Community invited to hear firsthand family stories of the historic 1886 building and learn the winner of the Laura Ann Rau Historic Preservation Award
COLUMBUS — The Columbus Historical Preservation Trust (CHPT) will host its 2026 History Forum, Echoes of the Opera House, on Monday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. in the Buddy Rau Room of the Stafford Opera House, 425 Spring St., in Columbus. The event is free and open to the public.
This year's forum centers on the history and legacy of the Stafford Opera House, one of Columbus's most significant landmarks. Attendees will hear an open-panel discussion featuring members of the family that once owned the 1886 building, offering first-hand stories and personal memories of life inside the historic space.
Guest speaker Elvera Kahlich will be joined by her daughters, Elizabeth Lauzon and Frances Lancaster, to share their family's connection to the opera house and its lasting significance to Columbus.
'We are so excited to bring the annual History Forum back to the community,” said Julie Prause, CHPT president. “This year is extra special due to us celebrating the opera house’s 140th birthday. We are thrilled to host Mrs.
Elvera Willrodt Kahlich, whose family owned the building in the 1950s, and learn what she remembers about how it served the community during that time.'
After the panel discussion, CHPT will announce the winner of the 2026 Laura Ann Rau Historic Preservation Award. Presented annually, the award recognizes a local preservation project or individual whose work has helped protect and celebrate Columbus's historic legacy.
'I am incredibly excited to take part in my first History Forum with CHPT,” said Leslie Kinnear, CHPT executive director. “Meeting Ms. Kahlich and hearing her stories from the years her father owned the Stafford Opera House has been such a gift. Her memories are remarkable, and I truly hope the community will join us to hear them first hand. I think we’ll all be transported back in time.” The History Forum is free to attend, and no registration is required. The community is encouraged to attend and learn more about one of Columbus's most treasured landmarks.
