5/13/2012:
Military forts on the Northern Plains were lonely outposts lacking in most of the comforts and culture of the Eastern cities. Desertions due to boredom were common. Often the only form of entertainment was the post library or the local bars and bawdy houses that sprang up near the forts. Fort Lincoln had spawned its share of the latter, but in 1874, the area also had a new, 30 by 100 foot opera house. On this date, the Lincoln Opera House in Bismarck, under the newly formed Fort Lincoln Dramatic Association, was receiving praise for its production of the “Streets of New York.” Complete with scenery and original music by Felix Vinatieri, the Opera House brought a taste of culture to the banks of the Missouri.
Dakota Datebook by Jim Davis
Sources:
The Bismarck Tribune April 29, 1874
The Bismarck Tribune May 13, 1874