Haskell Playhouse Invites Community to Season's Final Open House

Our Daily Show Interview! Last Open House & Brick Fundraiser for Haskell Playhouse

ALTON - The Lucy Haskell Playhouse has several exciting events planned for the next few months.

Located at 1211 Henry Street in Alton, the Haskell Playhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. From 10–11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, kids can enjoy a story hour with the Hayner Public Library District at the playhouse. Then, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, the playhouse will host their final open house of the season complete with games, a touch-a-truck, and more fun.

“We’re doing a first responders day, a special day to thank our first responders and our community heroes,” explained Margaret Hopkins. “We want to pack the park with lots of inquisitive children and thankful people. We’ll have a firetruck, an ambulance, and a police car there for the kids to explore. Those officers and fire people and ambulance people will be there to answer questions for the kids. And then they can come into the playhouse and be able to write a little thank-you note to them.”

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The open houses encourage community members to explore the playhouse and engage with its history. The playhouse was built by Dr. William A. and Florence Hayner Haskell for their daughter Lucy’s fifth birthday in 1884. After Lucy’s death at age 9, her mother donated the playhouse to the City of Alton to be preserved.

It’s important to Hopkins and others on the Haskell Playhouse Association to make sure Lucy’s legacy is remembered. They do this by inviting the community to come out to the playhouse for their open houses and similar events every month.

“We really try to do something a little bit different during our open houses,” Hopkins explained. “If you don’t have anything to encourage people to come, something different, something fun, then it gets to be the same old thing every month. So our members are really creative and come up with some fantastic ideas of things to do.”

Families are invited on Sept. 12 for the story hour and Sept. 13 for the open house this month. Hopkins emphasized that both events are free and open to the public.

The playhouse will also host Santa Claus from 12–2 p.m. on Dec. 6, 2025. Hopkins encourages people to mark their calendars.

For more information about the Lucy Haskell Playhouse, including their upcoming events, visit their official website at HaskellPlayhouse.org or their official Facebook page.

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