Got to visit one of my favourite places on the planet today, the 109-year-old Haskell Free Library and Opera House.
And what’s even better, I got to share the experience with friends who were visiting. We took a tour of the Opera House (which is upstairs, atop the library) and I made a donation to help keep this amazing place going.
The librarian who conducted the tour explained that the driving force behind the whole building, Mrs. Martha Haskell, deliberately wanted it built right on top of the U.S./Canada border to facilitate cross-border enjoyment of the place and to spread her love of books, music and culture.
Quite a visionary dame, that Mrs. H.
The upstairs of the upstairs Opera House.
Even now, with all the ramped up border security going on, somehow the Haskell Free remains open to Canadian visitors through one side and U.S. visitors from the other. So long as each person exits the way they came in, they don’t have to check in at customs. Amazing.
The librarian joked that the most famous thing that never happened there was a meeting of The Beatles (some of whom couldn’t legally cross the border and back again)… but who knows? I’d like to think it did happen because there is something very magical about the place and I’m happy to support it for as long as I can.
P.S. Here’s someone I’d love to see perform in that Opera House someday. Enjoy!
P.P.S. Library pic from HERE. Opera House pic from HERE. Vid from HERE.
What a wonder filled place
!!!!!!!
((((hugs))))
Hugs back at ya!!!