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Schieffelin Hall
Location:
On the corner of Fremont and 4th Streets
(one block north of Allen Street)
Hours:
Open only during public events
Admission Fee:
Depends upon the public event
Contact:
For information about scheduled events in Schieffelin Hall contact the City of Tombstone at City Hall:
www.cityoftombstoneaz.gov
cityhall@cityoftombstoneaz.gov
(520) 457-2202
Monday — Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
The History of
Schieffelin Hall
Built in 1881 by Al Schieffelin, brother of Tombstone founder Ed Schieffelin, and William Harwood, a local investor, Schieffelin Hall was designed to be a first-class opera house, theater, recital hall, and general meeting place for Tombstone’s “respectable” citizens.
This was in contrast to the more rowdy establishments in town, such as the Bird Cage Theater, that catered to the miners and other “ruffians” living in Tombstone in its heyday.
When it opened on June 8, 1881, Schiefflein Hall was considered the largest, most elaborate theater between El Paso, Texas and San Francisco, California.
The building was the center for city entertainment and social events with formal balls and live theatrical performances. The first play, Tom Taylor’s five-act drama, The Ticket-of-Leave Man, was staged on September 15, 1881.
Masons Who Built It Occupied It First
King Solomon Lodge #5, one of five founding Masonic Lodges in Arizona, was organized upstairs in the Masonic Hall on March 14, 1881.
Justice of the Peace Wells Spicer, who figured prominently in exonerating Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday of murdering Cowboys during the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, was the first Master of the lodge.
The Largest Standing Adobe Building
Schieffelin Hall is BIG. Impressively so, even by today's standards, considering it was built out of mud bricks. It is believed to be the largest standing adobe structure in the United States.
Dimensions of Schieffelin Hall
The side of the building facing Fourth Street (main entrance side) is 119 feet (36 m) long. The main entrance itself is 12 feet (3.7 m) high and 30 feet (9.1 m) long.
The side of the building facing Fremont Street is 59 feet (18 m) long and has a secondary entrance.
The adobe walls are 16 inches (410 mm) thick.
The interior contains a 39 by 59 feet (12 by 18 m) auditorium with a seating capacity on the main floor of 450, and a gallery capacity of 125.
The stage is 30 by 59 feet (9.1 by 18.0 m). The curtain width of the stage is 24 feet (7.3 m) wide and 21 feet (6.4 m) high. The scenery loft is 16 feet (4.9 m) high.
The first story is 14 feet (4.3 m) high and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep. The second story is 16 feet (4.9 m) high and contains a 27 by 41 feet (8.2 by 12.5 m) Masonic Hall with three small ante-rooms.
Overall, the building is 40 feet (12 m) tall.
Is Schieffelin Hall Really The Biggest?
In the context of historic buildings, the Casa Grande (meaning "Great House") Ruins National Monument, also in Arizona, was likely larger than Schieffelin Hall.
The photograph below shows the Casa Grande ruins, in Casa Grande, AZ, at the time Schieffelin Hall was built in Tombstone:
photo courtesy of National Parks Traveler
This structure, built around 1350 A.D., was a 4-story building with 11 rooms, suggesting a significant amount of floor space.
Like Schieffelin Hall, Casa Grande was probably a community center for the people who constructed it.
However, Casa Grande is no longer intact, being ruins, as it was abandoned around 1450 A.D. The reasons for its abandonment are still unknown.
Schiefflein Hall by contrast is still active, and continues as a cultural center for Tombstone residents.
Ongoing Restoration and Maintenance
Keeping Schieffelin Hall standing in good condition, ready for use, has not been easy.
The Hall was scorched by the large fire that burned many blocks of town in 1882.
Then with the decline in population of Tombstone following the flooding and shut-down of the mines, the use of the building also faded.
Schieffelin Hall went through a period of neglect and hadn't been maintained since 1917.
Starting in 1963 it was restored and renovated by Historic Tombstone Adventures, which was formed to preserve many of the town's landmarks.
On October 15, 1966, Schieffelin Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1979 Historic Tombstone Adventures deeded it to the city of Tombstone.
During 1990–1994, portions of the exterior were restored, the foundation was stabilized, window frames were replaced, and the outside was painted.
The restorers manufactured 300 adobe blocks using authentic, traditional techniques to match the original construction.
photo courtesy the Tombstone Restoration Commission
In 1999, the adobe walls were repaired, the lobby and auditorium floors were refinished, and the rear of the building was covered with a metal roof.
photo courtesy the Tombstone Restoration Commission
In 2015, the Arizona Department of Transportation undertook a project to replace sidewalks in a three-block area in front of the historic Schieffelin Hall and to rebuild a porch on the front of the building that had been missing for many years.
The photo below shows the Hall prior to the restoration of the Fremont Street porch:
photo courtesy of the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce
The most recent structural repairs and reconstruction to keep the historic building standing was completed in 2024.
Current Uses of Schieffelin Hall
The building is used today for more than a recital hall.
It is a meeting venue for citizens of Tombstone used by civic groups and city government.
Schieffelin Hall hosts city council meetings, local social gatherings, and fundraisers as well as modern theatrical performances.
It remains the home of the Masonic King Solomon Lodge #5 as well.
The building is also a contributing property to the Tombstone Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1962.
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