It was June 1881 when Al Schieffelin—brother of Tombstone founder Ed Schieffelin—opened the theater and opera house that carried their last name.
Schieffelin Hall was one of the largest places of its kind in the Southwest, with about 575 seats. It was considered the upscale entertainment venue (as opposed to the Bird Cage, which was also a saloon and brothel).
It fell into disrepair by 1917. But restoration efforts began in 1964 (and continue through today). It’s now owned by the cit

True West March/April 2025
In This Issue:
Western Books & Movies
More In This Issue
- Truth Be Known
- What Has Taught Me: Deb Goodrich
- Earp, Cowboy Songs & Prairie Hygiene
- Trails of the Old West
- The Frontier Characters of South Dakota
- The Bowie Knife
- The Kindled Flame 1835
- King of the Scatterguns
- Selling the Mythic West and the Real West
- A Gut Punch Turns into a Miracle Reprieve
- The Beginnings of the Bird Cage
- Frontier Colossus