including a research / resource room, and conference and exhibit center. The $25,000 project, which also includes air conditioning and more storage space near the kitchen, began last year.
The additions also included security cameras inside the new rooms as well as others inside and outside the Opera House.
Curt Moll, who will serve as the archivist and is in charge of collections for the research center, said the rooms were built by Petrosky Brothers Construction.
"We wanted to get all our materials in one place," Moll said of the research room. "We have named this George Gessner Resource Room for all he did to
help us. We wanted to recognize all of his contributions."
"The historical society has the Opera House, but there was no place for storage of archives. We have a legal obligation to take care of these items. The new areas are secured," he said.
The resource room will be used to examine materials and to store and archive items, Moll said.
The conference room, which was named after Sid and Mary Case, showcases memorabilia and collectibles, including books, decorations and photos. The resource room includes maps, atlases and other historical records and informational data.
Carol Caronite, vice president, said money for the project was donated by Martha Goist, who also gave other donations. In addition to the two rooms, the entire center was named the Martha J. Goist Research Center.
Gessner, a society member who helped with legal matters, and the Cases donated items to the Opera House over the years. The three since have died.
"We felt naming the rooms to them for all they have done was appropriate," Moll said.
The resource and conference room and the Opera House are open 1 to 4 p.m. each Friday for people who want to research Bazetta and Cortland.
Moll said it was the first major project at the house, built in 1841, since the restoration of the house in the early 1990s.
Caronite said work was done on the roof 10 years ago.
The restoration project kept many original aspects of the historic home, such as the parlor furniture and light fixtures that came from the Viets House, Caronite said.
"At one time, there was a cathedral ceiling with a balcony, but that is gone," she said.
The society, which began in 1975, rents out the Opera House for events.
Caronite said over the years, they have been fortunate to get donation of items from many people, including photographs, paintings and memorabilia from current and former city and township residents.
"We have been very fortunate to showcase the local history with people giving us things to save. We are blessed by those who have remembered us in their wills,'' she said.
The new rooms were shown in March to the society membership who had not been able to get together because of the pandemic, Caronite said. "An open house in March was our first formal get together in three years."
Society President Sally Lane said the project was "a labor of love" in helping to preserve the past.
"What was done is fantastic. It really adds to the Opera House. The city now has a place for people to look at many different things from the past," Lane said.
Society member Carolyn Price said, "It was so nice they named the rooms to honor the wonderful people who have helped us. I like having names on doors in honor of people."
Society members said they have received monetary donations through the Mahoning Valley Community Foundation that will keep the Opera House in place forever.