05/26/2026
The Larkins Music Center (located at 257 Dauphin Street) is an incredible building that blends the old and new together! From its 19th century facade, modern performance space, its downtown garden and its connection to the Saenger Theater, it is the perfect home for the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and the Mobile Opera !!
Starting in the late antebellum period, the Larkins Music Center city lot was occupied by 2- and 3-story commercial buildings, with 1- or 2-story storage buildings behind them (253, 257 and 259 Dauphjn Street). In the late 1920s, these buildings were strengthened and expanded into the brand new Saenger Theatre. These buildings served a variety of businesses. Intersestly, in 1925, the orthophonic victrola was invented. It was the first commercially produced phonograph that played electrically recorded music on fancy technology (the vinyl record!). And the first place they sold the orthophonic victrolas in Mobile was in the spot were Larkins Music Center is today! By the late 20th century, these three buildings had fallen into disrepair and decay.
In 2002, the Mobile Opera and the Symphony were looking for a new home, and purchased these buildings. They could have demolished the building and built something entirely modern. Fortunately, they decided to save as much as they could, and build something amazing!
Comparing the pictures between the 1920s and today, the facades of Building 257 and 259 have been retained. In order to have the modern storefront, the first floor of the original facades were removed to strengthen the wall. You can see (from inside the building) the upper walls are thicker and made of brick. The lower walls are steel reinforced and thinner. Along with the facade, the original interior walls are preserved in the hallways and offices. They did not seal or paint the walls, they left them intact....to include any iron work, hooks, wood or cracks left from the original walls! Like the original structures, the Larkins Music Center is also connected backstage to the Saenger!
One of the most beautiful examples of integrating the old with the new is hidden inside the building! During the 2002 renovation, the Symphony and Orchestra added a modern 2-story back wing to the building. The second story of the addition is a small concert hall, used for small performance ensembles, auditions, and practices. Its a gorgeous space, with a large exposed brick wall behind the performers. The lower portion of the wall is significantly older, as it is the roof line of the original one-story storage building! You can even see the slots where the roof joists sat!
Most of the original buildings structure could not be saved, and the building is a modern poured concrete and steel reinforced building. Unfortunately, most of the three-story building at 253 Dauphin Street was demolished. Today, the only thing left is the eastern wall, shared by LoDa Bier Garten. This wall gives an easy-to-see example of how bukldings were built in the 19th century!
Take a walk down Dauphin Street to enjoy the building, and see what amazing performances our Smphony and Orchestra are getting ready to perform!
Send Tours of LODA a message and schedule a tour! We can talk about all the details on every building up and down Dauphin Street! We can defiantely stop and explain the walls from 253 Dauphin Street!
