“It was an engineering marvel.”

John H. Cilley [1845-1916]

John H. Cilley was the inventor of the polygon-shaped auditoriums. The first of which was built for the Pennsylvania Chautauqua and has been patterned after by many built since that time.

The Bashford Amphitheater

The Bashford Amphitheater was designed by architect John H. Cilley of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and the construction of his behemoth creation began in 1899. It was dedicated in 1900 and featured 35 inverted trusses and radiating tension cables that replaced the need for center supports. The open-air design reached 75 feet high and included surrounding tent flaps to control weather and light. Log posts bore a massive, 172-foot-diameter roof covered in an estimated 20,000 cedar shakes.

A stone foundation on a sloping lot held dressing rooms for performers below the stage. It sat 5,000 spectators and held up to 450 people on stage. The original cost was roughly $7,860, nearly $2,000 over budget. It served for four decades as a premiere performance space until 1941. Due to a lack of funds for a new roof and deemed a fire hazard, it was razed to the ground in 1946. Salvaged timbers helped construct several homes.