Venue Information

The chronicles of "entertainment structures" in Ottawa are as diverse and colorful as the city itself. The Ottawa Municipal Auditorium, located at the southeast corner of 3rd and Hickory Streets, is no exception and will be forever linked in history with the likes of Samuel B. Rohrbaugh and George Washburn, with skating rinks and fatal fires.

Col. Rohrbaugh came to Ottawa in 1869, investing in city real estate and zealously building many properties. Moreover, he was public-spirited and greatly concerned with the betterment of the town. The first Rohrbaugh building was built as a skating rink in 1886, then used as a carriage factory, and finally it was converted, at considerable expense, into an attractive auditorium. It was formally opened on March 23, 1890 and proclaimed "the best in the state." Five years later, the building caught fire and burned.

Using funds of his own and $6,000 raised by public subscription, Col. Rohrbaugh then ...