Coppes Hall

Coppes Hall was located upstairs at the Coppes Hotel. Coppes Hall had no stage but it served as the town's entertainment center for 7 years.

The Hoosier Nightingales and the Scotch Medicine Company performed there as well as Bennett Matlack who directed a large local production of "Damon and Pythias." He came back a few months later for a series of Shakespearean readings.

The Tennessean Jubliee Singers made a stop at Coppes Hotel. There was an educated and refined company of colored people. Citizens of Nappanee would put on amateur shows in the Hall.

In 1893, there was an athletic exhibition. It did not draw a very large crowd because Nappanee did not contain the number of "sports" that would warrant anyone giving an exhibition on wrestling, boxing, and club swinging. The Chicago champion was supposed to meet Jack Donovan in the ring for six three-minute rounds but the champion failed to arrive. A local lightweight from Elkhart was put in. The spectators went away disappointed as the fights did not live up to their expectations.

When there was a play or program the cost was 25 cents and 35 cents for reserved seating.

The Union Sunday School and the Episcopal Church moved in for Sunday Services.

With the opening of the Auditorium in 1899, Coppes Hall closed its doors. The Coppes Hotel business grew under the new management and need to increase accommodations. Coppes Hall was converested into seven additional sleeping rooms for the hotel proper.