History & local legend
The Rhoads Opera House in Boyertown was the scene of a disastrous fire on January 13, 1908. The Pennsylvania historical marker records 170 deaths and notes that inadequate exits and fire escapes contributed to the loss. The tragedy helped prompt stronger public-building safety requirements.
A later building occupies the former opera-house site, but a ghost story imagines someone still trying to reach the performance. Writer Mallory Cywinski recounted a neighbor's experience with a woman in white near the property. The woman appeared to be hurrying to a show, then vanished.