Historic Movie Theatres of Wisconsin : Nineteenth Century Opera Houses Through 1950s Playhouses, Town by Town [1 ed.] 9780786453924, 9780786442904

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Historic Movie Theatres of Wisconsin

ALSO BY KONRAD SCHIECKE Historic Movie Theatres in Illinois, 1883–1960 (McFarland, 2006)

Historic Movie Theatres of Wisconsin Nineteenth Century Opera Houses through 1950s Playhouses, Town by Town

KONRAD SCHIECKE

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Schiecke, Konrad, ¡938– Historic movie theatres of Wisconsin : nineteenth century opera houses through 1950s playhouses, town by town / Konrad Schiecke. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4290-4 softcover : 50# alkaline paper 1. Motion picture theaters — Wisconsin — History. 2. Motion picture theaters — Wisconsin — Directories. I. Title. II. Title: Historic movie theaters of Wisconsin. PN1993.5.U814S25 2009 791.4309775—dc22 2009000975 British Library cataloguing data are available ©2009 Konrad Schiecke. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. On the cover: from top: Home Theatre, Antigo, ¡93¡ (Langlade County Historical Society); Campus Theatre, Ripon, ¡930s (Ripon Historical Society)

Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com

Table of Contents vii

Acknowledgments 1

Introduction

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

5

THE MOVIE THEATRES

19

(alphabetical by town)

Bibliography Index

v

257

267

This book is dedicated to the memory of Katalin Schiecke who passed away in March 2009.

Acknowledgments Jensen; Dawn McDonald, Barron Public Library; Robert St. Vincent. BAYFIELD: Sherry Peterson, historian. BEAVER DAM: Anita Streich, reference librarian, Beaver Dam Public Library. BELOIT: Paul Kerr, director, Beloit Historical Society (photos of Ellis, Majestic and State theatres). BENTON: Pauline Alexander, Swindlers Ridge Museum (Blende Theatre photo). BERLIN: Bonnie Erdmann, Berlin Area Historical Society (Rex Theatre photos); Dan Freimark. BLACK RIVER FALLS: Mary I. Murray Woods, historian, Black River Falls Public Library-Jackson County History Room (Avalon Theatre photo). BLANCHARDVILLE: Gretchen Dieterich, Blanchardville Public Library. BLOOMER: Dennis Mickesh, Bloomer Historical Society (Ideal Theatre photo); Don Stoik. BLOOMINGTON: Jim Wargzak. BOSCOBEL: Janean Miller, Hildebrand Memorial Library. BOYCEVILLE: Joan Ludtke, Glenwood Area Historical Society (photos of Opera House and Municipal Hall). BRILLION: Christine Moede, director, Brillion Public Library; Linda Moehr, Brillion Historical Society (photos of Auditorium/Brillion Theatre). BRODHEAD: Ashley Smith, Brodhead Historical Society (Sun Theatre photo). BRUCE: Shirley Benson, Bruce Historical Society (Bruce Theatre photo). CADOTT: Cadott Community Library. CAMBRIDGE: Eileen Scott, Historian, Cambridge Public Library. CAMERON: Judy Graf, Assistant Librarian, Cameron Public Library. CASHTON: Torkelson Memorial Library. CASSVILLE: Charles Lange, President, Cassville Historical Society. CEDARBURG: Matthew Brockmeir, executive director, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Ed Rappold Collection (Rivoli theatre photos). CHETEK: Lauren Nashland. CHILTON: Chilton Public Library. CHIPPEWA FALLS: David Gordon, Chippewa County Historical Society (photos of Falls and Rivoli theatres). CLEAR LAKE: Charles Clarke, Clear Lake Historical Museum (Community Theatre photo). CLINTON: Joyce Span, Clinton Community Historical Society (Gem Theatre photo). CLINTONVILLE: Kathy Mitchell, director, Clintonville Public Library; Rosalee Roloff (photos of Grand and Times theatres). COBB: June Nagel. COLBY: Evelyn Hemmy (Colby Theatre photos); Vicky Calmes, director, Colby Public Library, Carol Wilhelmi. COLEMAN: Dorothy

The Theatre Historical Society of America, located in Elmhurst, Illinois, above the historic York Theatre, is a national non-profit educational organization dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich heritage of historic theatres in the United States. Very special thanks go to its executive director, Richard Sklenar, for the use of some of its extensive holdings of photographs of historic movie theatres. This book would not have been possible without the help of the many libraries and historical societies in the state, and the townspeople who came to my aid, who found residents that still remembered the “old” theatre on Main Street. Many, many thanks to the following people in the towns listed below. ABBOTSFORD: Jane Medenwaldt, head librarian, Abbotsford Public Library. ALGOMA: Rita Schiesser, Algoma Public Library (Majestic Theatre photo); Ann Schmitz, Algoma Public Library. ALMA: Kelly Herold, Buffalo County Historical Society (Alma Theatre photo); Marie Marquardt, director, Alma Public Library. ALMENA: Irene Koser, authored Almena Centennial book. AMERY: Kaitlyn Swenson (Amery Theatre photo). ANTIGO: Gale Demlow, Reference Department, Antigo Public Library; Joe Hermolin, Langlade County Historical Society (photos of Home and Palace Theatres). APPLETON: Matthew Carpenter, curator of collections, Outagamie County Historical Society; David Kalz (photos of Majestic and Rio Theatres); Karen Probst, Appleton Public Library (Rio Theatre photo). ARCADIA: Carol Berkland, Arcadia Area Historical Society (photos of Strand, Unique and Vogue theatres). ASHLAND: Edith Mahnke, Sharon Manthei, Ashland Historical Museum (photos of Bijou, Majestic, and Royal theatres). ATHENS: Deborah Balz, Athens Branch Library. AUGUSTA: Augusta Memorial Public Library. BAILEYS HARBOR: Jeanne Majeski, Baileys Harbor Public Library (Lake Cinema photo). BALDWIN: Bill Hawley, local history buff; Cheryl Moe, director, Baldwin Public Library. BANGOR: Lorraine Fiet. BARABOO: Bob Dewel; Mary Farrall Stieve, Sauk County Historical Society ( Juliar Theatre photo). BARRON: Caroline Gago, Clarice Jensen, Barron County Historical Society/Pioneer Museum (Majestic Theatre photos); Mel

vii

Acknowledgments Kaminski, Coleman-Pound Branch Library. COLFAX: Sue Hill; Lisa Ludwig, director, Colfax Public Library. COLUMBUS: Alice Schmidt (Rudult Theatre photo). CORNELL: Robert Rucker; Sharon Shepard, Cornell Public Library (Lyric Theatre photo). CRANDON: Mike Monte, Pioneer Express (photos of Crandon theatre). CRIVITZ: Frank Green, Stephenson Historical Society; Janet King, Crivitz Area Branch Library; Pat Kosuth, reference librarian, Stephenson Public Library. CUBA CITY: Joe Goeman. CUDAHY: Mike Helgesson, Cudahy Family Library; Cudahy Historical Society (photos of Cudahy/Empire and Majestic theatres). CUMBERLAND: Diana Ostness, Cumberland Public Library; Kate Eidahl, Cumberland Advocate; and Kate White, Door County Library (photos of IsleTheatre). DE FOREST: De Forest Area Historical Society; Judy Ewald, De Forest Public Library. DE PERE: Laurel Towns, curator of White Pillars Museum, De Pere Historical Society (photos of early De Pere, Majestic and Pearl theatres). DELAVAN: Steen and Jodeen Mickelsen. DENMARK: Ann Harveson; Mary Ellen Kubsch (Lyric Theatre photo). DODGEVILLE: Jim and Patti Blabaum (Crystal Theatre photo); Alan Gilbertson. DOWNING: Joan Ludtke, Glenwood Area Historical Society (Civic Hall photo). DRUMMOND: Drummond Historical Society. EAGLE RIVER: Diana Anderson, director, Walter E. Olson Memorial Library; Charles Ashton (former owner of Vilas); Lise Bruzan (photos of present-day Eagle and Vilas theatres); Sharon Sheppard, Eagle River Historical Society (early photos of Eagle and Vilas theatres). EAST TROY: East Troy Public Library; Dan Richardson, East Troy Area Historical Society (photos of Grand, Idle Hour, and Troy theatres). EAU CLAIRE: Larry Nickel, Information and Reference Center, L.E. Phillips Memorial Library. EDGAR: Joan Baeseman, Edgar Historical Society (Edgar Theatre photo); Deborah L. Gauerke, library branch manager, Edgar Branch Library. EDGERTON: Helen Everson, owner, Edgerton Reporter; Joann Wilcox, Sterling North Society (Rialto Theatre photo). ELDERON: Gary Wyman (Almar Theatre photos). ELKHART LAKE: Jeanette Moioffer, Village Clerk; Lori Tusso. ELLSWORTH: Linette Greske, director, Ellsworth Public Library. ELMWOOD: Bernard Bechel. ELROY: Mary Waarvik, Elroy Public Library. EPHRAIM: Sally Jacobson. EVANSVILLE: Eager Free Public Library (Magee Theatre photo). FAIRCHILD: Patricia Meyer, Fairchild Public Library (Fairchild Theatre photo). FLORENCE: Debbie DeMuri, Florence County Historical Society (photos of Bijou and Towne theatres); Mary Seggelink, Florence County Library. FORT ATKINSON: Karen O’Connor, Hoard Historical Museum (Uptown Theatre photo). FOUNTAIN CITY: Ardys Keilholtz, president, Fountain City Area Historical Society. FOX LAKE: Julie Flemming, Fox Lake Public Library; Scott Frank, Fox Lake Historical Society Museum (Lake Theatre photo). FREDERIC: Gary King (Frederic Theatre photo), Carol Thompson, vice president, Frederic Historical Society. GALESVILLE: Galesville Public Library (Gale Theatre photo); Judy Gautsch. GAYS MILLS: Robin Eit-

viii sert, clerk/treasurer, Village of Gays Mills. GENOA CITY: John Ingalls. GILLETT: Kay A. Rankel, director, Gillett Public Library. GILMAN: Renee Hermsen, director, Thorp Public Library; Roger Mravik, Gilman Area Historical Society (Gilman Theatre photos). GLEASON: William Dexter (Hummingbird Theatre photos). GLENWOOD CITY: Lynn Barringer, director, Glenwood City Public Library; Joan Ludtke (Glen Theatre photos); Wayne Peterson, president, Glenwood Area Historical Society. GRAFTON: Mary Jo Hansen, reference librarian, U.S.S. Liberty Memorial Public Library; Ralph Zaun, Grafton Historical Society. GRANTSBURG: Berdella Johnson, Gail Potvin, Grantsburg Area Historical Society (Grand Theatre photo). GREENWOOD: Pat Braun, director, Greenwood Public Library (Ritz Theatre photo). HAMMOND: Hammond Public Library; Mildred Peabody. HARTFORD: Shirley Hess, Hartford Public Library History Room; Wallace Newman. HARTLAND: Pamela Weinhammer, Hartland Historical Society (Victor Theatre photos). HAWKINS: Ethel Rebobchick; Bruce Zelke. HAYWARD: Henry Ernest; Paul Mitchell, Park Cultural Center (Park Theatre photo); Barb Williamson. HILLSBORO: Robert J. Kretche, historian. HUDSON: Willis H. Miller, former editor, Hudson Star-Observer, and historian, St. Croix County Historical Society (photos of Hudson and Rex theatres); Catherine A. Dodson, archives assistant, Susan Ginter Watson, director, Area Research Center, University of Wisconsin–River Falls. HURLEY: Iron County Historical Society; Carl Prosek. IRON RIVER: Betty Braunstein, Iron River Library; Inez Podlewski; Beverlee Thieverge. JEFFERSON: Arnie Brawdars, Jefferson Historical Society (photos of Allen and Jefferson theatres). JUNEAU: Gil Korth, historian; Bernice Kuntz, Dodge Centre Historical Society ( Juno Theatre photo). KAUKAUNA: Craig Lahm, Kaukauna Public Library; Edith Phillips, administrator, Winneconne Public Library. KENOSHA: Kenosha Public Library. KEWASKUM: Steven Baker, Kewaskum Public Library; Dan Schmidt, Kewaskum Historical Society; Tiny Terlinden (Kewaskum Theatre photo). KEWAUNEE: Linda Vogel, Kewaunee Public Library; Thomas Schuller, Kewaunee County Historical Society. KIEL: Vicki Anderson, director, Kiel Historical Society; Nanette Bulebosh, director, Kiel Public Library; Ethel Heberlein; Edwin Majkrzak, local historian (photos of Comet, Kiel, Pastime theatres). LA CROSSE: Bill Petersen, associate archives librarian, LaCrosse Public Library; Christine Stolz, associate archives librarian, LaCrosse Public Library. LA FARGE: Lonnie Mueller, editor, LaFarge Episcope newspaper. LADYSMITH: Ladysmith Public Library. LAKE GENEVA: Kathy Klaisner, Geneva Lake Museum (Majestic Theatre photo). LAKE MILLS: Roland Liebenow, M.D. (photos of Lake and Majestic theatres); Sheila Peterson, Lake Mills Historical Society. LANCASTER: Cunningham Museum (Orpheum Theatre photos); JoAnne Halferty, Grant County Historical Society; Ethel Kemper. LITTLE CHUTE: Donald DeGroot, Little Chute Historical So-

ix ciety. LODI: Darlene Brisky, Lodi Valley Historical Society (photos of Lodi and Shadow theatres); Ray Ostertag (former owner of Lodi Theatre). LUCK: Chuck Adleman, Edna Lawson (D’Lux Theatre photo); Helga Konopacki, director, Luck Public Library; Ed Pedersen, Luck historian. LUXEMBURG: Carol Simonar (photos of Opera House and Unique theatres). MANAWA: Ellen Connor, director, Sturm Memorial Library; Robert Squires, former theatre manager (Manawa Theatre photos). MANITOWOC: David J. Ellison, librarian, Manitowoc Public Library Reference Department. MARATHON: Charlie Deininger; Mary Forer, librarian, Marathon County Historical Society; Ingeborg VanKampen, village clerk, Marathon. MARINETTE: Lester J. Hartrick, historian; Patricia Kosuth, reference, Stephenson Public Library; Bud Stone, researcher. MARION: Lisa Hein, director, Marion Public Library; Bruce Hoffman, Marion Area Historical Society (Marion Theatre photo). MARKESAN: Susan Abendroth, library assistant, Markesan Public Library (Markesan Theatre photo); Nancy Stellmacher, acting director, Markesan Public Library. MARSHFIELD: Marcia Wesle, North Wood County Historical Society–Upham Mansion (photos of Adler, Relda, and Trio theatres); Kenneth Wood, library specialist III, Reference Center, Marshfield Public Library. MAUSTON: Rose Clark, Juneau County Historical Society (photos of Gail and Majestic theatres). MAZOMANIE: Rita Frakes, Mazomanie Historical Society; Virgil O. Matz, historian. MEDFORD: Elaine Marvik, Taylor County Historical Society (Avon Theatre photo). MELLEN: Judy Goeckermann, librarian; Lisa Thompson, Legion Memorial Library. MELROSE: Robert Rucker (father owned Melrose Theatre); Mary Woods, Black River Falls Public Library, Jackson County History Room. MENASHA: De Dalum, reference, Menasha Public Library; Winifred Pawlowski, Menasha Historical Society. MENOMONEE FALLS: Menomonee Falls Public Library (Falls Theatre photos). MENOMONIE: Helen Hullberg, Menomonie Public Library. MERRILL: William Dexter (Badger Theatre photo); Dennis Lerch; Donna Hertel, Merrill Public Library. MILLTOWN: Robert Blomguen. MILTON: Patricia Conrad, director, Milton Public Library. MINERAL POINT: Ralph Schmidt (Mineral Point Opera House photo). MINOCQUA: Greta Janssen, board of directors, Minocqua Historical Society and Museum (photos of Aqua and Victor theatres). MONDOVI: Cindy Brantner; Shirley Christopherson, Mondovi Area Historical Society (Mondovi Theatre photos). MONROE: Katheryn Etter; John Glynn, Green County Historical Society (Chalet Theatre photo); Duke Goetz (Goetz Junior Theatre photo). MOSINEE: Mary Lou Stimac, Mosinee Branch Library. MT. HOREB: Marilyn Grinde, Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society (Strand Theatre photo). MUKWONAGO: Jacquie Hipsman, reference librarian, Mukwonago Community Library (Vista Theatre photo). MUSCODA: Jean Benson; Mike Ernst. NEENAH: Stephen L. Adams; Joseph Bongers, assistant librarian, Neenah Public Library (photos of Doty and

Acknowledgments Mer Mac theatres). NEILLSVILLE: Kevin Struensee (Adler Theatre photo); Kathy Wegner, Neillsville Public Library. NEKOOSA: Heidi Elsen; Charles & JoAnn Lester Library (Rialto Theatre photos). NEW GLARUS: Ruth M. Johansen, New Glarus Public Library. NEW HOLSTEIN: Kay Nett and Laurel Sherry (Towne Theatre photo). NEW LISBON: Fred Rapp, historian. NEW LONDON: Janet Reidenbach, adult services librarian, New London Public Library. NIAGARA: Jim Merritt; Tim Phillips, Niagara Area Historical Society (Our Theatre photo). OCONOMOWOC: Carol L. Gonzales, reference and adult services coordinator, Oconomowoc Public Library. OCONTO: Dick Doeren, Joe Perrizo, Lumber Mill Gallery (photos of Badger, Gem, Oconto theatres); Farnsworth Public Library; Diane Nichols, historian, Oconto County Historical Society. OCONTO FALLS: Lena Lotter; Phil Vincent. OMRO: Jan Schettl, historian. ONALASKA: Neal Horman, Onalaska Area Historical Society (Crystal Theatre photo); Carol J. Petrowski, reference librarian, Onalaska Public Library. ORFORDVILLE: Kay Demrow, secretary, Luther Valley Historical Society. OSCEOLA: Linda Jensen Gordon, assistant librarian, Osceola Public Library. OSHKOSH: Dr. John Schellkopf (photos of Grand Opera House and Time Community Theatre). OWEN: Shirley Lehr, director, Owen Public Library. PALMYRA: Terry Tutton. PARDEEVILLE: Bethany Billman, Angie W. Cox Public Library; Jeannie Buchholz. PARK FALLS: Karen Baumgartner, Price County Historical Society (photos of Rex Theatre); G. Olson, Park Falls Public Library. PEPIN: Don Ingalls (Time Theatre photo); Christy Rundquist, director, Pepin Public Library. PESHTIGO: Jenny Hipke, Peshtigo Branch Library. PEWAUKEE: Georgia Bouda, director, Barbara Sanborn Public Library; Roy Marks, Village Hall; Elizabeth Terlinden, Pewaukee Area Historical Society (photos of Lake and Owl theatres); Penny Williams, retired village clerk. PHILLIPS: Cathy Mess, Rice County Telephone Company (photos of Norwood Theatre); Pat Schroeder, historian. PLATTEVILLE: Jaci Johnson, visual materials specialist, Southwest Wisconsin Room, Karrmann Library, University of Wisconsin (Gem Theatre photo). PLUM CITY: Judith Anderson, director, Plum City Public Library. PLYMOUTH: Beth Dippel, Sheboygan County Historical Research Center (photos of Majestic and Plymouth theatres). PORT WASHINGTON: Barbara Roob, W. J. Niederkorn Library. PORTAGE: Amy Bedessen, Portage Public Library (photos of Home and Portage theatres); Dawn Foster, reference librarian, Portage Public Library. PRAIRIE DU CHIEN: Nancy Ashmore, director, Prairie du Chien Public Library; Shirley Panka. PRAIRIE FARM: Barbara Bender, Barron County Historical Society. PRESCOTT: Jane E. Enright, director, Prescott Public Library. PRINCETON: Marilyn Babel (Princeton Theatre photo); Gary Wick, president, Princeton Historical Society. PULASKI: Theresa Bialozynski, treasurer, Marian Schroeder, Pulaski Area Historical Society (Pulaski Theatre photo). RACINE: Gordon E. Lloyd (Rex Theatre photo); Racine County Historical Society and

Acknowledgments Museum. REDGRANITE: Opal Barkley; Donna Berube, village clerk-treasurer; JoAnn Borchardt, Redgranite Public Library. RHINELANDER: Mike Monte, Pioneer Express (State Theatre photo); George and Mike Rouman of Rouman Theatres (photos of Majestic and State theatres); Kris Adams Wendt, director, Rhinelander District Library (early State Theatre photo). RIB LAKE: Bob Rusch, historian; George T. Lusty; Walter Wilhelms. RICE LAKE: Don Carney (photos of El Largo and Majestic theatres); Kathy Wellsandt, program manager, Rice Lake Main Street Association. RICHLAND CENTER: Richland County History Room, Brewer Public Library (photos of Eskin and Orpheum theatres). RIO: Bob Adams. RIPON: Nedra Martz, Ripon Historical Society (photos of Campus and Ripon theatres); George Miller; Benjamin D. Sprague, circulation supervisor, Ripon Public Library. RIVER FALLS: Pat Hunter. ST. CROIX FALLS: Sarah Adams, St. Croix Falls Public Library; Rosemarie Braatz, local historian; Jackie Nyberg, manager (Falls 5 photo); Carol Thompson. SEYMOUR: Rita Gosse, Seymour Community Museum (photos of Auditorium and See-More theatres). SHAWANO: Penny Habeck (Crescent Theatre photo); Lorie Hanson, Shawano City-County Library; Ila Moede, historian, board member; Thomas Thatcher, Shawano County Historical Society (Crescent Theatre photo). SHEBOYGAN: Ralph Schmidt (Sheboygan Theatre photo). SHEBOYGAN FALLS: Beth Dippel, executive director, Sheboygan County Historical Research Center (Falls Theatre photo). SHELL LAKE: Beth Carlson, director, Shell Lake Public Library. SHULLSBURG: Frances Matl, Jeff Russell, Badger Historical Society (photos of Burg and Gem theatres); Carol Stoudt, director, Shullsberg Public Library. SLINGER: Jennifer Einwalter, director, Slinger Community Library (Strand Theatre photo). SOLON SPRINGS: Rosemary Washkuhn. SOMERSET: Norma Scott, Somerset Public Library. SPARTA: History Room, Sparta Public Library. SPOONER: Spooner Public Library. SPRING GREEN: Bonnie Allen, Spring Green Public Library; Eldon B. Pratt, historian; Ralph Schmidt (Gard Theatre photo). SPRING VALLEY: Shirley Hampton (Valley Theatre photo); Doris M. Ronnander, director, Spring Valley Public Library. STOUGHTON: Stoughton Public Library. STRATFORD: Walter and Elaine Beeker; Diana Schuette, Stratford Public Library; Donetta Ulrich, Stratford Area Historical Society. STRUM: Strum Public Library. STURGEON BAY: Don and Tom Austad; Rebecca N. Berger; Chris Milton, acquisitions, Door County Library. SUN PRAIRIE: Peter Klein; Sun Prairie Public Library. SUPERIOR: Janet Jennings; (Theodora) Teddie Meronek, area research librarian, Superior Public Library; Bryan Olson; Julie Zachau. SURING: Korrin Moede, director, Suring Area Public Library. THORP: Renee Hermsen, director, Thorp Public Library; Janet Rogalski, Thorp Area Historical Society (Thorp Theatre photo). THREE LAKES: Nancy Brewster, assistant director, Demmer

x Memorial Library; Lise Bruzan (photo of present-day Three Lakes Theatre). TOMAH: Tomah Public Library. TOMAHAWK: Neal Winker, former owner of Tomahawk Theatre. TWO RIVERS: Connie Kocian, reference associate, Lester Public Library; Walter Vige, Two Rivers Historical Society (Rivoli Theatre photo). UNION GROVE: Janice Rank, Graham Public Library. VIOLA: Lynette Owens, director, Viola Public Library. VIROQUA: Carol Krogan, assistant curator, Vernon County Museum; Judy Mathison, Vernon County Historical Society (Vernon Theatre photo). WABENO: Lois Radloff, director, Wabeno Public Library; Margaret Stauffer. WALWORTH: Jan Peterson, Walworth Public Library. WASHBURN: Tony Worik WATERFORD: Gail M. Jolliffe, technical services/reference librarian, Waterford Public Library (Strand Theatre photo). WATERLOO: Kelli Mountford, children’s librarian, Karl Junginger Memorial Library. WATERTOWN: William F. Jannke III, president, Watertown Historical Society. WAUKESHA: Linda Pierschalla, reference librarian, Waukesha Public Library; Eric Vanden Heuvel, archivist, Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum (photos of Avon and Park theatres). WAUPACA: Gerald Brown; Ralph Schmidt (Rosa Theatre photo); Waupaca Historical Society (photos of Adler/State and Palace theatres). WAUPUN: Jim Laird, Waupun Historical Society; Fletcher Photo Studio (Classic Theatre photo). WAUSAU: Linda Gau, reference librarian, Marathon County Public Library. WAUTOMA: Bruce Runnels. WEBSTER: Wayne Burmeister; Carole Fure, library coordinator, History Research Library, Burnett County Historical Society (Webb Theatre photo). WEST SALEM: Errol Kimdschy, historian, West Salem Historical Society (Salem Theatre photo). WESTBY: Darla Schroeder, Bekkum Memorial Library; Vernon County Museum Historical Society (Westby Theatre photo). WESTFIELD: Bridget Donohue, library director, Ethel Everhard Memorial Library; Ellen Martin, Marquette County Historical Society (Westfield Theatre photos). WEYAUWEGA: Lucie Erickson, director, Weyauwega Public Library. WHITEFISH BAY: Joe Zollner (Fox-Bay Theatre photo). WHITEWATER: Sally Mason, Irvin L. Memorial Library (Towne Theatre photo). WINNECONNE: Arline Hoenecke, Winneconne Historical Society & Museum (Lake Theatre photo); Edith Phillips, director, Winneconne Public Library. WINTER: Winter Public Library. WISCONSIN DELLS: Charlotte Walch Davies, Kilbourn Public Library. WISCONSIN RAPIDS: Andy Barnett, Don Litzer, McMillan Memorial Library, Tom Taylor Collection (photos of Ideal and Wisconsin theatres). WITTENBERG: David Jacobson, Wittenburg Area Historical Society (Badger Theatre photo); Alene Newcomb, Wittenburg Branch Library. WONEWOC: Wonewoc Public Library. WOODRUFF: Don Janssen, Minocqua Historical Society (photos of Lakeland and Woods theatres). WOODVILLE: Cindy Griffin, director, Woodville Public Library.

Introduction The state of Wisconsin is unique in the number of historical theatres that remain standing in this day and age of multiplexes. Surprisingly, many of these small-town theatres across the state are still open. These theatres, and those that have been lost to history, help define Wisconsin and offer stories that bring focus to the state’s rich past. Wisconsin has always been committed to preserving its heritage. Through the Wisconsin Main Street Program, historic preservation of towns and cities (particularly the downtown) has been encouraged. Thirty-six cities and towns have been designated Wisconsin Main Street communities. The downtown’s historic sense of place has been retained through careful maintenance and restoration of its commercial buildings (in some cases movie theatres), reflecting the pride of each town in its heritage. In addition, the Wisconsin Historical Society maintains a Register of Historic Places by county. The Wisconsin League of Historic American Theatres also promotes the rescue, restoration, and reuse of historic theatres and other heritage buildings. This book is a guide to Wisconsin’s historic movie theatres and the communities that shaped them(from the early opera houses and halls of the mid–nineteenth century to the theaters through the 1950s. The listing of the almost 900 theatres documents the theatre name (or names), the location, the date the theatre opened and closed showing movies, and the number of seats. Where history was found about a theatre the details are provided.

Drive-ins were excluded since their history has been documented in other publications. Theatres built after 1960 were also excluded since the period from that time to the present generated the growth of multiplexes. More than 300 photographs are included to illustrate the many styles of theatres that exist. Some photographs show an original view of the theatre, while others show what the building looks like today. So that one might get a more complete snapshot of the town, information specific to each town or county is given, where available, along with the theatres that exist or that once existed in each town. In some cases it is the region of the state that has shaped the theatres and in other cases it is the industry of the region or the size of the town. My research for this book led me to many books, newspapers, magazines, and websites. Invaluable were the countless librarians across the state who searched out local theatre history, as did county historical societies, and town residents helpful enough to share their memories. The bibliography, which is listed by town, includes information about the sources used and will guide the reader to further reading on the theatres of Wisconsin and on historical theatres in general.

The Beginnings The “Historical Overview” provides specific examples to illustrate the evolution of

1

Introduction the moving picture shows. Called by different names, the opera houses, auditoriums, or community halls all served the same purpose: they were the center of entertainment and a source of pride for the townspeople. Sometimes these places of entertainment were started on the second floor of existing buildings. Sometimes they were built new (as simple as a wooden frame building or a very large, ornate building of brick or stone. Because of their status as the center of entertainment, opera houses were often the first place in town to show the new moving pictures. In smaller communities this marked the end of the many road show companies that once traveled Wisconsin. The earliest theaters that showed moving pictures were often housed in buildings constructed for other purposes and therefore were sometimes referred to as “storefront theatres.” These silent movie theatres or nickelodeons of the first decade of the twentieth century replaced the dime museums and penny arcades. Early silent movies houses were also referred to as bijous regardless of the name on the marquee. And more than one town had an early silent movie house actually called the Bijou Theatre. The movie theatre soon became the entertainment center of the town. In county after county, marquees sprouted up along Main Street. Soon after sound films were introduced in the late 1920s, the movie palace arrived with elaborate decor, glittering facades, vast lobbies, and thousands of seats ( John Margolies and Emily Gwathmey, Ticket to Paradise: American Movie Theaters and How We Had Fun. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991). Theatres advertised first-run films, stage shows, a permanent orchestra, or an organ. Some theatres were called “atmospheric” and evoked a night sky with twinkling stars while others showcased huge domed auditoriums and lobbies adorned with crystal chandeliers, golden statues, spiral staircases, and even pools and fountains providing an escape from the real world. But this glamour faded as the country suffered through the Great Depression and

2 then entered World War II. Theatres began to streamline their appearances. With existing theatres, the facade, marquee, and box office were altered when renovations occurred in the 1940s to modernize them. The atmospheric theatre, with the twinkling stars and floating clouds in the auditorium had their ceilings covered. After the war, theatres were built quickly and more cheaply. Many were designed in a Quonset-hut style, modeled after those structures that served as housing for enlisted men. The 1950s brought new advancements to draw people away from their television sets. CinemaScope screens were hung in the main auditorium. This screen, because of its size, was placed in front of the proscenium arch over the main stage to accommodate the widescreen films. People were moving to the suburbs where multiplexes kept the audiences from the downtowns of many cities in Wisconsin. Construction of movie theatres would be halted during these years, and with the decline of audiences hundreds of theatres would eventually be demolished. One can trace this evolution of movie history in a single theatre: Thrasher’s Opera House in downtown Green Lake, began in 1910 in a classically simple building hosting vaudeville and traveling theatrical companies. It was the hub of community activity. Charlie Thrasher purchased a projection system, and for twenty-five cents one could see a movie with a piano player highlighting the scenes on screen. By 1929, sound equipment was installed and talkies were shown. The shows listed in the Green Lake County Reporter trace the evolving theatre. In 1940 it began to be listed as Thrasher’s Movie House, featuring Technicolor movies. In 1942, it became the Lake Theatre. Films continued through World War II, but after closing in 1945 the building became a warehouse. Purchased in the mid– 1990s by a prominent Green Lake businessman, restoration began. Thrasher’s Opera House today is a musical, cultural, and educational venue, and listed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places.

3

Those Remaining Throughout the country many small town theatres and big city theatres have disappeared. Often the early silent movie houses couldn’t afford the cost of converting to sound. That, combined with the effects of the Depression, made it impossible for theatres to remain profitable (Michael Putnam, Silent Screens: The Decline and Transformation of the American Movie Theater. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002). Other theatres, to cut costs and to ensure profitability, were subdivided into mini-auditoriums of 200 to 500 seats (the beginning of the multiplex. Wisconsin can be proud. The number of theatres that are still alive and well is large. All the theatres that are open appear at the end of

Introduction the first section of this book. Twenty-six single-screen theatres alone are open showing movies. The Meyer Theatre in Green Bay, now a performing arts center, was returned to a single screen. There are theatres that have survived because of the addition of one or more screens. Then there are those towns that supported their movie theatres being remodeled into performing arts centers or live theatres. As one former owner of a Wisconsin theater said: “Nowadays, they pack multiplex theaters into these little buildings and you go see movies in these little box-shaped rooms and the screen isn’t much bigger than a largescreen TV. Here we’ve got a big theater, with a big screen and there’s character everywhere you look” (Connie Flackey, former owner of the Durand Theatre, Courier-Wedge, November 28, 1996).

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HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Following the histories of specific towns in Wisconsin shows the evolution of the theatres and demonstrates how communities flourished.

in 1876) was totally destroyed by fire in 1914. The owner had made many recent improvements just three years earlier. There was a saloon and bowling alley in the basement. Before the fire, many first-class plays and attractions were held at the Opera House including the Oberammergau Peasant Players that appeared on stage in 1913, a rare treat for the German population in Hartford. In Montello, the 1877 Dodge Opera House had a bowling alley in the basement and a barn out back that accommodated patrons’ horses. This was the center of the community with traveling medicine shows, dances, roller skating on the once flat hardwood floor, graduations, and a performance of the Baraboo Orchestra in 1908. In 1880, William Crowe had the Opera Block constructed in Hudson, which was a source of community pride providing a backdrop for cultural, religious, social, and political events for generations. Referred to as the Opera Hall, its two storefronts were occupied at different times by grocers, dry goods merchants, hardware dealers, and clothiers all taking advantage of the block’s ideal location. In Black River Falls, the opera house was built in 1881 through the donations of many Black River Falls businessmen. It was built of red brick and was noted as having the finest dance floor in the state. The Opera House was the scene of all of the town activities and the largest social events of the year including the Woodmen Lodge supper dance. When the Grand Opera House in

Centers of Entertainment The opera houses, auditoriums, or community halls all served the same purpose: they were the center of entertainment for the town. These buildings, whether they were simple or ornate, also gave the townspeople a sense of civic pride. Sometimes these places of entertainment were started on the second floor of existing buildings. If Watertown’s oldest building, the Turner Opera House (1869), could speak it would relate all the interesting series of events they housed, from great plays to modern dances, conventions, union meetings, masked balls, political rallies, wrestling matches, and home shows. Turner Hall has been a virtual community center in Watertown. In Berlin, “Doc” Dodson built an Opera House in 1871 with a new gallery, stage, and dressing rooms. The Opera House saw many minstrel shows, musicals, concerts, plays, commencement exercises, and lectures. There was a different drama every evening. One of the highlights of that time was the home talent show. Stock companies on their way up from Milwaukee to Minneapolis always took in Berlin and drew crowds. The first Opera House in Hartford (built

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Historical Overview Oshkosh first opened its doors in 1883 the opera, “The Bohemian Girl” was presented. Here was an opera house in the style of a late 19th century European Opera House complete with lavish decor in the auditorium and seating for over one thousand. Known for its excellent acoustics, Broadway musicals and vaudeville acts were presented in addition to operas. In Osceola, the Opera House began as a wooden structure built in 1885 and is remembered as the Opera Hall-Roller Rink in the village. Once the roller-skating fad passed the building stood idle until purchased by the Modern Woodmen for their meetings. During the next sixty years, the building provided space for dances, assemblies, conventions, traveling shows, basketball games, and high school commencements. In 1888, in St. Croix Falls, a village hall was built that served as both the municipal government and social center of the community. The Auditorium featured a street level kitchen and gymnasium to accommodate dances, holiday programs, sports activities, piano recitals, and high school commencement exercises. The gymnasium was pressed into use by volunteers rolling bandages for the Red Cross during World War I, and for rallies to support the war effort. In 1918, it became a hospital during the influenza pandemic. The Danes Home in Waupaca was built in 1894, and included an assembly hall, dance hall, and lecture room. After the Waupaca Opera House burned in 1904, the Danes Home became the most important entertainment hall in the city for several decades. The Danes Home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, not only for its architectural significance but its historical significance for the Danish community. Designed by Gordon and Paunack in 1895, the massive, three-story, brick Mt. Horeb Opera House dominates downtown Mt. Horeb. Operating as a community center, the opera house presented performances by theatrical troupes, dances, political rallies,

6 minstrel shows, and basketball games. After the local high school burned in 1917, some classes met at the Opera House while the new high school was being built. For over 100 years in Wausau, the land bounded by 4th and Jefferson, 5th and Scott Streets was an arts block. The Grand Opera House built in 1899 provided a place for entertainment. Stage productions could be accommodated so that the Opera House became a stop on the theatrical circuit. In the first decades of the twentieth century, acting troupes and musicians would ride the rails from performance to performance with their sets, props, costumes, and instruments traveling with them. In Stoughton, the Opera House dates back to 1900 and is one of the largest secondstory theatres in the Midwest. Throughout its history, the Stoughton Opera House has presented operas, minstrel shows, vaudeville performances, and political gatherings. Today, it hosts a variety of musical and theatrical performances. The Opera House in Athens was built in 1903 on park property donated by Fred Rietbrock. It was the center of entertainment and social life containing two bowling lanes, a billiard and pool room, a saloon, and a dining hall. A spacious hall on the second floor of the Opera House provided entertainment space for the surrounding communities: dancing, basketball games, roller skating, and banquets. Vaudeville shows and traveling theatrical troupes were also presented.

THE NEW MOVING PICTURES Since the Opera House served as the center of entertainment for the town, it was more than likely the first place in town that the new moving pictures would be shown. Before the first movie theatre appeared in Osceola, lantern slide shows were held at the Opera House. The magic lantern was the first slide projector and was the forerunner of our “moving pictures.” Many of the early movies were simply magic-lantern shows put on flex-

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Historical Overview

Grand Opera House, Wausau, Early (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

ible film. The slides for the lantern were all hand-painted on three-inch glass plates. Instead of a sound track, a showman, a singer, and a piano player created a mixture of humor, moving stories, and stirring music. This was all part of the magic-lantern shows of the 1890s, a popular form of Victorian theater entertainment. (Thrasher’s Opera House in Green Lake hosts “The American Magic-Lantern Theater”(the nation’s only theater company recreating the gay nineties ancestor of today’s movies.) Theatre architect Oscar Cobb designed the Romanesque-style Grand Opera House in Stevens Point. Faced with pressed brick, the building is typical of theater designs of the late nineteenth century. For many years the Opera

House was the focus of many theatrical and community events. Lyman Howe appeared in the late 1890s with an illustrated stereopticon lecture, and in 1904 returned to present one of the first motion pictures in the city. Attendants hidden behind the wings provided sound effects. As early as January 1909, the Opera House in Lake Mills offered a travel movie as one of its showings. In April a movie followed a city band concert. In January 1917, while World War I raged overseas, citizens of St. Croix Falls gathered to watch one of the top silent films of the era “The Battle Cry of Peace” in their new Auditorium. The Copeland Opera House in Shulls-

Historical Overview

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Copeland Opera House, Shullsburg 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

burg, built in 1892, was housed on the second floor of a brick building with commercial spaces on the first floor. The Opera House was the center for live stage performances, circuses and parades, tent shows, silent movies, and later the talkies. 1916 was the first year silent movies were shown. Reeds Opera House in Lancaster was built in 1893 by Dr. J. H. Reed, and presented silent films on the second floor, which had a balcony. For this small town it was “a thing of wonder.” In 1913, a new owner of the Opera House recalls the week’s run, both matinee and evening, of “The Birth of a Nation,” for which he had a thirty-five piece orchestra. The Myers Opera House opened in 1870 designed by Oscar Cobb. Gas was the method of illumination until the invention of the electric light. The Opera House became the first “show house” in Janesville to put on motion pictures starting in the 1920s. The Chilton Opera House was an allwood structure with a stage and balcony along

the sides. The Chilton Times advertised “Picture Photoplays” at the Opera House, “The Home of Universal Features Exclusively.” Silent movies were shown until about 1927 when Vitaphone was installed. This device was used with the silent film accompanied by a musical score on records. One could see the new moving pictures at vaudeville theaters, music halls, the State Fair midway, amusement parks, and traveling carnivals. By 1899, in Milwaukee, moving pictures were being shown in amusement parks such as Shoot-The-Chutes, a water slide park on the Milwaukee River; Coney Island, in Shorewood; and White City. (Larry Widen and Judi Anderson. Milwaukee Movie Palaces. Milwaukee County Historical Society, 1986.) The first moving pictures townspeople ever saw in Galesville were produced by a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope, a box-like device in a concession booth at the Trempealeau County Fair. For a dime, one could look through a peep hole to see two boxers in ac-

9 tion. The figures were about three inches high. This was a reproduction of an actual fight in a boxing ring. (Galesville Centennial 1854– 1954.)

THE EARLIEST THEATRES The earliest theatres to show moving pictures were often housed in buildings originally constructed for other purposes. A. A. Searl, from St. Paul, leased the Post Hall in Black River Falls for a permanent five-and-ten cent theatre called the Unique Electric Theatre, which presented a moving picture show every night in the week except Sunday using 2000 feet of film every night. In Prescott, a man from Minnesota came to town twice a week to run “moving picture shows.” Ollie Tronnier also recalled the entertainment at the Moon Theatre (an 1883 two-story brick building listed as a saloon): “First there was a show on Saturday night, projected on a curtain strung across the back of the room. When you paid for a ticket, they stamped your hand and you could return for the dance, held after the folding chairs had been taken off the floor. A piano player was always on hand for the picture show and stayed to play for the dance.” In Spring Green, Mr. Dave Ferris operated a picture machine and showed movies in Ferris Hall located over the Royal Blue Store. His serials shown every Saturday night were thrillers. Among them were Pearl White in the Perils of Pauline, Ruth Holland in Hands Up, and The Lightning Raider. The music was furnished by Mrs. Agnes Brown Jordan at the piano and Mr. Harold Cork on the drums. “Many an evening of enjoyment can be recalled by the citizens of our village who were always looking forward to the next installment of the serial,” commented one of the townspeople. Clarence Flemming and his father operated the first motion picture show in Mondovi upstairs in the old Willie Canar building. After some time they moved the show into an old building, remodeled it into a theatre,

Historical Overview and called it “The Star.” Soon Clarence Flemming had his cousin Bessie Young come and play the piano and sing at shows. In those days the movies were all silent so someone would sit in a secluded position in the theatre and make the various noises, such as thunder, rain on a roof, or horses running. In Hudson, the Theatre Delight was on the first floor of the W.S. Hatch Building. Admission was five cents and ten cents. Miss LaRocque of Prairie du Chien played the piano and sang the illustrated songs. A violin player was added on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The Star-Observer on July 1914 reported a musical trio performing grand opera and ragtime. There was a change of music and pictures every evening. The story of the very first moving picture shown in Fox Lake was learned from an exchange of letters. The theatre was located in the Odd Fellows Hall (later called the Star Theatre), and the first movie was a Western picture with the widely advertised special feature of “a great train wreck in the mountains.” This was before electricity was installed in the village; the exhibitor carried his own lighting system. The film broke occasionally when the moving picture started and eventually the lighting system failed, leaving the Hall in darkness (in 1910). The Unique Theatre, located in Eagle’s Hall, was the first moving picture theatre in Hayward. Silent movies were shown with captions to tell what the actors were saying. Once a week there was a serial, which would end at an exciting point to guarantee the audience would return for the next week’s show. The Broken Coin and The Perils of Pauline were some of the serials. The admission was five cents for children and ten cents for adults. The youngsters would make a mad rush after school to get to sweep the floor so they could get in to see the movie free. They could also get in free for peddling handbills around town advertising the movie. The movie theatre now became the entertainment center of the town. In county after county, marquees sprouted along Main Street

Historical Overview offering an escape from reality through the magic of the movies. The opening of the Idea Theatre in Fond du Lac featured mostly vaudeville acts and Edison moving picture panoramas (kinodrome). This downtown theatre had an orchestra and was reported as being the “most complete fireproof vaudeville theatre in the state.” (“Idea Theatre Opens Tonight,” The Daily Reporter, June 5, 1905.) The Lyric Theatre in Richland Center had one projector up in the balcony so that there had to be a short intermission to change reels. “One Moment Please” would flash on the screen just before the intermission. In another show of practicality, before the movie started, “Ladies, Please Remove Your Hats” would appear on screen. The Electric Theatre in Waupaca advertised fourteen reels of films each week. Manager Bert Quimby installed an 860-Edison Triumph phonograph for musical programs. Projectionist Ernest Carlson (in Madison at the Amuse Theatre) recalled that competition between the early silent movie houses often led him to increase his projection speed in order to admit a waiting crowd so that they wouldn’t wander off to another theatre if they were forced to wait. Fred Smith ran the Orpheum Theatre and put on the first and only extravaganza seen in Richland Center. A parade of Cowboys and Indians was organized to start south of the theatre. A team of small ponies was also enlisted. The townspeople called this “Fred Smith’s Wild West Parade.” The movie on the screen was a Western. Bessie Darling played the piano all during the show with the tempo to match what was happening on the screen. A man by the name of Ralph Doty would handle the sound effects offstage, such as horses running by two coconut shells cut in two, or he would shoot a pistol with blank shells at the right time when guns were shooting on the screen. By the 1910s, hour-long photoplays took the place of the twenty-minute “movies” of the “storefront” theatres, and larger, grander

10 photoplay theatres began to open. (Larry Widen and Judi Anderson. Milwaukee Movie Palaces. Milwaukee County Historical Society, 1986.) Some of the first purpose-built movie houses were larger and featured not only an ornate facade, but also permanent seating, adequate ventilation, good projection of the film, and attention to the interior decor. Probably the most unique such theatre in the country was the Butterfly Theatre in downtown Milwaukee. The design of a terra cotta butterfly for its sixty-foot-high facade lit up with 1000 light bulbs spanning 27 feet from wingtip to wingtip required no name sign. There was a marbled-floor lobby, gilded birdcages of canaries, and an auditorium lit with crystal chandeliers. A balcony with a mirrored staircase led from the lobby. A ten-piece house orchestra, pipe organ, and six opera singers were available to provide the music. The butterfly with wings outstretched, had the body of a woman draped in a Grecian gown, and atop the butterfly at the top of the facade were spiral scrolls that supported a pedestal surmounted by a lyre, all delineated in light bulbs to bring the total on the whole ornate facade to 3,000. (Q. David Bowers. Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music. Lanham, Maryland: Vestal Press, 1999.) A covered archway studded with electric lights led to the ticket office between two entrances. Above the arch was a sign, “Mutual Movies,” with a clock at each end indicating show time. “Mutual Movies Make Time Fly” was the slogan of the pioneer leader in motion pictures. This was the opening of the Owl Theatre, the first movie theatre in Pewaukee. The Cozy Theatre in Medford showed movies with a portable projector and screen while a piano accompanied the silents. There was also an orchestra consisting of a violin, drums, marimbas, and a xylophone. Sometimes the piano player would view the movie before show time to coordinate the music with the movies. The silent movies were about ten to twenty minutes in length. Then a pianoorgan combination was installed known as a reproducer organ. After that a “Phototone”

11 was installed which was a nonsynchronous machine playing records to cue the picture. The Fox Theatre in Black River Falls installed an elevated floor with a gradual rise so that the screen could be seen from every seat with mahogany upholstered theatre seats. Universal films would be shown at four performances daily. “One of the finest of electric pianos with orchestral accessions covering various instruments has been provided and there will be songs and song slides besides the moving pictures.” (Badger State Banner, December 17, 1914.) The Doty Theatre in Neenah had a Bartola, a 1911 invention of Dan Barton of Oshkosh installed in March 1915. Forerunner of the theater organ, the Bartola was actually an upright piano which had added to it a limited-range second keyboard controlling several sets of organ pipes in an adjacent cabinet. Theatres began installing devices to produce sound effects to accompany the silent movies, but the larger theaters found the early piano with sound effects cabinet too limiting as movies became longer and had more ambitious story lines. Since a large orchestra was far too expensive to hire for every performance, selected theatres had the theater pipe organ. The theatre pipe organ with its many special sound effects could mimic different instruments including tambourines and castanets. The organ could be made to sound like a bird or steamboat whistle, or the low rumble of thunder. The wood block sound from the organ was used during cowboy movies to mimic the clippety-clop of the beating hoofs. Screens used for silent movies were much smaller than those used in modern-day theatres. The original projectors used a low intensity carbon arc as a light source in the lamp house. The lamp house did not originally have a mirror at the back. The projectors were unusually long because the carbon arc lamp was located at the rear in order to keep the heat away from the nitrocellulose film, which was highly flammable and potentially explosive. Many smaller communities never had

Historical Overview their own theaters. Townspeople sought out theatres in nearby towns or had “traveling movie men” come to their town. Before Fairchild had theatres a “movie man” would come to town with a portable machine and show movies outside on some store wall. They were silents with subtitles most commonly Westerns or slapstick comedy. In Gillett, community leaders took advantage of the town’s Saturday night gatherings to meet and greet the farm people. Sometimes, in appreciation of their continuous patronage, a free movie was presented, with benches, camera and screen set up on a vacant lot. One man who brought movies to the smaller towns of Oconto County was Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer. He started his enterprise in 1936 and continued until 1954, showing movies in vacant lots from Suring to Lena, Crivitz, Breed, Klondike, and Spruce. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. He made a different hamlet on his circuit each night, toting his projector and a 12× 14-foot screen. People sat around the grass on benches or on blankets. (Bernice Blank, “Movie Theaters Once Thrived in Oconto County Communities,” Eagle-Star.) In Pepin, during the 1940s, movies were shown in the summer on the side of Ferguson’s barn, which stood at the Lake street end of the alley between First and Second Streets. The audience sat on blankets on the slope where the Opera House had been, and the Bank of Alma now stands.

TALKIES Technologies emerged in the film industry in the late 1920s for synchronizing electronically recorded audio to a motion picture image. Synchratone was an early sound-on-disc system that soon was replaced with Vitaphone produced by Warner Bros., the last and most successful of such systems. The soundtrack

Historical Overview was not printed on the actual film, but was contained separately on sixteen-inch phonograph records that were synchronized with the projector. Many early talkies such as The Jazz Singer used the Vitaphone process. In a theatre equipped to show Vitaphone movies, the projectors operated as normal motorized silent projectors, but they also provided a mechanical interlock with an attached phonograph turntable. When the projector was threaded, the projectionist would align a start mark on the film with the picture gate, and would at the same time place a phonograph record on the turntable, being careful to align the phonograph needle with an arrow scribed on the record’s label. Vitaphone discs were run at 331 ⁄ 3 rpm to increase the playing time to match the eleven-minute running time of a reel of film. Also unlike most phonograph discs, the needle on Vitaphone records moved from the inside of the disc to the outside. (Donald Crafton. The Talkies: American Cinema’s Transition to Sound, 1926–1931. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1997.) With improvements in competing sound-on-film processes, Vitaphone was soon replaced. The Paradise Theatre in West Allis advertised itself as “built for sound” when they merely added speakers backstage. The Majestic Theatre in Rhinelander showed the first “talking pictures” in the Northwoods in 1929, “Synthetic Sin,” starring Colleen Moore. Actually the film had no sound track, but was accompanied by voice recordings, which had to be synchronized with the picture. The Parkway became Madison’s first theatre to show sound features: “The Jazz Singer” in February 1928. The first movie theatre in Bloomer, the Ideal Theatre, was converted in 1920 into a “Modern Theatre and Movie House.” In 1929, the first talkie arrived with Synchratone Sound. After the first performance, the owner installed Vitaphone equipment, making history. Theatre owners from all over northern Wisconsin converged on Bloomer to check out this new equipment. International News Reel

12 sent a cameraman to the city to take pictures in front of the theatre and along Main Street. “Scott Installs Vitaphone” read the headline in The Banner-Journal of March 27, 1929. They were referring to the Fox Theatre in Black River Falls. The newspaper reported that city playhouses had all installed “Talking Movies” but very few towns the size of Black River Falls. “Now people go to the movies to both see and hear.” Sound-on-film process improved considerably after the early work by Lee DeForest on his Phonofilm process, and Fox-Case’s Movietone (Stephanie E. Przybylek. Breaking the Silence on Film: The History of the Case Research Lab. Auburn: Cayuga Museum, 1999.) RCA/GE developed a sound-on-film process they called Photophone. These methods guarantee synchronization between the sound and the picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the same strip of film used to record the pictures. The theatre opened as the Brillion Auditorium which showed “talking movies” in 1929. The first movie was “The Lone Wolf ’s Daughter,” starring Bert Lytell and Gertrude Olmstead. At that time, Brillion was the only city in Wisconsin of such a small population to have a Movie-phone(the device used to bring in the sound. Before the first talking pictures reopened the State Theatre in Hartford in October 1929, the Hartford Times explained the DeForest Phonofilm sound recording and reproducing device to its readers: “The device uses two very large English air column speakers. Each loudspeaker has seven stages of amplification. A feature of the DeForest product is that it comes nearest to reproducing the true human voice without distortion and in true synchronization with the pictures. Talking pictures with the sound recording or reproducing device are run through a special attachment in the Simplex motion picture machine. This is an apparatus immediately below the lenses upon the picture machine. As light strikes the film it creates a vibration that is immediately

13 transmitted to the loud speakers, which may be placed upon the stage or any part in the theatre where they will produce the most realistic effect. Using the DeForest transmitting and reproducing device the showing of the pictures and the talking is as one unit. There is no sound like the grinding of a record upon a talking machine. Neither is there any pause. When a man or woman talks upon the screen the words are heard at the correct time and in correct relation to the picture.” The Hartford Times announced the reopening in October of 1929: “State Movie House To Be Re-Opened. Will Be Opened Soon with Latest Equipment for Reproducing Sound Recording Moving Pictures.” The owners will have installed the new DeForest Phonofilm picture machine and reproducing devices. With the first showing of talking pictures the theatre underwent a complete renovation. The large, box-like canopy with its rows of electric lights was refinished along with the large electric sign for the name of the theatre to be lit at night. “Now Showing Pictures with The DeForest Phonofilm.” “The most perfect of all sound equipment. Never out of synchronization.” “All Features 100% Talking and Singing.”

THE MOVIE PALACES Soon after sound films were introduced in the late 1920s, the movie palace arrived(and theatres were then like nothing seen before. C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp built grand and palatial theaters during this era, one of the most prolific theater architectural firms of their day. George Rapp stated the firm’s design philosophy: “Watch the eyes of a child as it enters the portals of our great theatres and treads the pathway into fairyland. Watch the bright light in the eyes of the tired shop girl who hurries noiselessly over carpets and sighs with satisfaction as she walks amid furnishings that once delighted the hearts of queens. See the toil-worn father whose dreams have never come true, and look inside his heart as he finds strength and rest within the theatre.

Historical Overview

Auditorium, Brillion, Early (courtesy Brillion Historical Society).

There you have the answer to why motion picture theatres are so palatial. Here is a shrine to democracy where there are no privileged patrons. The wealthy rub elbows with the poor(and are better for this contact. Do not wonder, then, at the touches of Italian Renaissance, executed in glazed polychrome terra cotta, or at the lobbies and foyers adorned with replicas of precious masterpieces of another world, or at the imported marble wainscoting or the richly ornamented ceilings with motifs copied from master touches of Germany, France, and Italy, or at the carved niches, the cloistered arcades, the depthless mirrors, and the great sweeping staircases. These are part of a celestial city (cavern of many-colored jewels, where iridescent lights and luxurious fittings heighten the expectations of pleasure.” (George Rapp, Architect, Al. Ringling Theatre) Some of these new theatres had auditoriums that recalled an outdoor street scene or courtyard in the evening complete with passing clouds and twinkling stars produced by the Brenograph magic lantern machine. These theatres were referred to as “atmospheric theatres.” There were six such theatres in Milwaukee: the Avalon, Egyptian, Grand, National, Venetian, and Zenith theatres. The Meyer Theatre in Green Bay, Kenosha Theatre in Kenosha, Rivoli Theatre in LaCrosse,

Historical Overview Avon Theatre in Medford. Goetz Theatre in Monroe, Spanish Garden Theatre in Osceola, and the Sheboygan Theatre in Sheboygan were also “atmospherics.” The oldest, continuously operating movie house in the country, the Al. Ringling Theatre in Baraboo has remained almost completely intact over the years, despite some 1970s renovations that had to be corrected in the 1990s. This historic theatre was given as a gift to Baraboo by the eldest of five Ringling brothers, Albrecht. Called “America’s Prettiest Playhouse,” the theatre was designed by C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp after the Opera House of the Petit Trianon in the Palace of Versailles in France. The red plush and gilt in-

14 terior of the Al. Ringling Theatre is complete with paintings and antique tapestries. “The theatre is one of the first examples of palatial design applied to the moving picture theatre.” The Al. Ringling, even though technically “too small to be considered a movie palace,” was a model for many of the movie palaces in the years to come. This was the conclusion reached on the “History Detectives” the PBS TV show in the autumn of 2003. (http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/ case/midwest.html) Called Fond du Lac’s first “movie palace” and “Theater Beautiful,” the Fond du Lac Theatre was built by the Fischer Theatre Company (Fischer-Paramount Theatres) featuring a facade with ornate terra cotta decora-

Fond du Lac Theatre, Fond du Lac, 1980s (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

15 tion. The opening on November 25, 1925, was preceded by a parade down Main Street. The entire theatre was carpeted with seats that were air cushioned and upholstered in solid leather. There was an early form of airconditioning, a Barton organ and a large orchestra pit to hold a complete orchestra. The curved balcony was designed using a cantilever system so there were no obstructions to the sight lines. The electric sign on the front of the building that spelled out “Fischer’s Fond du Lac Theater” was the largest sign on any theatre in the entire state of Wisconsin. It was fifty feet high from the canopy covering the sidewalk. Advertised in the Capitol Times as “A Palace of Enchantment,” the Capitol Theatre in Madison opened on January 21, 1928, designed by the renowned C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp. The theatre was an example of the type of opulent movie houses being built at the time. Its very large sign and marquee were lit at night and could be seen for blocks. The decor had a Moorish/Spanish theme. The state of the art building boasted the latest in modern conveniences, and a Grand Barton theater organ. Saxe’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee was the largest indoor theater ever built in Wisconsin seating 3,275. This movie palace was the flagship of their chain of twenty-eight theatres. The opening movie on March 28, 1924, was “Why Men Leave Home” starring Lewis Stone. There were performances by the Lyric Choir and Orchestra of Milwaukee, and a parade from the Pfister Hotel. C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp of Chicago designed the Wisconsin Theatre, the first of their four theatres in Milwaukee. The seventy-five foot vertical sign could be seen for miles. (The Milwaukee Journal, March 29, 1924.) The Rapps were also responsible for a large Roof Garden dance hall on the roof of the building. The bandstand on the roof also followed the French Baroque style used throughout the theatre. The Warner Theatre in Milwaukee was built on the site of the 1911 Butterfly Theatre,

Historical Overview and considered the last of Milwaukee’s movie palaces. The Warner Theatre opened on May 1, 1931, with the movie Sit Tight starring Joe E. Brown. Making a personal appearance at the opening parade was Warner Bros. star Bebe Daniels along with marching bands. Designed by C. W. and George L. Rapp, the theatre was contained within a twelvestory office building with a 58-foot high vertical sign. The lobby is a three-story high Art Deco masterpiece in towering etched mirrors. The auditorium was considered one of Rapp & Rapp’s finest French Renaissance designs for a mid-sized theatre. The Warner featured the third largest Kimball theatre organ ever built. It’s hard to miss the sumptuous movie palaces of the larger cities, but we mustn’t forget the great excitement generated when a “movie palace” opened in a smaller city or town. “A thing of beauty.” reported The StarNews; advertisements called the Avon Theatre in Medford “The Show Place of Northern Wisconsin.” Orin G. Blakeslee opened the new Avon Theatre on November 1, 1930, with Clara Bow in Her Wedding Night. In addition, there were movies of Medford people taken on October 11 while filming on Main Street. Congratulations were sent to Mr. Blakeslee by all the major Hollywood studios. The epitome of the “atmospheric” movie palace, the Avon Theatre transported the moviegoer to a street in Venice, with fronts of Italian Renaissance palaces trimmed with trailing vines and climbing flowers. Windows along the “street” glowed softly and a vaulted sky-blue ceiling reflected slowly moving clouds shown by concealed projectors. Drifting across the ceiling were fleecy clouds or storm clouds depending on what complimented the movie being shown. The Bay Theatre in Ashland opened its doors in 1937 with an Art Deco-style canopy sporting a red, white, and blue motif, stretches of neon, and a multi-tiered, scalloped, rounded upright sign featuring a bold red finial that soared skyward. The red front

Historical Overview

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Bay Theatre, Ashland, 1984 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

doors were also part of the original Art Deco design. (Michael D. Kinerk and Dennis W. Wilhelm. Popcorn Palaces; The Art Deco Movie Theatre Paintings of Davis Clone. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2001.) When the theatre closed in 1960, Ashland was without a “show house” for the first time in eighty years. Light terra cotta, used to form the columns and border, formed an attractive contrast to the light brown facebrick on the exterior of the new Goetz Theatre in Monroe, which opened September 2, 1931, with Marie Dressler and Polly Moran in “Politics.” A Spanish effect was carried out by the unusual top line of the front wall and by the balconies under the front windows. The elaborate canopy had 2000 electric bulbs illuminated, and a high columnar neon tube sign with “Goetz” at the Courthouse Square corner of the building in addition to 500 lamps. The marquee read “This Theatre Is Equipped With Western Electric Talkies.” A blue sky covered the entire room, from which, at times, tiny stars twinkled and fleecy clouds went floating by. Just under the twenty-nine-foot broad stage, in the center, was the keyboard of the 6stop Barton organ. The Goetz brothers had

long dreamed of bringing a moving-talking picture playhouse to their town and the Goetz Theatre fulfilled that dream.

AFTER WORLD WAR II Changes to new and existing movie theatres occurred during the 1940s, especially after the second World War. The 1950s and 1960s brought television to many homes, and theaters struggled as they lost their audience. In addition, people moved to the suburbs where multiplexes kept the audiences from the downtown of many cities in Wisconsin. Sound pictures and large screen projection eliminated the orchestras and pipe organs. The theatres began to streamline their appearance removing all ornament on the facade; sign companies exploited this trend by selling prefabricated aluminum marquees with the then new fluorescent lights and covered the outdated marble veneers with their own veneers of architectural porcelain panels and aluminum poster cases replacing the wooden originals. Gone were the excessive light-bulb marquees. Windows were filled with concrete or glass blocks, both readily accessible mate-

17 rials. The ticket booth was no longer inside, but was installed at the sidewalk line between the entrance doors. Theater owners tried various gimmicks to entice customers away from their television sets, including CinemaScope, Cinerama, and 3-D motion pictures. This resulted in the renovation of some existing theaters to accommodate a wider screen, which had to be placed in front of the proscenium arch over the main stage. Crystal chandeliers were replaced with clusters of white plastic globes. The atmospheric theatres, with their twinkling stars and floating clouds in the auditorium had their ceilings covered. Built in less than a week in 1947, and very economical to construct was the Middleton Theatre. The steel marquee integrated with its Quonset-hut style structure forming an extension of it. Under the marquee, and with no other roof, a small building of Waylite blocks was erected to house the lobby, foyer, restrooms and office. The theatre had a neonilluminated changeable letter sign.

Theatres Remaining Slanted, sticky floors; creaky seats; soggy, buttered popcorn; snapping film; and broken projectors. In addition to the action on the big screen, these are the things everyone who had a hometown movie theatre or a neighborhood movie theatre remembers. Friday and Saturday date nights, Saturday and Sunday matinees, nearly every small town played movies, and those that didn’t have their own theatres were close enough to a town that did have a movie theatre. Who could resist the Saturday serials that often stretched to fifteen episodes, each one ending with a cliffhanger? That was then ... and now: The following movie theatres still remain open showing films, or as a performance or concert venue, or presenting live theatrical performances. Theatres that remain standing but no longer function as movie theatres (in-

Historical Overview stead serving as libraries, churches, stores, or offices(are not included in this listing.

Single-Screen Theatres Whether restoring or open just on weekends, these theatres remain open, some the last in their county. Abbotsford Amery Baraboo Boscobel Bruce Cedarburg Dodgeville Durand Elroy Lancaster Montello Park Falls Phillips Ripon River Falls Spring Green Stanley Tomahawk

Abby Theatre Amery Theatre Al. Ringling Theatre Blaine Theatre Bruce Theatre Rivoli Theatre Dodge Theatre Durand Theatre Elroy Theatre Grantland Theatre Montello Theatre Park Theatre Cinema North Campus Theatre Falls Theatre Gard Theatre Stanley Theatre Tomahawk Theatre

Single-Screen Theatres Plus These theaters, with the exception of the Adams Theatre, offer movies with pizza and sandwiches or with a full menu. The Adams sells and rents videos. Adams Manitowoc Chilton Milwaukee De Pere Shawano La Crosse Wauwatosa

Adams Theatre Lakeshore Cinema Chilton Cinema Times Theatre De Pere Cinema Crescent Pitcher Show Rivoli Theatre Rosebud Cinema Draftshouse

Theatres That Now Have Two or More Screens Antigo Ashland Beaver Dam Black River Falls Burlington Eagle River Eau Claire Manitowoc Marshfield Menomonie Merrill Milwaukee

Palace Theatre Bay Theatre Wisconsin Theatre Falls Theatre Plaza Theatre Vilas Cinema Cameo Budget Theatre Strand Theatre Rogers Cinemas State Theatre Cosmo Theatre Downer Theatre

Historical Overview Milwaukee Monroe New London Platteville Portage Prairie Du Sac Rhinelander Richland Center Spooner Stoughton Watertown Waupaca Whitefish Bay Wisconsin Rapids Woodruff

Oriental Theatre Goetz Theatre Grand Theatre Avalon Theatre Portage Theatre Bonham Theatre State Theatre Richland Center Cinema Palace Theatre Cinema 5 Cafe Towne Theatre Rosa Theatre Fox-Bay Cinema Grill Rogers Cinema Lakeland Cinemas

Theatres That Are Performing Arts Centers or Live Theatres The restoration of theatres for their architectural and historical value has saved many theatres. Argyle Eau Claire Elkhorn

Star Theatre State Theatre Sprague Theatre/Lakeland Players Ltd. Community Theatre Green Bay Meyer Theatre Kenosha Rhode Opera House Lake Geneva Geneva Theatre

18 Madison Madison

Barrymore Theatre Capitol Theatre (part of Overture Center for the Arts) Madison Esquire Theatre (The Bartell) Madison Orpheum Theatre Manitowoc Capitol Theatre/Capitol Civic Centre Menomonie Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre Milwaukee Pabst Theatre (part of Milwaukee Center) Milwaukee Modjeska Theatre Milwaukee Riverside Theatre Mineral Point Mineral Point Opera House New Richmond Old Gem Theatre Oshkosh Grand Opera House Oshkosh Time Community Theatre St. Croix Falls Festival Theatre Sheboygan Sheboygan Theatre/Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts Spring Valley Valley Theatre Stoughton Stoughton Opera House Sturgeon Bay Donna Theatre/ Third Avenue Playhouse Viroqua Temple Theatre Waukesha Pix Theatre/Waukesha Civic Center Wausau Grand Theatre (part of ArtsBlock Performing Arts Foundation)

THE MOVIE THEATRES — ABBOTSFORD —

The Abby Theatre was built on the site of Woocks Opera House by Robert and Floyd Hodd. The first show on New Year’s Eve, 1948 was I Wonder Who Is Kissing Her Now, starring Betty Grable. In downtown Abbotsford, this small single-screen theatre continues to show first-run films on evenings and weekends advertising “Big Screen — Low Prices.” In the early years of the twentieth century, the Woocks Opera House and dance hall was moved from its foundation in a windstorm. It was purchased by Mr. Ade Young and moved to the lot where the theatre stands today. However, Mr. Young then sold the property to Mr. Hawks, who was the owner when the Opera House burned.

Clark/Marathon Counties. First called Abbotsford Junction, a railroad town with a history dating from the building of the railroad west to Chippewa Falls in 1880. A large number of passenger and freight trains passed in and out of the Junction each day. Today, Abbotsford is in the Wausau metropolitan area and called “Wisconsin’s First City” because of where it falls alphabetically. (www.ci.ab botsford.wi.us/)

Abby Theatre 216 North 1st Street. Open: 1948; open; seats: 300

Abby Theatre, Abbotsford, 2001 (photograph by author).

19

Adams / Adell

— ADAMS — Adams County. In central Wisconsin, the town was a railroad settlement in its early days. In fact, the Adams Public Library was first housed in an old parlor coach. Today Adams is the center of America’s Dairyland. (www.co.adams.wi.gov)

Adams Theatre

157 South Main Street. Open: 1920s; open; seats: 300 In downtown Adams, the theatre features firstrun films plus videos for sale/rent in the lobby. The building is constructed of stone with a flat marquee across the building and a vertical sign with “Adams”

20 spelled out in neon. Today called Adams Theatre & Video Inc., it is advertised as the area’s most complete video store.

— ADELL — Sheboygan County. The village is in the Sheboygan metropolitan area.

Liberty Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 120 The Liberty Theatre remained a silent movie house never converting to sound.

Adams Theatre, Adams, 2007 (courtesy www.roadsidearchitecture.com).

21

— ALGOMA — Kewaunee County. Algoma began life as Wolf River after being discovered in 1834 by Joseph McCormick of Manitowoc. This was a loose translation from the Indian An-Ne-Pe which meant “land of the great gray wolf,” a legendary animal in stories told by local Potawatomi. The flow of immigrants to the area continued in the mid–1800s as people from Germany, Bohemia, Scandinavia and Belgium began to settle along the lake. After being named Ahnapee for a few years, in 1879, the city was formally renamed Algoma, another Indian name, meaning “park of flowers.” By that time, the commercial fishing fleet located in Algoma was the largest on Lake Michigan. Algoma entered the Wisconsin Main Street Program in 2000. (www.algoma.org)

Majestic Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1970; seats: 400 The Majestic Theatre was opened in the autumn of 1914 by David Burke, and at that time, was the leading showhouse in the area. It was purchased by Louis Hassberg in 1923 who built an addition onto the Majestic for the crowds that were attracted to his “high class pictures.” The Algoma Record Herald reported that the latest in sound and projecting equipment was installed for the formal reopening of the Majestic Theatre on December 19, 1934. Musical numbers and a style show were featured. The

Algoma / Alma / Almena theatre was torn down in 1973 for the new Community State Bank.

— ALMA — Buffalo County. A Mississippi river town situated on the lower slopes of the bluffs.

Alma Theatre

207 North Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1964; seats: 300 This two-story brick building was constructed in 1893 for John Scheitz, and served Alma as its General Store. The chocolate-colored etched brick came from the Wilke brickyard; the roof was gabled. In 1913, Louise and Frank Harry along with Fred Reiter established Alma’s first moving picture theatre. Silent films were accompanied by a piano player, who not only furnished the background music to what was on the screen, but also provided the entertainment during intermissions. In 1922, Rudy Faulds and George Evans became the new owners of the theatre. The building now serves as a Masonic Lodge. (Alma on the Mississippi, 1848–1923. Alma Historical Society, 1980.)

— ALMENA — Barron County. The town’s distinctive name is a contraction of the first name of one of the founders,

Majestic Theatre, Algoma, 1951 (courtesy Algoma Public Library).

Amery / Antigo

22 Albert H. Koehler and his wife Wilhelmina or “Mena” by which both were commonly called. With Lightning Creek close by Lightning City was first proposed, but voted against. A camp of Modern Woodmen of America was organized in Almena in 1900. The camp purchased a good-sized frame building, with a lot. The Woodmen held their meetings in this building and twice remodeled the building. It is also used for town meetings, dances, and other entertainments, answering the purpose of a public hall. (Source: History of Barron County, Wisconsin. H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., 1922.)

Almena Theatre Lulu Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1960; seats: 275 The theatre opened in Woodmen Hall called Legion Movies. In 1940, it was renamed the Almena Theatre; films were shown using portable equipment. The building was torn down in 1975.

— AMERY — Polk County. Amery is a city of lakes. Its downtown lies on an isthmus between the Apple River and Pike, North Twin and South Twin Lakes. Bear Trap and Wapogassett Lakes are nearby. Polk County is part of Wisconsin’s “Great Northwest” region. (www.amery.wi.us/)

Amery Theatre 118 Keller Avenue North. Open: 1936; open; seats: 350 In the early days of this small-town theatre the owner, Mr. A. M. Paulson, had a weekly Bank Night, matinees every Sunday afternoon, and double features every Friday and Saturday evenings. In 1951, Mr. John Schanon purchased the theatre, which was operated by his son, Mike. The Amery is still operating every day showing first-run films. Gem Theatre Birch Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1936; seats: 300 The theatre was owned and operated by O. H. Stendorff. In 1936, the theatre was sold to A. M. Paulson who had the Amery Theatre built. The Gem burned down in 1936 before the new Amery Theatre opened.

Top: Alma Theatre, Alma, 1940s (courtesy Buffalo County Historical Society). Bottom: Amery Theatre, Amery, 2007 (courtesy Amery Public Library).

— ANTIGO — Langlade County. Antigo received its name from the Chippewa Indian name “Nequi-

23

Antigo

Antigo-Seebeh,” signifying balsam evergreen river, for the balsam evergreens that bordered the river running through the area. Another deviation is “neequioantigo-sebi” meaning “where evergreens can always be found.” (Dessureau’s 1922 History of Langlade County.)

Home Theatre Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1961; seats: 623 The theatre opened in September of 1930 and closed November 1961. After closing, the marquee came down and the building was renovated for offices. Palace Theatre

823 5th Avenue. Open: 1916; open; seats: 1180 The Palace’s grand opening took place on August 12 and August 13, 1916. Purchased in 1959 by James and John Suick, the theatre was renovated and the original large marquee was removed. A grand opening was held on December 25, 1959. In 1971 son, Timothy Suick, purchased

Top: Home Theatre, Antigo, 1953 (courtesy Langlade County Historical Society). Bottom: Home Theatre, Antigo, 1931 (courtesy Langlade County Historical Society).

Antigo

24

Top: Palace Theatre, Antigo, 1920s (courtesy Langlade County Historical Society). Bottom: Palace Theatre, Billboards, Antigo (courtesy Langlade County Historical Society).

25

Appleton

the theatre. He renovated the theatre and divided the theatre so there are now two screens showing first-run films.

Bijou Theatre Oneida Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1929; seats: 344 This downtown theatre closed as a silent movie house never converting to sound.

— APPLETON —

Elite Theatre 222 West College Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1950; seats: 432 In 1923, a Barton organ was installed in the Elite. The theatre building was demolished.

Outagamie County. Appleton is the heart of the Fox Cities, north of Lake Winnebago, in east-central Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley. The county seat, it is also home to Lawrence College. (www.appleton.org)

Appleton Theatre

212 North Oneida Street. Open: 1902; closed: 1967; seats: 900 The theatre opened on February 10, 1902, as the Appleton Opera House. Vaudeville acts appeared on stage and silent moving pictures began in 1915. Its grand opening as a movie house occurred on Christmas Day 1929. The theatre also contained an organ to accompany the silent pictures. The theater’s last double feature was the The Jungle Book and Charlie the Lonesome Cougar. The Appleton Theatre was demolished in 1968.

Fox Theatre

(See Rio.)

Majestic Theatre Oneida Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1932; seats: 396 Another early downtown silent movie theatre that closed before converting to sound. Rio Theatre 119 North Oneida Street. Open: 1929; closed: 1959; seats: 1836 The theatre opened as the Fox, named for William Fox, the owner of Fox Studios, with a Wurlitzer organ that is now in the Smithsonian. In 1933, when the theatre was converted to sound it was renamed

Rio Theatre, Appleton, 1940s (courtesy Appleton Public Library).

Arcadia / Argonne

26

Viking Theatre, Appleton, 1981 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

the Rio with a large vertical sign that reached above the building. After closing, the theatre became a department store, and then was demolished in April 1963 for a parking ramp.

Varsity Theatre 121 East Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1941; closed: 1960; seats: 614 The theatre building still stands but has been greatly modified for use as offices and retail. Viking Theatre

344 West College Avenue. Open: 1942; closed: 1992; seats: 768 This downtown theater opened on January 29, 1942, with two films, Tanks a Million and Aloma of the South Seas with Dorothy Lamour and John Hall. A bigger attraction than the films was the presence of Mayor John Goodland at the formal opening, and congratulatory messages from Spencer Tracy, Pat O’Brien and Frederic March, Wisconsin natives who went on to movie fame. (M. A. Kristoff, “Movie ‘palaces’ used to thrive in Valley,” Valley Sun, December 27, 1989.) The “Viking” sign could be seen from several blocks away on College Avenue. The Viking Theatre never matched the first-run offerings of the Rio and Appleton theatres, but it had “love seats” and air conditioning. The theatre closed on March 22, 1992. The Viking had been a Marcus theatre. The theatre was remodeled into a club called “Route 66,” a modern-looking building with a new policy to stop selling alcohol thus becoming the first “dry” teen bar.

— ARCADIA — Trempealeau County. Arcadia is situated along the Trempealeau River in west-central Wisconsin. (www.arcadiawi.org)

Arcadia Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1939; seats: 250 Opened as the Unique Theatre, and renamed the Strand Theatre in 1928. In 1935, a new owner renamed the theatre the Arcadia Theatre. The building was torn down.

Vogue Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1996; seats: 355 The theatre was operated by Mr. Thompson of Sparta, who was associated with Earl Scott of Black River Falls. The theatre now serves as an office building.

— ARGONNE — Forest County. Forest County is in the heart of the Nicolet National Forest with lightly populated communities that share the rich natural resources of the forest. (forestcountywi.com) Settlers from Kentucky came to homestead along the Pine River and along with the Indians first populated Argonne. The present town of Argonne was first named VanZile, after Abraham VanZile who

27

Top: Unique Theatre, Arcadia, 1910s (courtesy Arcadia Area Historical Society). Middle: Vogue Theatre, Arcadia, 1947 (courtesy Arcadia Area Historical Society). Bottom: Vogue Theatre, Marquee, Arcadia, 1976 (courtesy Arcadia Area Historical Society).

Arcadia / Argonne

Argyle / Arpin / Ashland plotted all the land in the area. It was then later named North Crandon but that caused too much confusion with the mail. So the community decided on a name change. In 1921, following the patriotic fervor that followed World War I, Argonne was chosen for the Battle of Argonne in France.

28 block from the business district, the building retains its original storefronts, the segmental arch windows, the 6/6 panes, and its unique bell shaped fascia. The theatre currently serves as a venue for live performances with a first-floor restaurant and an auditorium restored with a period stage. (www.partridgehall.com)

Movies Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1934; seats: 175 The theatre was never wired for sound and showed only silent films.

— ARPIN —

— ARGYLE —

Wood County. Arpin is located on the Yellow River and was named for first settlers from Quebec that were loggers and formed the John Arpin Lumber Company. (www.rootsweb.com/~wiwood/)

Lafayette County. Argyle is located in the hills of southwestern Wisconsin fifteen miles east of Monroe. The eastern branch of the Pecatonica River runs through the village. (www.argylewi.org)

Star Theater 200 South State Street. Open: 1878; open; seats: 300 Partridge Hall was built in 1878 by Alanson Partridge, a carpenter from New York. The original north wing served as a first floor carpenter shop where Partridge built furniture, cabinets, and coffins. The second floor, constructed three years later, was used as a performance hall, rented for meetings, dances, and dinners. A typical evening’s ticket price might include a dinner, a play, and lodging for the family horse in the local livery. Grand masquerade and Christmas balls were sponsored by what was then known as “Partridge’s Hall.” To accommodate growing audiences, a south wing was completed in time for a July 4th celebration in 1886. In 1908, Partridge sold the hall to the local chapter of the Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal organization. The Woodmen continued to rent the hall for social functions, including roller skating. In 1920, the Hall became the Star Theatre. For another twenty years, the building continued as the social center of the Argyle area. Featured were six and seven reel silent films, and then talkies. The first film shown was Half a Chance starring Mahlon Hamilton and Lillian Rich. Admission was 15 or 25 cents. On hot summer days silent movies would be shown on the first floor instead of the second. In 1947, the Woodmen sold the building to a local family who operated a chick hatchery. By the 1960s, the building was used only for storage, and fell into disrepair. The building was purchased following a sheriff ’s auction in 1991. A series of former owners and aborted restoration attempts had left the building’s interior gutted and the windows boarded up. The Star Theatre is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Standing separate one

Arpin Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1934; seats: 200 The Arpin was a short-lived silent movie theatre.

— ASHLAND — Ashland County extending into Bayfield County In the late 1800s, Ashland was one of Wisconsin’s largest cities and a major Lake Superior port. But the end of the logging era and other economic changes took its toll. In the latter part of the 20th century Ashland was on the official list of depressed areas. But today, the city is undergoing a renaissance of sorts. On Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior, Ashland is one of the oldest communities in Wisconsin. Legend says that the “Shining Big Sea Water” mentioned in Longfellow’s poem “Hiawatha” was Chequamegon Bay. Before being settled by white men, this area was home to the Chippewa Indians. The first white men to come to this area, French and British fur traders and French missionaries, came via Lake Superior. (www.ashlandhisory.com) In 1888, Ashland listed three theatres all owned by E. I. Smith in the City Directories:

Ashland Theatre Northeast corner Front and Second Avenue West. Seated 1,700. Olympic Theatre

118 Second Avenue West.

Seated 400.

Palace Theatre

512 Second Avenue. Seated

800.

Bay Theatre 420 West Main Street. Open: 1937; open; seats: 650 The Bay Theatre features an art deco canopy sporting a red, white, and blue motif and stretches

29 of neon. A multi-tiered, scalloped, rounded upright sign featured a bold red finial that soared skyward. The red front doors are also part of the original Art Deco design. (Michael D. Kinerk and Dennis W. Wilhelm. Popcorn Palaces; The Art Deco Movie Theatre Paintings of Davis Clone. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2001.) When the theatre closed in 1960, Ashland was without a “show house” for the first time in eighty years. Al Bergmann purchased the Bay Theatre in 1961 reopening the theatre. In 1992 the theater was 3-plexed, and in August 1995, a 97-seat theatre opened in the old Carlson Building adjacent to the theatre bringing the number of screens to four. The front of the building was rebuilt to feature two more poster slots and a fake door made in the same style as the original red doors. (Ed Huyck, “Bay Theatre Adds Screen,” Ashland Daily Press, 1995.)

Ashland

Glen Theatre 403 West Second Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1915; seats: 150 The Glen opened in the former Princess Theatre showing silent films. Walter Murphy was the manager. Grand Opera House

208 Third Avenue West. Open: 1893; closed: 1917; seats: 300 Silent movies became part of the entertainment program.

Majestic Theatre 309–311 West Second Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1942; seats: 500

Bijou Theatre

310 West Second Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1917; seats: 100 This small playhouse was opened, owned and operated by Gus Godfrey, who had come to Ashland from Duluth. Later he sold the theatre to the Latts Brothers. The silent moving picMajestic Theatre, Ashland, Early (courtesy Ashland Historical Mutures were accompanied by Mrs. seum). Erdman playing the piano and for a time Voltaire Perkins did the Mr. Tarbox built the larger Majestic across the narration for the moving pictures and sang the ilstreet from the Bijou Theatre. In the early days, the lustrated songs. silent movies were accompanied by a small orchestra.

Princess Theatre

403 West Second Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1909; seats: 150 “Princess Theatre Closed. Repairs and Alterations Will Be Made.” That was the front-page announcement made in the paper when the theatre would close for a few days while new management made the necessary changes. Mr. B. M. Hoppenyan became the proprietor of the theatre changing the name of the theatre to the Glen. An electric sign would be placed in front of the theatre. (Ashland Daily Press, March 20, 1911.) Bijou Theatre, Ashland, Early (courtesy Ashland Historical Museum).

Athelstane / Athens

Royal Theatre 513–515 West Second Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1957; seats: 600 The paper reported that owners, the Latts Brothers and Leon Schwager, announced the new Royal Theatre would open on October 7, 1914, with a mystery farce called The Seven Keys to Baldpate. The original company would be on stage as it had at the Gaiety Theatre in New York. “This is not a photo-play, but a first-class stage production.” The theatre will present first-class road attractions, vaudeville and photoplays. The brick theatre building added a lit vertical sign sporting a globe on its top with an Art Deco marquee along with air conditioning in 1938. Show-Boat Minstrel Days presented on April 24 and 25, 1957, marked the official closing of Ashland’s theatrical landmark, the Royal Theatre. The building is still standing without a marquee, and is used for retail. (Ashland Daily Press, September 3, 1914, and February 25, 1957).

30

— ATHELSTANE — Marinette County. The town of Athelstane was established in 1902. It was one of William Amberg’s quarry locations and was named by his Scotch foreman, Alex A. Marten, for the blue-gray color (“athel”) of the stone (“stane”). (www.athelstane wi.com)

Alamo Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1935; seats: 150 The Alamo Theatre was never converted to sound and remained a silent movie house.

— ATHENS — Marathon County. In central Wisconsin, the village was founded by its first sawmill owner, Fred Rietbrock. He named the village Black Creek Falls, but a Mr. Strupp renamed the village Athens based on his love of classic Greek.

Community Hall

221 Caroline Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1956; seats: 300 Athens Community Hall opened on March 29, 1937, with a dance. Over a thousand people from the entire surrounding area attended to see the building and enjoy the dancing. Shortly after the Hall opened movies were shown on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. The floor was always flat and had never been sloped. The last movie shown on February 26, 1956, was Two Flags West. The Hall was the center of town activities; the Athens Police Department had its office there.

Opera House Mueller Street. Open: 1903; closed: 1937; seats: 350 The Opera House was built on park property donated by Fred Rietbrock. It was the center of entertainment and social life for Athens. It contained two bowling lanes, a billiard Royal Theatre, Ashland, 1937 (courtesy Ashland Historical Mu- and pool room, a saloon, and a dining hall. A spacious hall on the second seum). floor of the Opera House provided entertainment space for the surrounding communities: dancing, basketball games, roller skating, banquets and movies, both silent and sound.

31 Vaudeville shows and traveling theatrical troupes were also presented. The building was torn down in April 1937. (Athens, Wisconsin Centennial 1890–1990. Wisconsin: O.K. Printing.)

— AUGUSTA — Eau Claire County. Augusta is part of the regions known as the Chippewa Valley and Indian Head Country in the middle of west-central Wisconsin. The area, settled in the mid–19th century by German, Scandinavian, and other European immigrants, is known for its family dairy farms, small apple orchards, grains, small creamery cheese production, tourism and outdoor recreation. (www. cityofaugusta.org) Free movies in the open air were offered on Friday nights during the summertime next to the then City Hall, under the shadow of the old Augusta Water Tower. Stores would be open until 9:00 P.M. on Friday nights to accommodate the farmer’s needs. Since the town was supported by area farmers, this social activity would end before 10:00 P.M. so that the farmers could rise early the next day to attend to their business.

Augusta Theatre 207 West Lincoln Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1960s; seats: 336 This downtown theatre opened as the Joylin and was renamed in 1946 the Augusta Movie Theatre. Like the rest of America, attending the movies was the recreation in the 1940s and 1950s. During the 1960s and 1970s the theatre opened and closed several times. In the 1960s it was reinvented. In addition to presenting films, food was served and one could play the pinball machines. The theatre offered recreation and food during the day, before and after movies, and first-run films at night and during matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Part of the original building was razed; the site is now the Augusta City Hall and the Augusta Police Station. (Remembering Augusta Wisconsin Holidays in 1956.) Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1949; seats: 350 In the early years of the twentieth century the social activities of Augusta were transferred from Bennetts Hall to Randall Hall, which was to become known as the Opera House. Dancing and roller skating were held there, and in 1902, it was the scene of a Republican Rally. Traveling shows, school plays and Commencement exercises were held there. It became a movie theatre, and continued in this capacity until it was destroyed in a fire. (“History of Augusta in our Centennial Year of 1956,” Mrs. Karl Peplau, Mrs. O. G. Moland, Mrs. E. M. Herrell.

Augusta / — / Baldwin Compiled from the 1956 Centennial Year History of Augusta, Wisconsin 1856–1956.)

Warner Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1950; seats: 400 Mr. Warner opened his theatre after the war only to close it three years later. Stores are now on the site.

— BAGLEY — Grant County. Bagley is a small town in the unglaciated area of southwestern Wisconsin. The landscape is one of high plateaus and deep creek valleys.

Opera House

Chicago Street. The social and entertainment center of this community seated 125 people. Movies were shown from 1931 to 1932.

— BAILEYS HARBOR — Door County. This was the first established village on the Door Peninsula named for Captain Justice Bailey who was seeking refuge from a violent storm on Lake Michigan and found sanctuary in this sheltered harbor. The lighthouse at Baileys Harbor is one of only three lighthouses in the United States with the birdcage dome on top. (www.baileysharbor. com)

Lake Cinema

8205 State Highway 57. Open: 1947; closed: 2000; seats: 350 A very popular entertainment venue in Baileys Harbor, the Lake Cinema was one of the last Quonset hut–style theatres in Wisconsin. The theatre was built and operated by Orville and Elton Voeks, and featured first-run and art house films. In 2000, the Green Bay News-Chronicle reported that the theater had been sold to a town bank leaving Baileys Harbor without a theatre. In November 2001 the theatre building was demolished.

— BALDWIN — St. Croix County. Baldwin is located along the I-94 corridor thirty miles east of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. In the 1870s and 1880s, it was called the “hub” of St. Croix County. (www.ci. baldwin.wi.us/)

32

Bangor / Baraboo

Cinema, Baileys Harbor, 1990s (courtesy Baileys Harbor Library).

Baldwin Theatre 990 Main Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1954; seats: 360 In 1937, an ad in the newspaper shows the theatre’s name as Auditorium Baldwin. An ad in 1944 called it simply the Baldwin Theatre. After closing its doors, the theatre was used as a roller skating rink and basketball court. In the late 1950s, the building was torn down for the construction of the First National Bank building.

— BANGOR — La Crosse County. The village of Bangor lies along the La Crosse River, part of the La Crosse metropolitan area.

— BARABOO — Sauk County. Baraboo is “nestled in ancient bluffs north of Madison” on the Baraboo River. The county seat, it is home to Circus World Museum, former winter home of Ringling Bros. circus. The Ringling Brothers are listed in the 1895–96 city directory. (www.baraboo.com)

Al. Ringling Theatre

136 Fourth Avenue. Open: 1915; open; seats: 874/802 This historic theatre was given as a gift to Baraboo by the eldest of five Ringling brothers, Albrecht. Called “America’s Prettiest Playhouse,” the theatre

Majestic Theatre Commercial Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1939; seats: 400 Opened as an Opera House and renamed the Majestic Theatre when movies became the popular entertainment in the 1920s.

Al. Ringling Theatre, Baraboo, 2002 (photograph by author).

33 was designed by C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp after the Opera House of the Petit Trianon in the Palace of Versailles in France. The red plush and gilt interior of the Al. Ringling Theatre is complete with paintings, and antique tapestries. The Ringling opened in November 1915, with the comic opera Lady Luxury. The theatre soon became known for vaudeville and later moving pictures, but over the decades everything from vaudeville to drama and from opera to rock and roll have appeared on the historic stage. Broadway productions, Lionel Barrymore, and Mary Pickford have all been on the Al. Ringling stage. A “Mighty Barton” organ was installed in 1928 to provide musical accompaniment and sound effects for silent pictures and early vaudeville performances, which replaced the original Wurlitzer. The Barton was restored in the 1970s. The oldest, continuously operating movie house in the country, the Al. Ringling has remained almost completely intact over the years, despite some 1970s renovations that had to be corrected in the 1990s. Even the popcorn machine in the lobby concession stand is a 1940s vintage machine still in use. In 1976, the Al. Ringling was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and through the successful efforts of the community-based Al. Ringling Theatre Friends, the theatre was purchased from private owners in 1989. Restoration is ongoing to historically preserve and upgrade the Al. Ringling. The theater continues to mainly screen movies, but is also used for live shows, concerts and community gatherings. The theatre is one of the first examples of palatial design applied to the moving picture theatre. “Was the AL. RINGLING theatre the very first movie palace?” That was the question asked of the History

Baraboo Detectives, the PBS TV show, in the autumn of 2003. (http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/case/mid west.html) Reports held that the Al. Ringling was one of the earliest theaters in the country that was originally designed with movie capabilities. This was based on analyzing the original Rapp and Rapp blueprints. The Al. Ringling, even though technically “too small to be considered a movie palace,” was a model for many of the movie palaces in the years to come. (www.alringling.com)

Juliar Theatre

513 Broadway. Open: 1939; closed: 1959; seats: 420 The Juliar Theatre was built by Henry Ringling, Al Ringling’s nephew, in 1938. The theatre opened on February 10, 1939, named after the maiden name of the Ringling Brothers’ mother, Salome Juliar Ringling. The first-run feature was a film with John Barrymore and several short-subjects. Admission was forty cents. At the close of the evening the audience was requested to join in the singing of the new national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” Congress had only adopted it in 1931. The Baraboo Evening News reported that the building “adds to the appearance of the Courthouse Square, particularly at night. The theatre was designed in an Art Deco style; blue and golden yellow predominate in the marquee and they have been chosen with an eye to harmony in juxtaposition with Mr. Ringling’s other theatre, where red is the predominant color in the canopy.” A Barton organ was installed, there was a crying room up near the projection room, and the latest word in seating comfort was the first installation of this type in Wisconsin.

Juliar Theatre, Baraboo, 1950s (courtesy Sauk County Historical Society).

Barron / Bayfield / Beaver Dam The final ad in the Baraboo Evening News was October 16, 1959. The final movie was Sign of the Gladiator. The Juliar Theatre closed following Sunday night’s show. According to manager Ed Burrington the first-run pictures shown at the Juliar will now be seen at the Al. Ringling. By 1961 the building was used for storage by a downtown furniture store. Ownership passed to the Al. Ringling Theatre Friends in 1989 and was sold under pressure to the city to be demolished in 1994 to make room for the West Square Building. The marquee had remained all of that time and is owned by a descendant of the Juliar family. (Source: Dr. Robert Dewel) Not nearly as elaborate as the Ringling, the Juliar provided movie alternatives to the larger theatre. Shortly after the Juliar opened, the large Badger Ordnance Works opened just south of Baraboo employing over ten thousand people so the theatre became very popular. By the mid–1950s the Badger Plant crowds were gone and television was beginning to dominate the entertainment scene. Theatre attendance fell, and the theatre was finally closed without ceremony.

Opera House By 1880 the demand for an Opera House resulted in a structure seating 1,000. Fire destroyed it in 1905. The first moving picture was shown on November 12, 1897.

— BARRON — Barron County. The seat of Barron County became an actual community when a sawmill was built on the Yellow River. In 1902, the Barron Cooperative Creamery Company was organized and for years it ranked as one of the largest in the world. (www. barronchamber.com)

34 Princess Theatre First Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1957; seats: 350 The theatre now serves the town as a Lodge.

— BEAVER DAM — Dodge County. Beaver Dam is named for the Lake it is located on in south-central Wisconsin surrounded by rich farmlands. (www.cityof beaverdam.com)

Davison Theatre 236 Front Street (corner of Front and Beaver Street). Open: 1912; closed: 1940s; seats: 900 The Davison opened as a silent movie theatre and closed in the early 1930s. It advertised road attractions, vaudeville and photoplays. The Beaver Dam Argus of May 6, 1937, ran this front page headline: “Davison Theatre Will Be Re-Opened. Extensive Improvements Being Made in Both Show Houses of Fox-Odeon Corporation Here.” The Davison, which had been dark in recent years, is to be “revamped and reopened to the public by its owners.” The theatre will feature “older releases at popular prices.” In Beaver Dam in 1910, in addition to the Odeon Opera House, the City Directories list the Grand Theatre at 212 Front Street, and the Idea Theatre at 123 North Spring Street. The Idea was a short-lived silent movie house that closed the following year. In the 1914 directory, the Grand Theatre is listed at 123 North Spring Street showing moving pictures. The Grand closed in 1915.

— BAYFIELD —

Odeon Theatre 146–150 Front Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1956; seats: 795 In 1910 this was the Odeon Opera House. The theatre was rebuilt in 1921 by Fred Groos of Milwaukee with 1000 seats, and then remodeled in 1937 by the Fox-Odeon Corporation. Improvements will also be made to the Odeon Theatre, the only theatre open at this time. The Odeon will show first-run pictures, which will come to Beaver Dam immediately after their showing in Milwaukee. (Beaver Dam Argus, May 6, 1937.) The Odeon Theatre also featured stage presentations. The theatre was one of four businesses torn down to make way for the construction of a new building for the Schultz Brothers Variety Store in 1956. (Beaver Dam Sesquicentennial History Book.)

Bayfield County. In far northwestern Wisconsin, Bayfield is the county seat. It was named in honor of Lieutenant Henry R. T. Bayfield, of the British Navy, who made the first survey of Lake Superior. (www.bayfield.org)

Wisconsin Theatre 236 Front Street. Open: 1912; open; seats: 900 The theatre opened as the Davison and closed in the early 1930s for some years. The theatre reopened,

Majestic Theatre

411 East LaSalle Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1963; seats: 300 Robert St. Vincent and Chuck Stokke leased the theatre in June 1959 as a service to the children of the city. In 1963, Harold Clausen purchased the building to expand his “dimestore.” The theatre building now houses “Clausen’s Variety Store.”

35

Beloit remodeled in 1937 by the Fox-Odeon Corporation. In 1948 the theatre was renamed the Wisconsin theatre. Marcus Theatres took over the theatre in 1960, and added three screens in the 1990s. Rogers Cinemas is now the owner of this four-screen theatre. First-run films are featured.

— BELOIT — Rock County. Called the “Gateway to Wisconsin,” Beloit sits midway along the Wisconsin/Illinois border. Located at the confluence of the Rock River and Turtle Creek, what is now Beloit was long home to various tribes of Native-Americans, from the ancient Mound Builders to the Winnebagos, the last to have a semi-permanent settlement at the future Beloit. Beloit became part of Wisconsin’s Main Street program in 1988. (www.ci.beloit. wi.us/)

Bijou Theatre

(See Orpheum.)

Colonial Theatre 423 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1910; seats: 150 The Colonial Theatre was a very shortlived silent movie theatre that is now demolished. Dixie Theatre

307 State Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1915; seats: 350 The theatre opened as the Robert & Archer Theatre. In 1910 it became the White Theatre and the Dixie Theatre in 1914. This silent movie house was demolished.

Ellis Theatre 630 Fourth Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1959; seats: 625 The theatre opened as the Rex, and was renamed the Ellis Theatre in 1956. It is now demolished. Goodwin Opera House

(See

Wilson.)

Grand Theatre Top: Odeon Theatre, Beaver Dam, 1943 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Wisconsin Theatre, Beaver Dam, 1948 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Lyric Theatre

(See Strand.)

339 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1915; seats: 250

36

Beloit

Majestic Theatre, Beloit, 1970s (courtesy Beloit Historical Society).

The Lyric was another silent movie theatre that is long gone.

Majestic Theatre 420 Broad Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1978; seats: 986 The theatre was demolished after it closed. Orpheum Theatre

101 West Grand Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1919; seats: 400 The theatre opened as the Bijou Theatre and was renamed the Orpheum in 1912. This silent movie house was demolished.

Rex Theatre

(See Ellis.)

Robert & Archer Theatre

(See Dixie.)

Star Theatre 307 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1924; seats: 350 The Star Theatre remained a silent movie theatre, and was razed. State Theatre

120 State Street. Open: 1936; closed: 1978; seats: 612 The theatre is still standing.

State Theatre, Beloit, 1959 (courtesy Beloit Historical Society).

37 Strand Theatre

219 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1929; seats: 426 The theatre opened as the Grand and advertised as the Vaudeville Grand. The theatre became the Strand in 1915. This silent movie theatre was closed from 1921 to 1927 and then reopened in 1927 only to close in two years never converting to sound.

White Theatre

(See Dixie.)

Wilson Theatre

417 State Street. Open: 1889; closed: 1926; seats: 600 This was the Goodwin Opera House with Mr. Wilson as manager. Renamed the Wilson Theatre in 1891, the theatre remained a silent movie house.

— BENTON — Lafayette County. Benton owes its existence to the mining industry. Families from England, Wales, and Ireland immigrated to southwestern Wisconsin to work in the pioneer lead mines. Shortly after the influx of early miners, farmlands were cleared and the agrarian culture was established. The lead and zinc mines have vanished into history, leaving farming as the major industry. (www.ci.benton.wi. us/)

Blende Theatre Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1951; seats: 200 The theatre, built by Claude “Pop” Vail, editor of the Benton Advocate, opened in September 1916 showing Disciple. In June 1929, the first talking picture The Donovan Affair was shown. The Blende Theatre was torn down in the 1960s after a fire destroyed most of the building.

Benton / Berlin

— BERLIN — Green Lake County. The need to construct a road from Fond du Lac to Stevens Point, with a Fox River crossing at the most feasible place, led to the founding of Berlin in 1846. Two particular business developments drew state and regional attention: cranberry production and the granite quarries. Utilizing the marshy land around the Fox River, Berlin in the early 1870s became the center of the cranberry-growing boom, which turned into a permanent part of the region’s agriculture. The granite beds two miles east of the Fox River provided most of the jobs in Berlin between 1883 and 1916. (www. 1berlin.com)

Atlas Theatre

West Huron Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1919; seats: 150 Lou Kraege started the Atlas Theatre, which was a theatre with a stucco front and sloping floor for a better view. Bob Gosley ran the theatre during the closing years of World War I.

Berlin Theatre 100 North Huron Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1915; seats: 150 This silent movie house was opened by Kit Frankland of Elroy and Frank Tucker from Berlin. One year later they sold the theatre to Alex Wawrzyniak. The theatre equipment included one Edison Kinescope and stereopticon attachment, lights, chairs, and curtains. In 1915 he sold to H. E. Genske of Plymouth because attendance and ticket profits declined each year after the first two. Berlin Theatre

Broadway Street. Open: 1969; closed: 1978; seats: 400 From 1957 to 1969, there was no movie theatre in Berlin. With the help of the Industrial Development Corporation, a new cement block building was built, and operated by Nello D’Orazio of Redgranite. The theatre had some very modern features, but nine years later it closed its doors due to declining attendance. The theatre has been converted into offices.

Library Opera House

Blende Theatre, Benton, Early (courtesy Swindlers Ridge Museum).

Main Street. Open: 1871; closed: 1930s; seats: 525 “Doc” Dodson who ran the drug store acquired land in 1870 and built an Opera House in 1871. Later, improvements were made and

38

Berlin there was a grand re-opening of the small hall on August 14, 1879. A new gallery, stage and dressing rooms, as well as new opera seats for the front half reserved section were added. After his death, his son, Dr. Charles Dodson, ran the store and hall, now called Library Hall or Library Opera House. The Opera House saw many minstrel shows, musicals, concerts, plays, commencement exercises, and lectures. There was a different drama every evening. One of the highlights of that time was the home talent show. Berlin was known as a good show town. Stock companies on their way up from Milwaukee to Minneapolis always took in Berlin and drew crowds. When silent movies became popular the Butterfly Theatre was opened on the first floor that was sloped.

Rex Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1957; seats: 400 The Rex Theatre, a larger movie theatre, was the combination of the Wonderland Theatre and the former adjoining pool hall. In the 1930s, Ed Starkey acquired the Opera House and the entire building became the Rex Theatre. Movies were shown every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The orchestra always played a five-minute concert before

Rex Theatre, Berlin, 1934 (courtesy Berlin Historical Society Museum).

Rex Theatre, Interior, Berlin 1934 (courtesy Berlin Historical Society Museum).

39

Black River Falls

the show and appropriate theme music during the presentation. After Mr. Starkey closed the theatre, JC Penny remodeled the building and occupied the space. When Penny’s moved, the building was converted into an antique shop. The building now stands vacant.

White Front Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1927; seats: 200 The theatre showed silent movies, and never converted to sound.

Wonderland

Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1926; seats: 150 Ed Starkey had come to Berlin from Wisconsin Rapids. He purchased the Butterfly Theatre and rechristened it the Wonderland Theatre. By the time live theatre died, movies were the popular entertainment, and Berlin boasted having four movie theatres at one time. The Wonderland was the first “exclusively movie” theatre in Berlin. The usual fare of this first movie house was silent movies with live accompaniment by local musicians. Wisconsin Power and Light Company bought and tore down the old theatre to build a brick office building.

Top: Avalon Theatre, Black River Falls, 1930 (courtesy Black River Falls Public Library-Jackson County History Room). Bottom: Avalon Theatre, Black River Falls, 2001 (photograph by author).

— BLACK RIVER FALLS — Jackson County. The largest city in Jackson County and the county seat, Black River Falls is located on the Black River. Destroyed by fire in 1860, the town was rebuilt a year later and has since survived several floods. The Ho-Chunk Nation (Winnebago), the original settlers of the land, has its administrative center in Black River Falls. The first public library in Wisconsin opened here in 1872. (www. blackriverfalls.com)

Avalon Theatre 34 Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1950; seats: 400 The announcement of a new theatre opening was on the front page of the newspaper. (The Banner Journal, October 1 and 8, 1930.) The first presentations were October 6 and 7, 1930, showing The Silent Enemy, an epic of the northern Indian. John Hoch-

berger of Chicago built a “high class show house” on Main street between First and Second streets on the south side. The fireproof Hagen building also housed a Rexall drugstore and the Horswill barbershop. The Avalon Theatre had a two-story ornamental front of terra cotta; the decorations in the lobby and space back of the seating floor finished in gold polychrome with ornamental lighting. The theatre was managed by S. M. Hanson. The sale of the theatre under foreclosure proceedings was reported in the October 18, 1933, edition of The Banner Journal on the front page. Eskin Theatres, Inc. operated the Avalon Theatre until it closed. After closing, the theatre was remodeled into the Old Buck Inn.

Falls Cinema

26 South First Street. Open: 1939; open; seats: 480 When J. R. McDonald took over ownership of the Scott Theatre in 1939, the theatre became the

40

Black River Falls

Falls Theatre, Black River Falls, 2001 (photograph by author).

Falls and was remodeled. On October 1, 1940, Eskin Theatres, Inc. took over operation of the theatre. The Falls and Avalon theatres were to be operated in conjunction. (The Banner-Journal, October 2, 1940.) On July 2, 1946, the remodeled Falls opened with the Technicolor movie God’s Country, the state premier for Wisconsin. The new innovations featured: a new box office inside the theatre allowing patrons to purchase tickets inside in inclement weather; new seating with self-tilting cushions; and the floor pitch corrected. Huge machines were installed in the completely modernized projection booth. The Falls now boasted of air conditioning. (The Banner-Journal, June 26 and July 10, 1946.) “Theater renovation planned.” In 1982, proprietor, Jerry Bares announced that he would rebuild the theatre into two separate cinemas. The theatre was twinned along the width of the theatre, and it would have Dolby sound and an automated booth. (The Banner-Journal, January 6, 1982.) Family-owned Get Reel Inc. purchased the Falls Cinema in November of 2002, and in February of 2006, the exterior and signage was updated, and a kitchen and theater tables were added to convert to a “cinema cafe.” The Falls Cinema has two first-run screens, and most movies play at the cinema within

one month of release. Matinees and late shows are offered on weekends. Homemade pizzas, sandwiches, and appetizers can be ordered and brought directly to your table. (www.GetReelCinemas.com)

Fox Theatre Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1935; seats: 225 The Jackson County Journal of December 16, 1914, announced the new moving picture theatre being opened by E. T. Davis of Aurora, Illinois, the next day with music furnished by the City Orchestra. Mr. Davis had the Sprester building made over into a model little theatre. An elevated floor with a gradual rise was put in so that the screen could be seen from every seat. Mahogany theatre seats were installed for the matinee and evening performances daily except Sunday for Universal films. Edward Fortier will furnish piano music and vocal solos. Admission prices on opening: ten cents for adults and five cents for children. “An electric piano with orchestral accessions covering various instruments has been provided for use in connection with the entertainment and songs and song slides were featured along with the moving pictures.” (Badger State Banner, December 17, 1914.) “(Earl) Scott Installs Vitaphone” read the headline in The Banner-Journal (March 27, 1929). The

41 newspaper reported that city playhouses have all installed “Talking Movies” but only a few towns the size of Black River Falls have them. “Now people go to the movies to both see and hear.” In 1930, the Fox presented the WLS Showboat on the stage. In the 1940s, the building was home to Sandahl’s Rexall drug store. The Fox Theatre closed for repairs and remodeling when the Scott Theatre opened operated by Earl Scott.

Majestic Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1881; closed: 1925; seats: 750 F. J. Bowman leased the Werner Opera House which was said to be the best in the state. It had a large stage with screens, curtains and gallery, and was equipped with a Powers 6-A Cameragraph Machine and piano. The Badger State Banner of March 18, 1920, announced that “henceforth the Werner Opera House will be known as the Majestic Theatre.” The theatre re-opened on April 1, 1920, “with a rousing good show, some vaudeville, the latest and best moving pictures” and the music of Hagen’s Orchestra. The building was razed in 1950 to house the new Don S. Bigger and Sons Company building.

Scott Theatre

26 South First Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1939; seats: 480 “Scott Theatre to Open Next Week” read the news on the front page of The Banner Journal of February 12 and 26, 1930. In the J. R. McDonald building, the theatre was named after Earl Scott who was manager of the Fox for many years and now would manage both theatres. A large electric sign featuring the name of the theatre was erected. Mr. Forsyth of La Crosse painted the ceiling in a cloud effect and a painting representing night and day can be seen on the space between the stage and ceiling. The “picture machine” Mr. Scott installed is the Marathon talking equipment. The theatre opened on February 27, 1930, with Thunder starring Lon Chaney, a picture made in Wisconsin. The stage and lobby contained baskets of cut flowers. Mr. Scott was associated with Mr. Thompson of Sparta with theatres also in Arcadia, Hixton, Sparta, and Tomah. When J. R. McDonald became owner of the theatre in 1939 it became the Falls Theatre.

Unique Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1911; seats: 150 A. A. Searl, from St. Paul, leased the Post Hall for a permanent five-and-ten cent theatre, which will give a moving picture show every night in the week except Sunday using 2000 feet of film every night. The subject would change three times a week. The young people in town requested a social dance at the close of the show each Friday evening. (Badger State Banner. October 28, 1909.) The Jackson County Jour-

Blair / Blanchardville nal also advertised the “Electric Theatre and Moving Picture Show opening October 29, 1909, with good music.” Usually three “movies” were featured along with Illustrated Songs such as “When the Harvest Moon Is Shining on the River” and “Love Me and the World Is Mine.” The theatre was washed away in the Great Flood of October 6, 1911. The natural disaster happened when the Black River flooded and swelled out of its banks. The Black River re-channeled itself through downtown Black River Falls, washing away most of the store buildings including the land they stood on. Over forty-two acres of land and eighty stone, brick and wooden buildings washed away. The business area was rebuilt on the old site.

Werner Opera House Main Street. Open: 1881; closed: 1920; seats: 750 The Opera House was built through the donations of many Black River Falls businessmen. It was built of red brick and was noted as having the finest dance floor in the state. The Opera House was the scene of all of the town activities and the largest social events of the year including the Woodmen Lodge supper dance. Roller skating, traveling shows, minstrels and concerts were also presented. Robert and A. F. Werner purchased the building following the flood in October 1911 to house their general merchandise business. In 1920, the Werner Opera House became the Majestic Theatre.

— BLAIR — Trempealeau County. Along with the nearby cities of Arcadia, Independence, and Whitehall, Blair is located on the former Green Bay and Western Railroad line, which ran down the Trempealeau River valley to Winona, Minnesota. During this time the city’s name was changed from Porterville (in 1873) to the new name of Blair for one of the railroad’s chief investors, John Insley Blair. (History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin. 1917.)

Century Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1962; seats: 300 This was to be Blair’s only theatre, which opened as the Star Theatre. In 1931, it became the Century Theatre and one could see three different films in a week.

— BLANCHARDVILLE — Lafayette County. Lafayette County is located in southwestern Wisconsin within the unglaciated area of the state in the Driftless Region bordering

Bloomer / Bloomington / Boscobel the state of Illinois. The first settlements were due to the existence of lead mines, but today Lafayette County is one of the leading agricultural counties in the state. (www.rootsweb.com/~wilafaye/)

Blanchard Theatre South Main Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1958; seats: 240 The building was owned by the Thomas Watson family. Offices are now on the site.

— BLOOMER — Chippewa County. First called Vanville after an early settler and then changed to Bloomer, the village, located on Duncan Creek, is fifteen miles north of Chippewa Falls. The 1880 Flood caused Duncan Creek to overflow its banks washing out the dam, saw mill, and every bridge from Bloomer to Chippewa Falls. (www.ci.bloomer.wi.us/history. htm) The first movie in Bloomer was shown on July 2, 1897, in the Opera House.

Ideal Theatre

1416 Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1961; seats: 300 This was the first “movie theatre” in Bloomer, and it was known as the Bloomer Projecting Company owned by M. L. and Edward Melberg. The first shows were Tilda, the Lion Tamer, Chemist’s Mistake, The Directoire Gown, and A Modern Sampson. Admission was ten and fifteen cents, twenty-five cents if you stayed for the dance. There were shows every Monday and Thursday night. In 1911 the Company was located in the Werner Block and was called the Gem Theatre. In 1912, George Anacker purchased the business and changed the name to the Ideal Theatre. In November 1913, the theatre was moved to the Cutting Block east of and adjoining the Peoples State Bank. An orchestra was formed to play during show nights. In 1920, William L. Crouse and Millard M. Schmock purchased the Cutting Block Building and converted part of it into a Modern Theatre and Movie House. The movie house will have a slanting floor, a large and properly arranged stage, a dancing hall, and more windows will be put in for ventilation. In 1927 a new pipe organola, a combination pipe organ and Victrola, was installed to accompany the silent films. Besides the movies, stage acts were brought in. In 1929, the first talkie arrived with Synchratone Sound. After the first performance, Vitaphone equipment was installed. After closing, the theatre was remodeled to allow the Main Street Cafe next door to expand its dining area.

42

— BLOOMINGTON — Grant County. Originally known as Tafton, the “Blooming Town” was named after the agricultural “blooming” that occurred in the area after a local blacksmith patented a device for sowing oats in 1867. (www.grantcounty.org/ci/bloomington/)

City Opera House

Canal Street. Open: 1880; closed: 1940; seats: 250 The City Opera House was also known as the Sprague and Hatch Opera Houses and the Bloomington City Hall. The Opera House was on the second floor of the building with a level floor, while stores occupied the first floor. A silent projector was installed in 1918, and in 1930 sound was added. For the next ten years movies were presented sporadically. In 1946, the American Legion purchased the building and still use it today for their meeting hall.

— BOSCOBEL — Grant County. Boscobel is located among the rolling hills on the lower Wisconsin River in southwestern Wisconsin. The region is unique since it is part of the “Driftless Area” left untouched by glaciation during the last Ice Age. The Hotel Boscobel is the birthplace of the Gideon Bible and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (www.boscobelwisconsin.com)

Blaine Theatre

102 East Oak Street. Open: 1934; open; seats: 399 The Blaine opened on December 30, 1934, with the film Anne of Green Gables. The theatre is part of the Blaine Community Building built to honor Boscobel’s best-known resident, former Senator (and two-term governor) John J. Blaine, who had died in April 1934. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration provided funds for the Moderne-style movie theatre designed by Nerlinger and Durrant. The single-screen theatre presents two shows daily. The other portion of the building is a gymnasium that is also used for public events.

Opera House 1018 Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1890; closed: 1933; seats: 400 Built in 1876, the building had stores on the first floor and a hall on the second floor. In 1890, it was officially called the Ruka Opera House and served as Boscobel’s center of entertainment. When silent movies were first shown in 1915, the Opera House became the Strand Theatre. In 1930, when sound equipment was added, the name reverted back to the Opera House. It closed in late 1933 when plans to

43

Boyceville

Blaine Theatre, Boscobel, 2001 (photograph by author).

build the Blaine Theatre surfaced. Currently a retail store is on the first floor.

— BOYCEVILLE — Dunn County. The village of Boyceville in northwestern Wisconsin began as did many other small Wisconsin communities(in the history of the logging tradition. It was named for the Boyce family who operated a mill at the west end of the village. (www.dunncounty.com/ boyceville/)

Municipal Hall corner of Main and Race Streets. Open: 1930; closed: 1954; seats: 200 The Municipal Hall replaced the destroyed Opera House and was built one block east. The brick building had wide outside steps that ascended to the second floor. People had to come back outside and go down into the basement entry to use the rest rooms. The building was equipped with a projection room up in the gallery, but stopped showing moving pictures in 1933. The movie theatre was reopened in 1945 only to close again in 1954. This well-preserved building now holds the village offices and the Boyceville Public Library.

Municipal Hall, Boyceville, Early (courtesy Glenwood Area Historical Society).

Boyd / Breed / Brillion

44

Opera House, Boyceville, 1916 (courtesy Glenwood Area Historical Society).

Opera House

corner of Main and Center Streets. Open: 1916; closed: 1929; seats: 200 The large, impressive Opera House was used to show the first moving pictures in town. It was built and managed by Frank Drake in the fall of 1916, and presented moving pictures along with road shows, dances, and special events. The Opera House was destroyed by fire in 1929.

— BOYD — Chippewa County. Boyd is located in northwest Wisconsin nestled among farms and woodlots.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1930; seats: 200 The social center of Boyd, the Opera House showed only silent movies and was never equipped for sound.

— BREED — Oconto County. Among the homestead families were the three Breed brothers from New England, whom the town was named after. George M. Breed became the first postmaster, while the surrounding land was being settled for farming. (www.rootsweb. com/~wioconto)

Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, brought movies to the smaller towns of Oconto County. He started his enterprise in 1936 and continued until 1954, showing movies in vacant lots. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets. (Bernice Blank, “Movie Theaters Once Thrived in Oconto County Communities,” Eagle-Star.)

— BRILLION — Calumet County. Although it was the last community in Calumet County to be settled, the origin of Brillion’s name seems to be a mystery. Some say, Brillion got its name from a town named Brillion in Prussia, which was introduced by German immigrants who settled in this area. Still others speculate that Brillion was named after a Mr. Brill, a citizen in the early days. (www.ci.brillion.wi.us/) Brillion’s first moving pictures were silents shown by Ed Mumm on September 19–20, 1908, at Ryan’s Hall. Admission was ten cents for adults and five cents for children.

Brillion Theatre

110 South Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1958; seats: 486

45

Brodhead / Bruce

Top: Brillion Theatre, Brillion, 1939 (courtesy Brillion Historical Society).

The theatre opened as the Brillion Auditorium built on the site of the Milwaukee Opera House. The Auditorium was converted to sound in 1929, and the first “talking movie” was The One Wolf ’s Daughter, starring Bert Lytell and Gertrude Olmstead. At that time, Brillion was the only city in Wisconsin of such a small population to have a moviephone(the device used to bring in the sound. Movies were back in 1933 after a lapse of several years. In that same year, Ray Pfeiffer leased the theatre from Joseph Ecker, remodeled it and installed modern projection equipment. During the summer of 1939, the Auditorium was closed for remodeling and reopened with a new name: the Brillion Theatre. The theatre front had a new V-shaped marquee, there was a new curved ticket booth at the sidewalk line, and illuminated stainless steel poster cases. The building was converted into a store on the first level and apartments on the second floor. (Brillion, Wisconsin: The First 100 Years. 1985.)

Milwaukee Opera House 110 South Main Street. Open: 1880s; closed: 1916; seats: 400 This original theatre in Brillion was built by the Pabst Brewing Company. The proprietor was John Rader. Movies were first shown in the Opera House in 1911 projected by Henry Esler. In April 1912, a petition was brought to the Pabst Brewing Company asking for enlargement of the building. Finally, in

June 1916, when the Ecker brothers took over ownership of the Opera House, the building was razed and rebuilt. The theatre reopened on August 18, 1916, as the Brillion Auditorium. (Brillion, Wisconsin: The First 100 Years. 1985.)

— BRODHEAD — Green County. Brodhead is on the site of a Winnebago village, and many Indian mounds can be found in the surrounding area. (www.cityof brodhead.wi.us/)

Sun Theatre West Second Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1958; seats: 290 Opened as the Doryn Theatre on North Exchange Street. In 1935 the theatre was renamed the Sun when it moved to West Second Street. Part of the building is still standing.

— BRUCE — Rusk County. Located on the Chippewa River in northwestern Wisconsin, the town is named for A. C. Bruce, who was an early large landowner in the area.

Burlington

Bruce Theatre 616 North Main Street. Open: 1947; open; seats: 298 This single-screen theatre was built and owned by Robert Zielke. In 1955 a CinemaScope screen was added. During the 1960s, the theatre was closed for a period of time. Today, the owner of the Bruce Theatre also owns theatres in Ladysmith, Park Falls, and Phillips. Since the Miner Theatre closed in Ladysmith, this is the only theatre open in Rusk County.

— BURLINGTON — Racine County. Burlington is situated at the confluence of the White and Fox rivers in southeastern Wisconsin, where Honey Creek also joins the White river. Burlington was called Foxville until a group of settlers from New England named it for their home in Vermont. (www.burlington-wi.gov) (www.burlingtonhistory.org)

Orpheum Theatre

Milwaukee Avenue and North Kane Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1930; seats: 600

46 The Orpheum was in the Burlington Opera House, but the building burned to the ground in 1930.

Plaza Theatre 448 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1927; open; seats: 600 The Plaza opened as a single-screen theatre in downtown Burlington. In the late 1990s the theatre was 4-plexed by adding onto the back and sides of the theatre. Closed in 2001 and then sold and reopened in 2005, the owners, Kevin and Janell Alvarez, show first-run movies with a newly-remodeled concession stand offering free popcorn and soda refills. (“Your Hometown Family Theater” at www. plaza4.com) State Theatre

Pine Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1955; seats: 400 This was formerly the Crystal Theatre on Chestnut Street. The theatre moved to larger quarters on Pine Street in 1911 opening there with the movie The Fighting Three. In 1948, the name was changed to the State Theatre after a remodeling. After closing the building was torn down for a parking lot.

Orpheum Theatre, Burlington, 1915 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

47

Butternut / Cadott “oil nut” resembles an oversize black walnut tree. Pioneers made a delectable relish from the fruit of the butternut by a pickling process with spices and vinegar. (The History of Northern Wisconsin. 1881.)

Ebert Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1919; seats: 200 William Schultz built the first generating light plant in 1910 in Butternut, which was used to furnish electricity for his home and the Ebert Theatre. The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1919 and Arnie Timm built his lumber company on the site. Admission to the theatre in those days was five and ten cents. (www.butternutwi.com/butternuthistory/)

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1919; closed: 1935; seats: 200 The “Circuit Opera Show House” was located at the Butternut Lumber Company and was a two-story building. The ground floor was used as a combination confectionery store, ice cream parlor, and restaurant. Upstairs was a large hall that served as a movie theatre, dance palladium, and a community-gathering place. The building was demolished. (The site is now Michigan and Highway 17.)

— CADOTT — Chippewa County. Cadott, located halfway between the equator and the north pole, was named after Jean Baptiste Cadotte, the son of a fur trader who settled in the area.

LeChateau Theatre

Main and West Streets. Open: 1888; closed: 1933; seats: 350 The theatre was also known as the Opera House. It was a multi-functional Top: Plaza Theatre, Burlington, 2001 (photograph by au- building for the community and used for thor). Bottom: Crystal Theatre, Burlington, 1910 (courtesy dances, graduations, and basketball games. At times movies would be shown Theatre Historical Society of America). for the public. In later years, LeChateau was owned by Rupert Dietrich. The UTTERNUT building burned down in 1933. Ashland County. Butternut received its name durLiberty Theatre Main Street Open: 1910s; ing the construction of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. Near the northern-most point of Butternut closed: 1931; seats: 300 Lake, butternut trees were found. The butternut or The theatre was located in the Ben Dietrich build-

—B

—

Cambridge / — / Cazenovia

48

ing and operated by Steve Dietzler. The building is no longer there.

the Kassel area of Germany where many of the early settlers came from until permanently becoming Campbellsport.

— CAMBRIDGE —

Campo Theatre 163 East Main Street. Open: 1941; closed: 1960s; seats: 350 The Village purchased the movie theater and remodeled the front of the building for rentable office space in 1974, which is now home to an insurance company. The Community Center is now housed in the middle and rear portions of the old theater.

Dane County. In south-central Wisconsin, the village of Cambridge is situated just twenty minutes east of Madison and one hour west of Milwaukee.

Park Opera House

Spring Street. Open: 1900s; closed: 1945; seats: 400 After closing the theatre became a bowling alley, and then was purchased by the bank and torn down for a parking lot.

Princess Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1927; seats: 400 The Princess was on the second floor of the building. The theatre never converted to sound and showed only silent films.

— CAMERON — Barron County. In northwest Wisconsin, Cameron is the site of the Pioneer Village Museum of the Barron County Historical Society, a replica of a village built and lived in by first settlers. Before the theatre was established in Cameron, free silent movies were shown outdoors by Art Holmen. (Cameron Centennial in 1979.)

Cameron Theatre 804 West Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1947; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Lyric, and then was renamed the Diamond. The theatre had a flat floor, a stage, and movable seats. During the early years the theatre also served as a dance hall with movies usually presented on weekends. After a change in ownership in 1937, the theatre was renamed the Cameron. Movies were shown twice each Saturday and Sunday evening. Stage shows were also presented at the theatre. Harold Gumm, son of a prominent Cameron family, operated the theatre and went on to establish a chain of theatres in northern Wisconsin. After closing, the building was used for dances and meetings before it housed various businesses.

— CAMPBELLSPORT — Fond du Lac County. The original old village on the main branch of the Milwaukee River was named Crouchville. Renamed again to New Cassel, after

— CASHTON — Monroe County. Cashton was first known as Hazen’s Corner and is situated in southwestern Wisconsin.

Cashton Theatre Main Street. Open: 1950; closed: 1965; seats: 370 The theatre opened as the Welcome. It became the Cashton Theatre in 1956. After closing, the theatre became a welding shop but is now torn down.

— CASSVILLE — Grant County. Cassville is a village in southwestern Wisconsin on the banks of the Mississippi. Early in its history, it was thought to be the best choice for the new territorial capital partly because of its port of entry on the Mississippi River. (www. cassville.org/history)

Cass Theatre 109 East Front Street. Open: 1948; closed: 1976; seats: 300 The theatre was a Quonset-hut design, without a marquee. Today, it is home to Dresen Welding. Picture Garden Theatre Frederic Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1947; seats: 250 Built as the Village Center, it was a place for the village to gather for plays and dances. In the 1920s, it became the Picture Garden Theatre when it started showing movies. The theatre was torn down in the 1950s.

— CAZENOVIA — Richland County. In southwestern Wisconsin, the village of Cazenovia is situated in a rich agricultural district.

49 Village Hall South Street//Cazenovia Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1934; seats: 250 The Village Hall was the social center of the town. It was used for many town activities, including as a school gymnasium. Movies were also presented. The single-story building, sometimes called the Arcade, had a stage with a level floor for dancing. The building was demolished.

— CEDARBURG — Ozaukee County. Just north of Milwaukee, founded by German immigrants, Cedarburg is nestled along the banks of Cedar Creek. More than forty covered bridges once dotted the Wisconsin countryside, but today the sole survivor is the Cedarburg Bridge, originally known as the “Red Bridge.” (www.cedarburg.org)

Cedarburg Theatre

6393 West Center Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1946; seats: 290

Cedarburg The Chimes was the first theatre in town. In 1935, the theatre was renamed the Cedarburg. The theatre building currently houses a bakery called “Delicately Delicious.”

Rivoli Theatre Washington Avenue. Open: 1936; open; seats: 280 The 1880s Cedarburg General Store once occupied the limestone building in downtown Cedarburg that houses the Rivoli Theatre. The theatre opened on January 11, 1936, with A Tale of Two Cities, starring Ronald Colman. Mark Morgan and his family owned and operated the theatre for its first twenty years. A black and white Vitrolite facade had been added to the building along with an angular marquee. Marcus Theatres took over theater operation in the mid–1950s. The theatre was twinned with the Lounge becoming the second theatre. The theatre is getting a second life as a volunteerrun, family-friendly facility that features movies along with lower ticket and concession prices. The cinema closed December 27, 2006, as a part

Rivoli Theatre, 1936 Marquee, Cedarburg (courtesy Ed Rappold Collection/Cedarburg Cultural Center).

Cedarburg

50

Top: Rivoli Theatre, 1948 Marquee, Cedarburg (courtesy Ed Rappold Collection/Cedarburg Cultural Center). Bottom: Rivoli Theatre, 2001 Marquee, Cedarburg (photograph by author).

51 of Marcus Theatres, and reopened Friday, December 29, as a part of Rivoli Theater LLC. The now one-screen facility opened with the showing of Flicka. “Under the new ownership, there will be shows nightly and matinees on the weekends. The best current films will come to the theatre as secondrun features, similar to the way that Marcus ran the operation.” (Lawrence Sussman, “Rivoli to reopen Friday with lower prices: Community group takes over 70-year-old Cedarburg theater,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 24, 2006.) Plans call for restoring the theatre’s ticket booth and façade to its early 20th century Art Deco appearance and to continue to run the theatre. Mayor Greg Myers said the Rivoli Theatre is an important part of the city’s historical downtown, “not only as a landmark, but it has provided an entertainment opportunity for Cedarburg citizens for many years.” It was reported in the fall of 2007 the Poblocki Sign Company of West Allis would be supplying the “new” marquee for the Rivoli Theatre. (www.revivetherivoli.org)

— CENTURIA — Polk County. Centuria is located in northwestern Wisconsin.

Centuria / Chetek / Chili / Chilton

Grand Theatre 2nd Street at Banks. Open: 1890; closed: 1950; seats: 305 This was the Grand Opera House with movies starting in the 1920s (becoming the Grand Theatre) when the balcony was blocked off to house the projection booth. The theatre was torn down. Lake Theatre

2nd Street at Banks. Open: 1950; closed: 1969; seats: 400 The Lake Theatre was built next to the Grand Theatre, which closed when the Lake opened. After closing it became a hardware store, and now serves as a youth center.

— CHILI — Clark County. “One day the train came into this town and Mrs. Hogenson, who was a passenger, got off the train with a friend and said, “My it’s chilly.” This is the way I heard Chili got its name.” (Fremont Township, Wisconsin Centennial Booklet.)

Movies Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 200 The theatre never converted to sound and showed only silent movies.

Legion Hall

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 150 Silent movies were shown at the Legion Hall, which also functioned as the town’s entertainment center.

— CHETEK — Barron County. In the mid 1800s the many local Indian tribes called this area their name for “Pelican or Swan.” When the first post office was established “Chetek” became the preferred spelling. Some of these Indians were mound builders and over two hundred mounds can be seen in Barron County, many in the Chetek area in northwestern Wisconsin. Pipestone Quarry attracted many Indians to the area. The pipestone formation called “Catlinite” is a dark red clay found just below the earth’s surface and is easily worked with a knife. It hardens upon being exposed to the air and takes on a hard red polish. Catlinite was fashioned into beads and building blocks. The pipestone ridge just north of Chetek and the ones running through Minnesota and Ohio are the only ones known in the United States. (www.chetekwi.net)

— CHILTON — Calumet County. Chilton is located in east-central Wisconsin, about thirty minutes from the Fox Valley.

Auditorium

160 East Main Street. Open: 1901; closed: 1930; seats: 350 The Chilton Opera House was built by William Roecker, an all wood structure that was remodeled and enlarged by its new owner, John Ortlieb, Sr. in 1908. Pictures of the interior of the Opera House show a stage and balcony along the sides. Chairs lined the wall where ladies sat between dances. “Picture Photoplays” were advertised at the Opera House, “The Home of Universal Features Exclusively.” Shortly after Mr. John Steenport bought the building in March 1924, a fire destroyed the stage. After the stage was rebuilt, the theatre was renamed the Home. With the advent of talkies in 1929, the theatre was again renamed the Auditorium. On November 14, 1930, the building was completely destroyed by fire. Many of Chilton’s annual events took place in the Auditorium. Dances, roller skating, school dances and plays, and road shows. Silent movies were shown

52

Chippewa Falls

Norton Cinema, Chilton, 2001 (photograph by author).

until about 1927 when Vitaphone was installed. This device was used with the silent film accompanied by a musical score on records, then Movietone came in shortly and talking pictures with a sound track on film. (Chilton Times.)

Chilton Cinema 26 North Madison Street. Open: 1931; open; seats: 495 The Chilton Theatre opened in May of 1931 in downtown Chilton, built with a full stage. Legend has it that Houdini used the trap door in the stage for his magic act. During the first few years, graduation exercises were held at the theatre until the new High School was built. In the 1940s, 150 seats were removed when part of the front of the theatre became a small office and apartment. Two apartments were added on the second floor and two apartments were added in the stage area. Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Sturm purchased the theatre in 1970. In August 1977 the theatre came under the management of James Norton and in the late 1990s he purchased the theatre and renamed it Norton Cinema. Get Reel, Inc., purchased the first-run movie theatre in February 2005 expanding the kitchen and adding theater tables and overall remodeling. Today “pizza and sandwiches are served while you view movies” and there are matinees on weekends. (www.GetReelCinemas.com)

Princess Theatre Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1925; seats: 300 Housed in the Gutheil Building along with the Princess Billiard Parlor, the Princess Theatre was advertised as “Chilton’s Favorite Picture Theatre.” Admission was ten cents.

— CHIPPEWA FALLS — Chippewa County. Called the “Gateway to the Northwoods,” Chippewa Falls is at the confluence of Duncan Creek and the Chippewa River. Chippewa Falls became part of the Wisconsin Main Street program in 1989. (Chippewa Falls Main Street, Inc. Images of America Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. 2001.)

Falls Theatre 13 West Columbia Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1979; seats: 800 The theatre is now the popular Falls Bowl and Brass Rail Bar & Grill. Loop Theatre 15 North Bridge Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1937; seats: 400 The theatre was demolished.

53

Clear Lake

Top: Falls Theatre, Chippewa Falls, 1978 (courtesy Chippewa County Historical Society). Bottom: Falls Theatre, Chippewa Falls, 2001 (photograph by author).

Rex Theatre 505 North Bridge Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1934; seats: 600 The Rex Theatre was torn down to build the Rivoli Theatre. Rivoli Theatre

501–509 Bridge Street. Open: 1934; closed: 1957; seats: 600 The theatre was demolished.

— CLEAR LAKE — Polk County. Clear Lake is a rural community in northwestern Wisconsin, a sixty-minute drive from the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.

Community Theatre 4th Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1960; seats: 350 The theatre was on the second floor of the Village Hall. The building is now a cranberry warehouse.

Clinton

54

Top: Rivoli Theatre, Chippewa Falls, 1952 (courtesy Chippewa County Historical Society). Bottom: Community Theatre, Clear Lake, Early (courtesy Clear Lake Historical Museum).

Rex Theatre

4th Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1929; seats: 200 A fire destroyed the Rex Theatre. The theatre remained a silent movie house never converting to sound.

— CLINTON — Rock County. Yankee settlers staked claims in the area that was first called Clinton Corners and then Clinton Junction with the coming of the railroads. A Norwegian settlement was just south of Clinton near the present Wisconsin-Illinois state line. This settlement, along with the one at Luther Valley to

55

Clintonville

the west, were the first Norwegian settlements in Wisconsin. (www.clinton.wi.us/)

Clinton Theatre

207 Allen Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1959; seats: 325 Currently, Stateline Realty occupies the theatre building.

Gem Theatre

108 Allen Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1932; seats: 200 The Gem Theatre was a silent-movie theatre that never converted to sound. Today the theatre building is home to Boxcars Pub & Grub.

— CLINTONVILLE — Waupaca County. Clintonville is located at the junction of Bear Creek and the Embarrass River in central Wisconsin. (www.clintonvillewi.org)

Grand Theatre South Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1956; seats: 457 The Grand Theatre opened in the fall of 1914 in

Gem Theatre, Clinton, Early (courtesy Clinton Community Historical Society).

a building erected for that purpose owned by Dr. W. H. Finney and managed by Albert Reinke. Old photographs of the town show a small horizontal sign reading “Grand” to identify the theatre at “third door north of 9th Street.” (History of Clintonville

Grand Theatre, Clintonville, 1948 (courtesy Rosalee Roloff ).

Cobb / Cochrane / Colby

56

Times Theatre, Clintonville, 1944 (courtesy Rosalee Roloff ).

Wisconsin by Nicholas D. Diedrich.) The theater was remodeled in 1929. The last shows advertised in the Clintonville Tribune were advertised through March 25, 1956. A store then occupied the theatre building until it burned down on November 28, 1981.

Arcadia Theatre Highway 80. Open: 1910s; closed: 1939; seats: 200 Also known as the Opera House, the theatre had a balcony and a level floor. The theatre was torn down in the 1980s.

Times Theatre

North Main Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1971; seats: 394 The Times Theatre was in the Clintonville Mercantile Company building rebuilt for the theatre opposite the junction of Eleventh Street with South Main Street. The theatre was owned by Dr. W. H. Finney. It opened on February 6, 1937, with As Once We Were by Robert Billings. After Dr. Finney’s death in 1943, the theater building was purchased from his estate by his widow and her brother, the late Dr. E. W. Luebke. During their ownership it was rented to Ben Marcus of Milwaukee, who continued its operation. The theatre was torn down the year it closed. “Closed for Redevelopment” was the sign posted in the window of the ticket booth of the Times this week. The last movie was shown Sunday night. Closing of the Times Theatre leaves Clintonville without a theater.” (“Clintonville’s Only Theater Closes; Shopping Center Replaces It,” Appleton Post Crescent. March 7, 1971.)

— COBB — Iowa County. This small village is in southwestern Wisconsin thirty-six miles northeast of Dubuque, Iowa.

— COCHRANE — Buffalo County. Cochrane is a village on the border of Iowa in west-central Wisconsin.

Cochrane Theatre Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1932; seats: 200 The theatre showed silent movies never converting to sound.

— COLBY — Clark/Marathon Counties. Colby is part of the Wausau metropolitan area and the birthplace of Colby Cheese.

Colby Theatre

Clark Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1973; seats: 388 The Badger Theatre was built by William Will and John Pacholke, and was the first to show the “new Talkies” beginning with synchronized records, then later with sound directly from the film. The theatre was also used for high school commencements and plays. In 1934, the theatre was sold to Mr.

Opposite, top: Colby Theatre, Colby, 1950s. Middle, left: Colby Theatre, Interior, Colby. Middle, right: Colby Theatre, Cry Room, Colby. Bottom, left: Colby Theatre, Concessions, Colby. Bottom, right: Colby Theatre, Projection Booth, Colby, 1970. (All photographs courtesy Evelyn Hemmy.)

57

Colby

58

Coleman / Colfax / Columbus and Mrs. Fred Lakosky who in turn sold it in 1937 to Roger and Frank Woskie. In 1948, the theatre again changed ownership, a new sound system was installed, and the theatre was renamed the Colby. It closed as a theatre in 1973 and became a casket factory. Today apartments are on the site.

Rex Theatre

Clark Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 350 The Rex Theatre remained a silent movie house until it closed.

— COLEMAN — Marinette County. Marinette County is located in northeast Wisconsin on the shores of Green Bay bordering the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Coleman Theatre 123 West Main Street. Open: 1944; closed: 1960s; seats: 250 The Coleman remained a single-screen theatre. The building was converted into the Coleman Area Library. (Marinette County Centennial 1879–1979. Marinette County Historical Society, 1979.)

— COLFAX —

In 1877, J. T. Henderson “made over” the public hall that was in the old Methodist church building into an Opera House. The first floor contained two rooms for rehearsals and the second floor was used for the stage. Mr. A. Leibig from Mayville painted the stage decorations and scenery. He had been a scenic painter in Germany. Called either the Columbus Opera House or Henderson’s Opera House, nearly 400 people could be seated. (The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880. Chapter XI.) The earliest movies shown in Columbus were in the City Hall Auditorium, which was built in 1892, and is listed on the League of Historic American Theatres. Pictures such as The Birth of a Nation were shown there. There had been a little movie house named the Lyric Theatre, which supplied Columbus with movies in the early 1900s.

Rudalt Theatre

Dunn County

Cozy Theatre

Street Historic District was listed on the National Register and State Register of Historic Places in 1992. This area comprises the original center of the City, from Water Street to Dickason Boulevard, from Harrison Street to Mill Street. A second area along Prairie Street was included in 1999. A third historic district was also created in 1999 to include residential and commercial buildings on South Dickason Boulevard. Columbus is a Wisconsin Main Street Community. (www.cityofcolumbuswi.com)

Main Street and University Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1958; seats: 250 The theatre with a small balcony and a level floor was located in the Municipal building. Opening as the Auditorium, the theatre was renamed the Colfax in the mid–1930s, and in 1946, it became the Cozy Theatre. The building is currently being restored.

159 South Ludington Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1961; seats: 400 The Rudalt Theatre was at the corner of Ludington and Birdsey and gave Columbus its first theatre built expressly for movies. Henry Altschwager and his brother-in-law, Emil Rudloff were its owners, and the theatre’s name is a combination of their last names. On opening night, each lady was given a

— COLUMBUS — Columbia County. In southcentral Wisconsin, Columbus’ greatest claim to fame is the Farmers & Merchants Union Bank building. “The Jewel Box” was one of the last buildings designed by the great architect Louis Sullivan. Columbus’ entire downtown commercial district is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Columbus Main

Rudalt Theatre, Columbus, 1946 (courtesy Alice Schmidt).

59

Cornell

Lyric Theatre, Cornell, 1926 (courtesy Cornell Public Library).

white flower. Early movies were silent and local people played the piano “to set the mood” of the films. On special occasions the Lee Smith Family Orchestra would entertain in the theatre, and eventually an electric organ replaced the piano. “One of the Altschwager young ones would have to get down ahead of time, start it, and see to it that the proper music rolls were in it.” (1976 Bicentennial issue of the Columbus Journal.) Up in the projection room two big machines were fed the reels of film supplied by the major studios. Carbon rods produced the arc light for the pictures. The Rudalt showed three different films per week. Westerns were usually shown on Friday and Saturdays. Sunday was the only day there was a matinee and featured were musicals and family entertainment films. Tuesday through Thursday the films shown were those that appealed to a more adult audience. With the advent of talking pictures in the late 1920s, sound equipment was installed in the Rudalt. People thrilled to hear Al Jolson singing in The Jazz Singer. The first complete all talking picture at the theatre was The Lights of New York. In 1953, the CinemaScope screen was installed when the first wide screen movie shown was The Robe. Kiddy matinees were great fun at the Rudalt. At first Saturday matinees were shown. Later Sunday afternoon matinees were added. Admission was ten cents for one child and any little brothers and sisters under six got in free. Popcorn was a nickel a bag.

The facade of the building was brick while the remainder of the building was concrete block. The street side of the building was ivy-covered all the way up to the top when I was a child. I can remember some of the townspeople discussing whether it would grow back after the fire (in 1941). Periodically the owners and teachers would arrange a movie afternoon and several grades would go to see a movie. We all had to bring the dime for admission. We saw Dumbo, Fantasia, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (Remembrances from Alice Schmidt whose father Mike [Lester] Schmidt started running the projection machines at the age of twelve years and ran them off and on for twenty years.) The Rudalt Theatre was torn down to build the Callahan & Arnold Law Office building.

— CORNELL — Chippewa County. Cornell is a small community located at the confluence of the Chippewa and Fisher Rivers in west central Wisconsin. (www.cityofcornell.com)

Cornell Theatre

214 Main Street. Open: 1923; closed: 2007; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Lyric, and then was renamed the Gem Theatre in 1932 when sound was

Crandon / — / Cudahy introduced. After 1960 it became the Cornell Theatre. Vivian Harvatine was intent on purchasing the Cornell Theatre and persuaded her husband, John, and their three sons. Through the years, the theatre provided jobs and business experience to the children, and low-cost entertainment to residents throughout the Cornell area. The survival of the downtown facility has become something of a community project. There is now a volunteer group working at the theatre after John Harvatine was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Vivian has purposely kept the ticket prices low, between 75 cents and $2.00, showing movies Friday through Sunday. (Chuck Rupnow, “The show goes on: Town pitches in,” The Journal.) From December of 2007, the city of Cornell’s website announced that “the theatre is closed until further notice.”

— CRANDON — Forest County. Crandon is located in the northeastern part of the state.

Crandon Theatre

103 East Madison Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1991; seats: 375 The marquee is still up but the theatre is now home to a popular tavern in Crandon.

60 Palace Theatre

Lake Avenue. Open: 1937; closed: 1965; seats: 289 The theatre building now serves as an apartment building.

Princess Theatre

East Madison Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1929; seats: 250 The theatre remained a silent movie house. The site now houses apartments.

— CRIVITZ — Marinette County. Crivitz is situated on the Peshtigo River named after the first settler’s hometown in Germany. Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, showed movies in vacant lots from 1936. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets.

Crivitz Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1946; closed: 1972; seats: 400 The theatre was built and owned by John Banaszak. The building was turned into a furniture store after its life as a theatre.

— CUBA CITY — Grant County. Cuba City’s Main Street makes clear the community’s nickname as the City of Presidents. Signage honoring all U.S. Presidents lines the main thoroughfare, adding a bit of history to this small-town community. (www.grantcounty. org/ci/cubacity)

Cuba Theatre 100 South Main Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1960; seats: 297 The building now houses offices.

— CUDAHY — Milwaukee County. Cudahy is a suburb of Milwaukee.

Cudahy Theatre Crandon Theatre, Crandon, 2007 (courtesy Mike Monte).

4763 South Packer Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1963; seats: 400 The theatre opened as the Coliseum. From opening to 1929 the theatre was renamed three times: first

61 to Empire, then White House, and in 1929 when sound was added, it became the Cudahy Theatre. It was extensively remodeled and enlarged in 1945. Now demolished.

Cumberland / Cushing

Oakland Theatre 4768 South Packer Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1933; seats: 500 The Majestic was the first theatre in town to show silent moving pictures. The theatre was renamed and closed as the Oakland. The building was demolished.

Empire Theatre, Cudahy, 1910s (courtesy Cudahy Historical Society).

Majestic Theatre

3620 East Layton Avenue. Open: 1927; closed: 1980; seats: 742 This Majestic Theatre was designed by Myles Belongia, and now holds offices.

(first) Majestic Theatre, Cudahy, 1920s (courtesy Cudahy Historical Society).

— CUMBERLAND — Barron County. The city of Cumberland is surrounded by many bodies of water and is called “The Island City.” Before the European immigration began the Ojibwa or Anishinable inhabited these lands. They lived on the island of Beaver Dam Lake calling the lake “Way-ko-ne-ma-daw-wanggog” meaning Lake of the Beavers(the present site of Cumberland. (www.cumberland-wisconsin. com)

Isle Theatre

1345 Second Avenue. Open: 1921; seats: 340 Opening as the Zim Zim in downtown Cumberland, a naming contest in 1935 changed the theatre’s name to Isle. Closed since 1997, the Isle reopened in April 2008 completely restored and renovated including the original tin ceiling. A sports bar is also being constructed at the back of the building.

— CUSHING — Majestic Theatre, Cudahy, 1950s (courtesy Cudahy Historical Society).

Polk County. Cushing is a very small town located in northwestern Wisconsin. Historically, the Cushing area has been populated with dairy farmers. Now, there is a mixture of factory workers, professionals, and service workers with some residents making the fifty- to eighty-mile commute to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) area. (www.co. polk.wi.us/)

Cumberland / Cushing

62

Top: Isle (Zim-Zim) Theatre, Cumberland, 1935 (courtesy Cumberland Public Library). Bottom: Isle Theatre, Cumberland, 1970s (courtesy Cumberland Public Library).

63 Opera House Main Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1931; seats: 200 The Opera House was the place in town to see silent movies.

Dallas / — / De Pere theatre building now houses “Mathy’s Ace Hardware.”

— DE FOREST — — DALLAS — Barron County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Dallas was founded in the year 1870. It was named “Dallas” in honor of the Vice-President of the United States at the time.

Dane County. In south-central Wisconsin along the Yahara River, the village was named for an early landholder from Belgium who acquired the land that later became the village. (www.vi.deforest.wi. us)

Hall Theatre Legion Hall

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 200 Silent movies were featured at the Hall.

Lyric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 240 Both theatres in town showed silent movies and never converted to sound.

— DANBURY — Burnett County. In its earliest years, Danbury was the main trading center for the Native Americans living in the nearby woods. It is a town surrounded by bridges. From 1946 to 1956 movies were shown using portable equipment operated by Brunell Amusement Company. Seating was for 340.

— DARLINGTON — Lafayette County. Located in the countryside of southwestern Wisconsin, Darlington is known as the “Pearl of the Pecatonica” (River), for the time when people harvested clams out of the river to produce pearl button blanks. The Lafayette County Courthouse with its Tiffany glass rotunda, copper and marble fixtures, and fountain is a symbol of pride for the community. Darlington became a Wisconsin Main Street Community in 1996. (www.darlingtonwi.org)

Town Theatre

226 Main Street. Open: 1918; closed: 1971; seats: 369 The theatre opened as the Orpheum, a singleaisle, silent movie theatre. Sound equipment was added in 1929 for the new “talkies.” In 1936, the building was air conditioned, and in 1937, under new ownership, the theatre was renamed the Town. A new facade was added to the building in 1939. The

Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1947; seats: 250 The theatre opened as the Dahl in November 1909, named after the building’s owner. The theatre was renamed in 1932 to Recreation and again renamed in 1938 to Hall. The theatre was torn down in 1962.

Norway Theatre

Market Street. Open: 1948; closed: 1959; seats: 300 The Norway Theatre was a Quonset-hut designed building, and became a supper club after closing. Demolished in 2000.

— DE PERE — Brown County. The Fox River splits the west side of town from the east just south of Green Bay. The name, “De Pere,” comes from the French term “Les Rapides des Pères” (the rapids of the fathers). In 1671, a group of French Jesuit priests, led by Father Claude Allouez, established a mission here. They gave it that name out of respect for the rough waters of the Fox River. The bridge that connects the east and west sides of town is now called the Claude Allouez Bridge. (www.de-pere.org)

De Pere Cinema

417 George Street. Open: 1938; open; seats: 499 Located at the foot of the bridge in East De Pere, this had been a storage building for cars and hearses when W. R. Vincent remodeled the building into the De Pere Theatre. He then sold the theatre to his son and wife, Stanley and Lucille Vincent. Lucille operated the theatre until 1977 when she sold the building. The theatre has an outdoor ticket booth and a sign listing movie times. Family-owned Get Reel, Inc., was formed in February 2001, with the purchase of the DePere Cinema, continuing the tradition of family entertainment at affordable prices. The facade was modernized and painted white. There are rocking chairs and tables in front of each row of seats. As an interme-

Delavan

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Left: De Pere Theatre, De Pere, 1940 (courtesy De Pere Historical Society). Above: De Pere Theatre, De Pere, 2001 (photograph by author).

diate-run theater, the biggest box office hits are shown after they leave first-run movie screens in the greater Green Bay area. Matinees and late shows are offered on weekends as are nightly shows during the week. In addition to normal movie concessions, homemade pizzas and sandwiches can be ordered and brought directly to your table. (www.GetReelCinemas.com)

Majestic Theatre

119 South Broadway. Open: 1920; closed: 1960; seats: 300 Odeal Speaker was manager of the Majestic Theatre.

Odeal Speaker also managed the Pearl Theatre.

— DELAVAN — Walworth County. Delavan is located in southern Wisconsin, southwest of Milwaukee.

Delavan Theatre

405 East Walworth Avenue. Open: 1929; closed: 1999; seats: 675 At the east edge of the downtown business district, the Delavan Theatre kept its original appearance throughout the 1960s. The marquee was rectangular and the vertical sign had the classic chaser-lights. There was no balcony in the theatre. By the 1970s the exterior charm of the theatre had disappeared. The lower part of the façade was simplified and other ornament on the façade was removed as were the old marquee and vertical sign. In 1978, the theatre was twinned. The theatre was sold in 2006 to the River of Life Christian Church of Williams Bay.

Majestic Theatre, De Pere, 1942 (courtesy De Pere Historical Society).

Nicolet Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1934; closed: 1949; seats: 499 Ed Vincent managed the Nicolet Theatre.

Pearl Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1960; seats: 400

Delavan Theatre, Delavan, 2002 (photograph by author).

65 Pastime Theatre

Walworth Avenue. Open: 1910s; closed: 1929; seats: 200 The theatre never converted to sound and remained a silent movie house.

— DENMARK — Brown County. The village of Denmark is a rural community in northeast Wisconsin. Farming makes up much of the local economy.

Lyric Theatre

140 Railroad Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1962; seats: 300 In 1908 the Hendrickson family built the Union Hotel at 144 Railroad Avenue (now the Heritage House owned by Jim and Audrey Dempsky, a sup-

Denmark / Dodgeville per club). Another smaller building was built next door at 140 Railroad Avenue in 1912 and the Henderson’s operated both as one business called the Denmark Opera House. A dance hall was on the second floor where the high school held its dances and it also served as a gymnasium as well as a movie theatre. Movies were shown in the smaller building called the Denmark Theatre. In 1936, the Denmark Theatre was remodeled and renamed the Lyric Theatre, owned and operated by Sanford Vincent. Movies were changed twice a week. In the last six years of ownership by Mr. Vincent, the theatre was run by Elmer Haltaufderheide with Larry Hansen handling the projector. Admission was 25 to 50 cents. Religious people were admitted free. After closing the theatre was converted into a sheet metal business owned by Dick Jorgensen. The building is now owned by Art Rademann who lives with his wife in the apartment upstairs and restores antique cars in the old theatre.

— DODGEVILLE — Iowa County. Dodgeville is geographically located among sandstone bluffs, steep hills and gently rolling farmlands. The surrounding area is referred to as unglaciated because it was untouched by the glaciers that shaped much of the region’s topography. It is also referred to as the Driftless Region because the absence of glaciers meant that no “drift” (or accumulated rock and soil) was left behind. Many people simply refer to this area as the “Uplands.” (www.dodgeville. com) Iowa Street is Dodgeville’s downtown main street. The historic downtown buildings house many businesses, including a hardware store, pharmacy, movie theater, banks, specialty shops, and restaurants. Dodgeville became part of the Wisconsin Main Street program in 1991.

The Auditorium Top: Lyric Theatre, Denmark, 1947 (courtesy Mary Ellen Kubsch). Bottom: Lyric Theatre, Denmark, 2001 (photograph by author).

130 North Iowa Street. Built at the turn of the century, the grand threestory auditorium superseded

Dorchester / — / Drummond Spang’s Opera House (since demolished) as Dodgeville’s cultural and social center. The second and third levels are being renovated as a private residence. The first-floor storefronts are retail.

Crystal Theatre 115 South Iowa Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1935; seats: 225 The Crystal Theatre burned down in 1935, remaining a silent movie house. Dodge Theatre

205 North Iowa Street. Open: 1935; open; seats: 384 Still a single-screen theatre, the Dodge Theatre is located in downtown Dodgeville. Now part of State Theatres LLC, the theatre offers first-run films on a large screen with the latest in sound and projection technologies. As an added bonus, the theatre offers hot fresh popcorn and cold soda with free same-day refills.

Dodge Theatre, Dodgeville, 2001 (photograph by author).

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— DOWNING — Dunn County. This small village is named for James Downing, a Civil War veteran and early settler who along with his friend, William James Doughty, logged the land, and settled their families there. Outdoor movies were shown during the 1940s. The businessmen in the village paid the bill; everyone could come free with their own blankets, chairs, and popcorn.

Civic Hall

306 Main Street. Open: 1924; closed: 1933; seats: 300 The Civic Hall was built by the village, which was equipped with a projection room on the third floor gallery. A wooden billboard to the right of the building was used for advertising posters. Inside the entry door off Main Street, a wide staircase on the left ascends to a ticket booth on the second floor. The theatre never converted to sound. The “Downing Cafe” can be found in the basement.

Civic Hall, Downing, 1925 (courtesy Joan Ludtke).

— DORCHESTER — — DOWNSVILLE —

Clark County. The village of Dorchester in northeastern Clark County was named after Dorchester, Massachusetts, by Charles L. Colby when the Wisconsin Central Railway Company came to the village. (www.clark-cty-wi.org/dorchester.htm)

Dunn County. Downsville is located in northwestern Wisconsin.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 150 Only silent movies were shown in the International Order of Odd Fellows Hall.

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1932; seats: 170 Silent movies were among the entertainments presented at the Opera House.

I.O.O.F.

— DRUMMOND — Bayfield County. Drummond is located in the Chequamegon National Forest; a former lumber

67 mill town and Drummond Forest Community.

Drummond Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1956; seats: 350 The theatre was in the Civic Center; Brunell Amusement Company presented the movies with their portable equipment. The building is now the Town Hall.

— DURAND — Pepin County. Durand is on the banks of the Chippewa River, the seat of Pepin County, in westcentral Wisconsin.

Durand Theatre 110 East Main Street. Open: 1946; open; seats: 479 The theatre was built onto the 1912 Durand City Hall building and was operated by the past owner of the Grand theatre. The Courier-Wedge, in their August 29, 1940, edition, reported about the new theatre being built in Durand. The theatre would have a large lobby, lounge, and check room. There would be a “powder puff ” room for the ladies and a smoking room for the men. The second floor held a large dance hall, kitchen and storeroom. The theatre closed in 1986 because it could not compete with the video revolution and the increasing cost to keep the theatre open. But the November 28, 1996, issue of the Courier-Wedge reported that Al and Connie Flackey from Eau Claire bought the theatre planning to restore and reopen the Durand. Repairs were made to the roof and plaster walls while the lobby was reconstructed. The original large

Durand / Eagle River screen was put in place, and new furnaces were installed. The year 2007 finds co-owners Brent A. Bauer and Timothy J. Jesse announcing on the theatre’s website (www.durandtheatre.com) that the remodeling project at the Durand Theatre was finally finished and “we are open for business.” They are filling requests for the movies townspeople wish to see.

Grand Theatre 103 West Main Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1946; seats: 450 The Grand Theatre opened showing silent movies. The theatre was long and narrow with a small orchestra pit for three or four instruments. The theatre closed when the Durand opened. The Courier Wedge building (town’s newspaper) is now on the site.

— EAGLE RIVER — Vilas County. Eagle River was the site of the first permanent Indian settlement in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, located on the shores of Watersmeet Lake where the Wisconsin River and Chain O’ Lakes meet. The city’s name was derived from the abundance of eagles nesting along the river. Eagle River became part of Wisconsin’s Main Street Program in 1999. (www.eagleriver.org)

Eagle Theatre

213 East Wall Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1950s; seats: 250 Eagle Theatre was across the street from the Vilas in downtown Eagle River. Owned by Emmons, the

Durand Theatre, Durand, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Eagle River

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Top: Eagle Theatre, Eagle River, 1940s (courtesy Eagle River Historical Society). Bottom: Eagle Theatre, Eagle River, 2007 (courtesy Lise Bruzan).

69

Eagle River

Top: Vilas Theatre, Eagle River, 1950s (courtesy Eagle River Historical Society). Bottom: Vilas Theatre, Eagle River, 2007 (courtesy Lise Bruzan).

building housed a bowling alley and pool table in the basement while movies were shown on the first floor. The Eagle closed when the Vilas opened, and was converted into an auto repair shop, but reopened as a theatre in the 1940s. (Interview with Emerson Farrell.)

Vilas Cinema

218 East Wall Street. Open: 1929; open; seats: 450 The Ashtons purchased the Vilas that is now owned by Conway Theatres. The theatre presents first-run movies every day with matinees on weekends with digital sound and stadium seating. The

East Troy / Eau Claire

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theatre was twinned in 1980, triplexed in 1990, and converted into a five-screen theatre in 1995. “Vilas Upstairs” within the theatre features custom reclining leather seating, premium Bose sound, and the latest in art and independent films.

— EAST TROY —

sign honoring the building’s history is displayed. (A Century of Commitment to the Community. State Bank of East Troy.)

Idle Hour Theatre Church Street. Open: 1900s; closed: 1920; seats: 378 The Idle Hour Theatre was a silent movie house.

Walworth County. The last original electric railroad line was in East Troy, and today one can visit the Electric Railroad Museum in town.

Grand Opera House 2096 Church Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1939; seats: 450 The Grand Opera House, built by Jude and Clifford Churchill was a grand showplace. It hosted plays, dances, the Mandolin Club concerts, traveling troupes, basketball games, and then silent movies. The final graduation ceremony Idle Hour Theatre, was held there in 1938 and the cal Society). doors closed when the manager, Mr. Macklin, built and opened the new and modern Troy Theatre a few doors away. The stage with its main drapery is still there, as is the tin ceiling, and the stage wall still bears the signatures of both local and visiting performers. In 1990, the building was renovated and is today the Grand Theatre Professional Building. A

East Troy, Early (courtesy East Troy Area Histori-

Troy Theater 2106 Church Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1974; seats: 378 The Troy Theater was constructed of Waylite blocks (furnace slag cemented together under high heat and pressure). The twenty-seven love seats that were installed in the theatre were the first of their kind in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the Troy burned down in 1974 even though it was promoted as a fireproof building. The village hall was built within the remaining outside walls.

— EAU CLAIRE — Eau Claire County. Eau Claire is located in northwestern Wisconsin at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. (www.eauclaire.lib.wi.us/ community/local_history/)

Grand Opera House, East Troy, Early (courtesy East Troy Area Historical Society).

Badger Theatre 311–315 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1925; closed: 1957; seats: 886

71 The theatre opened as the Wisconsin on November 23, 1925, in downtown Eau Claire with a small balcony and a pipe organ. When a new façade was installed on December 24, 1938, the theatre was renamed the Badger. Marcus Theatres purchased the theatre in 1951; in 1966 the theatre was torn down.

Bijou Theatre

Eau Claire

Hallie Park Theatre

Open: 1901; closed: 1926; seats: 200 Opened as the Electric Park theatre on June 19, 1901. This was an open-air theatre that was later renamed Hallie Park, and closed on September 6, 1926.

Hollywood Theatre (See Unique.)

Cameo Budget Twin Theatre

315 South Barstow Street. Open: 1946; open; seats: 600 The theatre opened as the Cameo on December 20, 1946, with Bachelor’s Daughters starring Gail Russell and Adolphe Menjou. The theatre was managed by Floyd Nutting, of Mindako Theatres (which include the State, Badger, and O’Klare theatres). In December 1951, the Cameo and Badger theatres were sold to Ben Marcus Theatres and closed. This theatre reopened June 14, 1967, as Downtown Cinema. In December 1985, the theatre was twinned by Grengs Theatres and called Cinema I & II showing first-run films. The theatre closed again in August 1992, but reopened as the Cameo Budget Twin on October 29, 1993, with an admission price of $2.50 presenting two showings a night.

412 South Barstow Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1992; seats: 944 The Hollywood Theatre opened in March of 1947. The theatre was triplexed in April 1985 under the ownership of Grengs Theatres. Movies ended in May 1992. In December 1996, the theatre became the Valleybrook Church. The marquee is still on the building.

Hollywood Theatre, Eau Claire, 2001 (photograph by author).

Lyric Theatre

211 South Barstow Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1919; seats: 200 The Lyric Theatre opened on September 18, 1910, a silent movie house. The theatre closed in September of 1919.

New Palace Theatre

Cameo Budget Twin Theatre, Eau Claire, 2001 (photograph by author).

20 South Barstow Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1916; seats: 150 The Palace opened on March 30, 1910, presenting silent films. The theatre closed on January 6, 1916.

Electric Park Theatre

O’Klare Theatre

(See Hallie Park.)

Grand Opera House 402–410 South Barstow Street. Open: 1883; closed: 1928; seats: 500 The Opera House opened on October 1, 1883. Vaudeville acts were presented as well as silent movies. The Grand Theatre as it became known started showing photoplays in April 1913. The last movies were shown on September 29, 1925. The Opera House closed on September 12, 1928.

1035 North Barstow Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1926; seats: 150 The O’Klare opened on September 6, 1914, specifically for showing the latest photoplays. The theatre was operated by Minnesota Amusement Company, which also operated the State and Wisconsin theatres. The theatre closed on May 23, 1926, and was converted into the Uptown Theatre.

Orpheum Theatre 111–113 Barstow Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1917; seats: 150

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Eau Claire The Orpheum opened on October 4, 1909, presenting vaudeville acts. It closed on October 7, 1917.

Star Theatre

428 Water Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1916; seats: 215 The Star opened on December 29, 1912, and closed January 22, 1916. This was another fairly short-lived silent movie house.

State Theatre

316 Eau Claire Street. Open: 1926; open; seats: 1117 In its early days the State Theatre was not only a movie theatre but presented vaudeville acts as well on Friday and Saturday evenings. It opened on January 19, 1926, with a two-hour show that highlighted a vaudeville act called “Classified,” a performance by the State Concert Orchestra, Richard Bach on the Wurlitzer organ, and a Jazz Revue called A Syncopated Menu. “No expense had been spared in erecting the theatre,” which was described as the “brightest gem in the glittering chain of Finkelstein and Ruben amusement palaces,” according to the 1926 Eau Claire Leader. Vitaphone came to the State Theatre in 1928; the first talkie presented was Lights of New York starring Helene Costello. The theatre closed in March of 1982 and was purchased by Grengs/Barberg. Donated to the Eau

Claire Regional Arts Council in 1984, on the condition that the theatre be restored and renovated to become a performing arts center for the entire community. Renovations approximated what was originally built by restoring the classical style within an art deco shell. The marquee is still in place. Today the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center complex houses a 1,100-seat auditorium, visual arts gallery, dance studio, conference rooms and office space. The center is home to the Chippewa Valley Symphony, Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild, Eau Claire Children’s Theatre, and Chippewa Valley Youth Choirs. The State Theatre is listed on the Wisconsin League of Historic American Theatres. (www.eauclairearts.com)

Unique Theatre 411 South Barstow Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1926; seats: 150 The theatre opened as the Bijou on February 2, 1904, as a vaudeville house. It closed on June 1, 1926. Uptown Theatre

1035 North Barstow Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1956; seats: 484 This theatre opened as the O’Klare and presented silent movies until it closed in 1926. Converted to sound, the theatre reopened in 1935 with a Gracie Allen picture on June 14, 1935, but closed again in

State Theatre, Eau Claire, 2001 (photograph by author).

73 1952. Grengs Theatres reopened the theatre in 1954 changing its name to Uptown, which closed in 1956. The theatre has been torn down.

Wisconsin Theatre

(See Badger.)

— EDGAR — Marathon County. The Village of Edgar is located about fifteen miles west of Wausau in the central part of the state. In 1889, the Milwaukee Lake Shore and Western Railroad Company staked out a railroad to be built between Wausau and Marshfield. Like many of the small villages of Wisconsin, Edgar began mostly as a lumber company. The trees were abundant and the stream and railroad made it the perfect spot to start a sawmill. (Edgar Centennial History Book 1898–1998.)

Edgar Theatre Third Avenue. Open: 1950; closed: 1968; seats: 325 On the evening of September 27, 1950, the new Edgar Theatre opened with a brief ceremony by village officials. Built by Frank Cartwright, the theatre was designed with a Quonset-hut style, built of fireproof construction with fully upholstered seats equipped with automatic uprights. The sound equipment was of the highest quality and the projecting equipment of high intensity to permit life-like reproduction without loss of color. The screen affords a clear view without distortion from any angle in the theater since there is an absence of pillars in the theatre building. Laminated trusses were used to provide the supporting roof strength. The theatre held performances twice nightly and matinees on Sunday afternoons. The theatre lobby also held a modern soda fountain, which was operated in conjunction with the theatre. The theatre building was torn down after closing for a new telephone building built on the site. (Edgar Wisconsin, An Illustrated History 1898–1998.) Edgar Village Hall Main Street. Open: 1934; closed: 1949; seats: 200 Edgar’s public hall was owned by the lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America. The hall has a stage, scenery, and curtain. “It answers the purposes of a lecture, entertainment, and dance hall.” Movies were shown on the weekends. (History of Marathon County, p. 504) A notice in The Edgar News (November 30, 1934) advertised comedy plays and vaudeville specialties every Sunday night. On July 24, 1936, The Edgar News announced “Free ‘Talkies’ Here Saturday Night. New Movie Operator Has Been Secured to Show Talking Pic-

Edgar / Edgerton tures.” The movies were to be shown every Saturday night. The first feature was a “rip roaring Western packed full of action, Dynamite Ranch with Ken Maynard, an Andy Clyde comedy, and cartoons. “Edgar’s Own Movie Days.” “Your Own Home Town Newsreel.” “Sunday, September 1st Will Be Movie Day in Edgar.” So ran the notices in The Edgar News on August 30, 1940. The pictures were taken by an experienced Hollywood camera man on Saturday, the movies to be shown at the Edgar Theatre the next night. In 1947, “Free Movies in Edgar Hall Every Friday” was announced sponsored by several businessmen. There would be a full-length picture plus a comedy and short subjects.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1929; seats: 240 The brick Opera House was owned and operated by August Tegge. Silent movies were shown; the theatre never converted to sound.

— EDGERTON — Rock County. Edgerton is located on the I-90 corridor amid the rolling countryside of south central Wisconsin. Edgerton celebrated its Sesquicentennial (1853–2003) and maintains its small-town atmosphere close to the larger cities of Janesville, Beloit, and Madison.

Rialto Theatre Henry Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1975; seats: 450 The Art Deco Rialto Theatre opened October 16, 1920, offering two shows a night with a Sunday matinee. In the early days admission was fifteen

Rialto Theatre, Edgerton, 1948 (courtesy Sterling North Society).

Elcho / Elderon / Elk Mound cents. Silent films played until 1927 accompanied by organist Hattie McIntosh. News and a comedy came on before the featured movie. The men and boys liked the Westerns, shown on Saturday, with stars such as Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix, and John Wayne. In the mid–1930s show bills were printed below the stage at the theatre. Four youngsters were hired to deliver the advertisements every two weeks. The Rialto Theatre was remodeled in 1939 by Percy Palmer and reopened with Gone with the Wind. The Christmas program at the theatre was a tradition in Edgerton for years. Local groups and civic organizations sponsored the event on a Saturday afternoon. Youngsters were treated to a bag of fruit and candy as well as a special matinee of cartoons and a feature like Miracle on 34th Street or the Laurel and Hardy children’s classic, Babes in Toyland. The combination of television and newer movie theatres in Janesville and Madison combined with the high cost of first-run films led to the Rialto’s demise. The crowds had dwindled, and the theatre could no longer compete. The theatre was razed as Irving ‘Bud’ Horan looked on remembering the thirty years he worked at the theatre. From 1945 to 1955 he was the projectionist and from 1955 to its close he managed the theatre. The theatre was abandoned after it closed and now the theatre’s site will become a parking lot. (“Memories of the Rialto Live On,” The Edgerton Reporter, December 21, 1988.)

— ELCHO — Langlade County. An old Lac du Flambeau Indian named this sunny little village set in the clearing of pine and hardwood. “Elcho,” meaning “happy” a name he also applied to a good-natured cat that greeted him every time he entered the village store. (www.co.langlade.wi.us/)

74 Elcho Theatre Rummel Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1951; seats: 200 Movies were shown in the Grange Hall. The building is still standing used as a storage facility.

— ELDERON — Marathon County. In central Wisconsin, the village of Elderon is in the Wausau Metropolitan area.

Almar Theatre 9208 Main Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1958; seats: 300 The theatre building was built by Alfonse and Margaret Schwalback. The theatre’s name was derived from the first part of their names. The first floor was a tavern, which was about four feet below the street level. The second floor contained a dance hall with a stage and movie theatre. The floor was flat and the rows of seats were movable so they could be put to the side when dances were held. The theatre building is currently home to Wolff ’s Den Bar and Restaurant. The marquee is still there as is the dance hall.

— ELK MOUND — Dunn County. Elk Mound is located in northwestern Wisconsin.

Elk Mound Hall

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 200 Elk Mound Hall continued to present silent movies when the Legion stopped showing movies.

Legion Movies

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1932; seats: 150 The Legion only presented silent movies.

Left: Almar Theatre, Elderon, 2007. Right: Almar Theatre, Vertical Sign, Elderon, 2007 (both photographs courtesy Gary Wyman).

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— ELKHART LAKE — Sheboygan County

Elm Park Theatre 284 South Lake Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1939; seats: 300 The theatre was part of Siebkens Resort, which is still in operation today. The theatre was converted into Ollie’s Opera House Gift Shop featuring antiques.

— ELKHORN — Walworth County. Elkhorn is the Walworth County seat. The city’s name is said to have been derived by a Colonel Samuel Phoenix, who saw a set of elk antlers stuck in a tree and dubbed the site “Elkhorn!” (www.elkhorn-wi.org)

Sprague Theater

15 West Walworth Avenue. Open: 1928; open; seats: 500 On May 31, 1928, 1300 people attended the grand opening of the Sprague Theatre in downtown Elkhorn. Edward Sprague, whose Sprague Opera House burned down in 1925, spoke at the dedication of the new Art Deco–style theatre bearing his name that had been built by Dan Kelliher. The architect,

Elkhart Lake / Elkhorn Alexander Baur (designed Milwaukee’s Oriental Theatre), called it his best design with ornate plaster castings in golds, silvers, reds and greens decorating the walls and ceilings. The first year silent movies were presented with organ accompaniment, vaudeville acts, and various radio and movie personalities on the stage. In 1929, Dan Kelliher spent $6000 on new talking-picture equipment and on May 7, 1929, an “all-talkie,” Broadway Melody was shown. The Sprague Theatre on the town square remained an active part of the Elkhorn entertainment scene into the 1970s. Throughout the years, it has served as the location for high school commencement exercises, service club fundraisers, and holiday events. Many members of the community have fond memories of the theatre’s “sweetheart seats.” In 1973, the community theatre group, Lakeland Players Ltd., presented their first production, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, on the tiny stage in front of the movie screen. The Lakeland Players formed the Walworth County Performing Arts Center and purchased the building in 1990. The Sprague Theatre now serves as the permanent home of the Lakeland Players Ltd. Community Theatre. (www.lakelandplayers.org)

Sprague Theatre, Elkhorn, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Ellsworth / Elmwood / Elroy

— ELLSWORTH — Pierce County. Ellsworth was renamed after Civil War Colonel, Elmer E. Ellsworth; his likeness symbolizing the strength of a striving community. Ellsworth is the county seat with the courthouse modeled after the Wisconsin State Capitol Building. The village is in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Ellsworth Theatre

312 West Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1964; seats: 300 The theatre opened in the Community Hall building called the Community Theatre. In 1935 the theatre’s name was changed to Ellsworth. After closing, the theatre sat vacant and was used for special events until being renovated for the Ellsworth Public Library in 1975. The library was in the basement of the Community Hall. The floor was leveled when it was renovated, and in 1995 the building became handicap-accessible. In the upstairs of the building, which is used for storage, one can see the hole in the wall for the projector.

moved. This land was sold to what became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and it was developed into the first hiking and biking trail of its kind in the world becoming the “Granddaddy of all Trails.” (www.elroywi.com/history) The thirty-two mile trail with three tunnels goes on through Kendall, Wilton and Norwalk to Sparta. In the 1980s all railroad operations ceased between Reedsburg and Camp Douglas. The portion between Elroy and Camp Douglas became the “Omaha” Trail, which is twelve and a half miles long. Next the twenty-two mile “400” State Trail was developed. It begins in Elroy and runs through the communities of Union Center, Wonewoc and LaValle, ending in Reedsburg. The three trails meet at the Elroy Commons in downtown Elroy.

— ELMWOOD — Pierce County. In northwestern Wisconsin, the village of Elmwood, in Spring Lake Township, was first settled because of the logging along the Eau Galle River. (www.piercecountyhistorical.org/)

Elroy Theatre, Elroy, 2001 (photograph by author).

Auditorium

323 Winter Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1955; seats: 297 By 1914 all the buildings on Elmwood’s main street had been erected, including a dance hall that hosted dances, basketball games, and silent movies. This became a multi-use building used by the American Legion. The theatre was on the second floor of the building and had a balcony. The floor was level but the seats were movable. The building became the town hall in the 1930s, and in the 1940s was used for dances, and also served as a gymnasium.

— ELROY — Juneau County. Elroy is close to the Wisconsin Dells along the Baraboo River. When much of its railroad business was lost to Adams, and the service west was discontinued in 1964, the rails were re-

Elroy Theatre

122 Main Street. Open: 1937; open; seats: 488 This is the only remaining movie theatre in Juneau County since the Gail in Mauston closed in the early 1980s. New owners, Brian and Kari Hyer, have been updating the Elroy since purchasing the building in July 2005. Their goal is to provide affordable family entertainment in one of Wisconsin’s remaining single-screen theatres.

Majestic Theatre 142 Main Street. Open: 1921; closed: 1937; seats: 250 Fields General Store, on the corner of South Franklin Street, occupied the building prior to the opening of the theatre. The first of several managers was Harry Hansen. Still the silent movie era, a piano accompanied the action on screen. “If there was a lot of action on screen the music would become louder and faster.” Then sometimes there would be violin music or there would be someone to sing. Jake

77 Esklin purchased this theatre in 1933 but closed the Majestic when he built and opened the Elroy theatre. The building still stands. (Tilmar Roalkvam, “Main Street of Elroy,” Tribune-Keystone, November 14, 1985.)

Nicolet Theatre

Prospect Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1915; seats: 200 From a series of articles entitled “Main Street of Elroy” by Tilmar Roalkvam in the Tribune-Keystone, December 5, 1985: “Around 1905 the Nicolet silent movie theatre was here and we believe it was also called the Keene at one time. Before 1909 the conversations were not flashed on the screen but a lady would stand up in the front (of the audience) to tell what the characters would say.”

— EMERALD — St. Croix County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Emerald is now surrounded by rich farmland , but originally pine and hardwood timber covered the township. (History of the St. Croix Valley. 1909.)

Opera House Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1934; seats: 200 The entertainment at the Opera House featured only silent movies.

— EPHRAIM — Door County. Ephraim, on Eagle Harbor near the base of Eagle Bluff, was founded in 1853 by a colony of Moravians. Today it is predominantly a resort village.

Village Hall

Main Street. Open: 1945; closed: 1955; seats: 280 The building today is used for special events, community plays, and dances.

— ETTRICK — Trempealeau County. Situated in Beaver Creek Valley, the first appointed postmaster turned to his native land for an appropriate name for the post office. John Cance was a great admirer of Scott’s writings and chose the ancient Scotch name of Ettrick after Scotland’s famed Ettrick Forest. (Eben D. Pierce, ed. History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin. Chicago: H. C. Cooper & Co. 1917.)

Emerald / — / Fairchild

Movies Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 100 This small movie house closed before converting to sound.

— EVANSVILLE — Rock County. Evansville was named to honor early settler Dr. J. M. Evans, physician and proprietor of the Pioneer Drug Store. Agriculture was the solid foundation of economic and social growth for Evansville and the surrounding countryside. (www. evansvillehistory.net)

Leota Theatre

20 West Main Street. Open: 1881; closed: 1942; seats: 400 Entertainment was a part of Evansville since its early days, when the town was famous for being home to Hall Circus, balloon exhibitions, and the Magee Opera House, where traveling entertainers consistently played to capacity audiences. The Opera House became the Magee Theatre. The June 23, 1937, Orfordville Journal ran an article “Latest Film Novelty, Spreading of the Jam,” in Top of the Town which was to begin a three-day run at the Magee Theatre on June 27. “The movies have developed an advanced sort of swing, which is introduced for the first time in Universal’s musical, Top of the Town.” This latest kind of swing music is known as “spreading the jam.” It is ultramodern jazz with a chromium-plated finish. This was about the time the Triangle closed in Orfordville and people motored to Evansville to see the show. The theatre was renamed Leota on January 12, 1938. It was torn down in 1968.

Rex Theatre 26 West Main Street. Open: 1933; closed: 1969; seats: 400 The Rex Theatre burned down in the 1970s.

— FAIRCHILD — Eau Claire County. In northwestern Wisconsin, the village of Fairchild is in the southeast corner of the county. (Bailey, William F. ed. History of Eau Claire County. Chicago: H. C. Cooper & Co. 1914.) In 1890, N. C. Foster, president of the Bank, built an Opera House seating 350. Then disaster struck. On October 21, 1895, the entire business district of the village was destroyed by fire. A kerosene lamp in the Arnold drugstore exploded and soon flames ignited the building. They quickly spread to the adjacent frame buildings. When the fire finally died down, only the Opera House, the Fallett residence, and the Methodist church remained in the downtown area.

Fall Creek / Fennimore The Fairchild Centennial book tells that before Fairchild had theatres, a “movie man” would come to town with a portable machine and show movies outside on some store wall. They were silents with subtitles, most likely Westerns or Slapstick comedy. There was a “tin” covered building prior to all other efforts where silent movies were shown. This building would have sat next to what we knew as Emanuel’s Cafe about 1917 to 1918. It burned down. Another early and short-lived theatre (hall) was the Walter Emanuel Movie Theatre. It was in a hall at the end of the block where Ed Emanuel’s store stood. Seating was on common chairs of the time. Chairs had to be moved regularly for many activities, including dances. Wray Leavens usually ran the projectors there. That hall burned down in the early 1920s.

Fairchild Theatre Front Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1951; seats: 156 The Herman Emanuel Theatre opened with silent movies. William Burnie played the piano scores, which accompanied the silent movies. The movies played only on Saturday and Sunday nights then. This movie house was in the Emanuel Building and progressed into regular twice a night features with sound. The theatre was renamed the Rialto, then called the Fairchild Theatre in 1938, and called the Golden Nugget toward its closing years.

78

— FALL CREEK — Eau Claire County. Fall Creek is a village on the creek of the same name in northwestern Wisconsin.

Dreamland Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1932; seats: 250 The theatre showed only silent movies never converting to sound.

— FENNIMORE — Grant County. Fennimore is located in southwestern Wisconsin surrounded by the hills and valleys of the unglaciated area. The story goes that Fennimore was named after John Fennimore, a farmer who settled near the Old Military Road leading to Prairie du Chien. He mysteriously disappeared during the Black Hawk War, never to be seen again. (www.fennimore.com)

Fenway Theatre

1096 Lincoln Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1970; seats: 333 In May of 1918, a fire destroyed the old Fennimore House built in 1887. Dwight Parker contracted for a building to be built on the site, which would contain a theatre in the rear along with a restaurant and hotel. The building was built of stone and brick. The Fenway Theatre was formally opened by Ernest Brechler on November 22, 1928, with a new picture machine, a Reproducto pipe organ, modern stage settings and seating for 150 people. On March 28, 1934, fire swept through the theatre originating backstage and destroying the entire set of stage equipment. After Mr. Brechler retired the theatre saw many managers until it closed in January 1970. The space was leased for many years to the Kroger Grocery Company. When it closed, Welsh’s Clothing Store occupied the space. The theatre is now Eagle Creek Inn, a restaurant, hotel, and banquet hall in downtown Fennimore. There is no sign of Fairchild Theatre, Fairchild, 1928 (courtesy Fairchild Public Library). the single-screen theatre that was on site. (Betty Lou Cauffman, Gilda A. Finnigan, Harold Stauffacher, comp. Fennimore Then and Now 1830 to 1980: A History of Fennimore, Wisconsin. Josten’s Publishing, June 1980.)

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— FISH CREEK — Door County. Fish Creek is an unincorporated community within the town of Gibraltar. By 1900, summer tourists were frequently visiting the village, which became a resort community. The main entrance to Peninsula State Park is found here, the second oldest state park in Wisconsin.

Gibraltar Town Hall

4176 Maple Street. Open: 1880; closed: 1939; seats: 300 At the corner of Spruce Street, the Old Town Hall as it is called today, is now the starting place for the historical tours sponsored by the Gibraltar Historical Association. Movies were shown in the mid– 1930s.

— FLORENCE — Florence County. Florence, the county seat, is located in northeastern Wisconsin. The county was named for Florence Hulst, the wife of N. P. Hulst, who discovered a number of iron mines in the area. The county’s natural resources consisted of vast quantities of hardwood and pine timber bordering the Menominee River, along with several large iron mines.

Bijou Theatre 540 Central Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1935; seats: 175 Before the theatre was torn down it served as the headquarters of the American Legion. Towne Theatre Central Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 1958; seats: 300 The theatre burned down in the mid–1980s.

Fish Creek / Florence / Fond du Lac

— FOND

DU

LAC —

Fond du Lac County. Fond du Lac is located at the foot of Lake Winnebago, and only an hour away from Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Madison. Fond du Lac became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2004. (www.ci.fond-du-lac.wi.us/)

Amory Hall 444–448 South Main Street. Open: 1856; closed: 1900; seats: 1200 Amory Hall was Fond du Lac’s first theatre built by the Amory family. It was a three-story building with a ballroom and a theatre on the third floor. The auditorium included a large dome with a skylight and “regarded as the finest facility of its kind outside of Milwaukee.” In March 1868, the hall was converted into an Opera House with a new entrance and a deeper stage. In 1883, after more renovations, it became the Grand Opera House. After not being used for years, Amory Hall was destroyed in a September 1937 fire. Bijou Theatre

90–92 South Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1927; seats: 500 On December 4, 1909, another nickelodeon opened at 104 South Main Street, called the Bijou. Originally the theatre showed moving pictures with some vaudeville acts. Advertisements said “No Flicker in Our Pictures.” Relocated to 90–92 South Main, the Bijou Theatre had one of only two “mirror screens” in the state. (The Reporter, February 17, 1909.)

Crescent Opera House

Southeast Corner of Second and Marr Streets. Open: 1887; closed: 1908; seats: 1000 The Crescent Opera House opened on June 7, 1887, with the show As You Like It. In the first decade of the 1900s it did show some early films. A fire on the night of September 25, 1908, destroyed the Opera House and several surrounding buildings including three churches and the Crescent Garage, and is known in Fond du Lac as “the night the churches burned.” (Michael Mentzer. Fond du Lac County: A Gift of the Glacier. Fond du Lac County Historical Society, 1991.)

Fond du Lac Theatre

Towne Theatre, Florence, 1948 (courtesy Florence County Historical Society).

27– 29 North Main Street. Open: 1925; closed: 1984; seats: 1800 Called Fond du Lac’s first “movie palace” and “Theater Beautiful,” the theatre was built by the Fischer

Fond du Lac

80 In addition to the Fond du Lac and the Retlaw, the New Garrick was one the largest theatres in Fond du Lac and open in 1930. In 1945, the theatre was remodeled and reopened called the Fox. It was eventually torn down to make way for a parking lot.

Fusion Theatre

(See Retlaw.)

Grand Opera House

(See

Amory Hall.)

Henry Boyle Theatre

(See

Fox.)

Idea Theatre

16–18 West First Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1924; Fond du Lac Theatre, Fond du Lac, 2001 (photograph by auseats: 700 thor). The Idea Theatre opened on June 5, 1905, featuring mostly vaudeville acts Theatre Company (Fischer-Paramount Theatres) and Edison moving picture panoramas (kinodrome). featuring a facade with ornate terra cotta decoration. (The Daily Reporter, June 3, 1905.) This downtown The opening on November 25, 1925, was preceded theatre had an orchestra, and was reported as being by a parade down Main Street. the “most complete fireproof vaudeville theatre in The theatre had an early form of air-conditioning, the state.” (“Idea Theatre Opens Tonight,” The Daily the entire theatre was carpeted, and the seats were Reporter, June 5, 1905.) Admission was ten cents for air cushioned and upholstered in solid leather. There matinees and fifteen cents for evening performances. was a Barton organ and a large orchestra pit to hold New programs were offered every Monday and a complete orchestra. The curved balcony was deThursday. The most famous act to appear on stage signed using a cantilever system so there were no obwas Jack Benny in 1912 when he was only 18 years structions to the sight lines. old. The theatre began showing full-length feature The electric sign on the front of the building films on March 23, 1911. (Ray Thornton. A Photogspelling out “Fischer’s Fond du Lac Theater” was the rapher’s History of Fond du Lac County. Fond du Lac largest sign on any theatre in the entire state of WisCounty Historical Society, 1977.) consin. It was fifty feet high from the canopy covering the sidewalk. New Garrick Theatre (See Fox.) Needing repairs, the Fond du Lac Theatre closed in the mid–1980s. Partially demolished in 1989 for a parking lot, the lobby of the theatre remains with some stores.

Fox Theatre

14–18 Sheboygan Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1956; seats: 1100 The Henry Boyle Theatre opened on January 16, 1906, named for a prominent Fond du Lac philanthropist who had purchased the downtown land for the theatre. The first stage show was His Grace De Grammont starring Otis Skinner. The Henry Boyle closed for remodeling in 1920 and reopened as the New Garrick Theatre in 1926 extensively remodeled.

Fox Theatre, Fond du Lac, Early (collection of author).

81 Orpheum Theatre 50 South Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1929; seats: 650 The Royal Theatre opened in September 1908, but soon had a reputation of being dingy and dark. Closing in 1913 for extensive remodeling, the theatre reopened on August 16, 1913, as the Orpheum. The floor was lowered to street level, the projection operating room was lined with fireproof asbestos and metal, and now there were oscillating electric fans in the theatre. A large electric sign spelling “Orpheum” lit the lobby, and a new orchestra was hired to “play the pictures.” (“Many Features at New Orpheum,” The Reporter, August 25, 1913.) Retlaw Theatre 23 South Main Street. Open: 1925; closed: 1998; seats: 1120 A second theatre to open in 1925 was the Retlaw Theatre on December 26, complete with parades and opening ceremonies. There was the photoplay Classified starring Corinne Griffith, a newsreel, a stage presentation, and performances by the Wisconsin Theater Concert Orchestra and the theatre organ. (Fond du Lac Daily Reporter, December 26, 1925.) Financed by Walter (Retlaw is Walter spelled backward) Schroeder, the theatre was designed by famed Chicago architects C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp. Called a masterpiece in art deco design, the

Fond du Lac theatre was owned and operated by Saxe Amusement Enterprises, and also called the Saxe Retlaw. At the time the Retlaw was the largest single-floor theater in Wisconsin and featured the only roof garden outside of Milwaukee. The interior was lavish but the decorations of the exterior were less ornate. All rows of seats were curved so that every seat directly faced the stage. The opera seats had padded leather backs and upholstered leather spring seats. A “Golden tone” Barton organ was built specially for the Retlaw Theatre. This organ was capable of producing a wide range of sounds and supplied the sound effects and background music for early silent films. On the weekends, vaudeville acts were presented until the mid– 1930s. In 1932, the theatre was purchased by 20th Century–Fox and renamed the Fox Retlaw. It converted to present only films in 1935. Gone with the Wind was featured in 1940. The Retlaw was the first movie theatre in Fond du Lac to provide concessions with Coca-Cola costing ten cents a cup. In 1984, the Retlaw was split into three screens. There was one larger theater in the middle with two small theaters on either side. In 1988, two additional screens were built onto the back of the original building making it a five-screen theatre. Each theater replicated and preserved the decor of the original. The theatre closed with the film Titanic on April 16, 1998. The building was sold in 2000 and reopened in 2001 as the Bravo Performing Arts Center presenting a production of Sleeping Beauty by the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The historic downtown movie house had been returned to a single screen. (Heather Reader, Castles of Dreams: Fond du Lac’s Theaters, 1856–2001. Fond du Lac: Marian College Press, 2005.)

Left: Retlaw Theatre, Fond du Lac, 1995 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Right: Retlaw (Fusion) Theatre, Fond du Lac, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Fort Atkinson The Bravo Performing Arts Center was home to Fusion Restaurant and Cafe, and presented touring shows, children’s musicals, and professional dinner theatre performances. The original architectural and decorative elements remain. In the spring of 2008, a new owner talks of restoring the Retlaw. “Fusion Mediterranean Bistro by Mark” is located in the theater’s lobby.

Royal Theatre

(See Orpheum.)

— FORT ATKINSON — Jefferson County. Set against the backdrop of Lake Koshkonong and the Rock and Bark Rivers, Fort Atkinson is surrounded by some of the state’s finest dairy farms. (www.fortatkinsonwi.net) Theatre began in Fort Atkinson in the early 1850s in Krebs Hall. This Opera House was in a long white frame building built for dances, concerts, talent shows and the occasional traveling road show. Road shows usually stayed a week and a six-piece orchestra played before the show. (Christine Blumer and Tracy Gentz, “Theatre Opened in 1850s.”)

Crystal Theatre 209 South Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1923; seats: 400 The Crystal Theatre was built by Fred Langholff and sold in 1922. (Main Street is now Milwaukee Avenue.) The theatre was then turned into the Crystal Cafe and the Ivanhoe Restaurant before being remodeled into the Fort Theatre. (The Crystal Theatre is listed at 19 East Milwaukee Avenue in the 1923 Fort Atkinson City Directory.) Theatre 223–5 South Main Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1910; seats: 200 The Empire Theatre was Fort Atkinson’s first movie theatre opened by Theodore Notbohm and William Hunt in the then George Niedecker building. George Notbohm, his wife and a Mrs. Towers played piano while movies were shown and Mr. Hunt would drive about town in a car with a large sign advertising the night’s feature film. Opening night featured a filmstrip, Roosevelt in the Jungles of Africa. First night’s attendance was a man and three boys. The next night the attendance doubled and then the crowds grew. A man was employed to explain the movie to

the audience; occasionally the person who sang and played the piano would do the explanation. Illustrated songs were also included. It also was called the Empire Moving Picture Theatre. (Thayer, Crawford Beecher. Daily Jefferson County Union/Happy 150th Birthday, Fort Atkinson, 1986.)

Fort Theatre

19 East Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 2000; seats: 620 Previously the Crystal Theatre, the Fort Theatre opened in September of 1928 with the billboards reading: Marion Davies attraction in Her Cardboard Lover. In 1929, the Fort Theatre was wired for talkies, and in 1930 an air conditioner was installed. Moviegoers at the time enjoyed a movie for ten cents. In 1938, the Fort Theatre was owned by Walter Baier and managed by Harry Langholff. The theatre was demolished in 2001.

Lyric Theatre

11 East Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1928; seats: 400 This had been the Opera House, which was purchased in 1912 by W. G. Lloyd of Chicago who began showing silent movies. John Bellman was appointed manager helped by his brothers Frank, who did orchestration, and Otto, the projectionist. The movie theatre was upstairs and a bowling alley was downstairs. Home talent shows, vaudeville shows, and political meetings continued to be held at the Lyric Theatre. In the winter of 1916, despite below zero temperatures, D. W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation attracted huge crowds. The film was brought from Milwaukee with all the kettle drums and sound effects for the film. The theatre was sold when the owners knew that talking pictures were forthcoming. The Lyric Theatre was sold to the Herro fam-

Empire

Fort Theatre, Fort Atkinson, 1994 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

83

Fountain City / Fox Lake

Uptown Theatre, Fort Atkinson, 1960 (courtesy Hoard Historical Museum).

ily and later turned over to Arcadia Bowling Alley. The building was demolished.

Uptown Theatre North Main Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1960s; seats: 484 The Uptown Theatre began serving Fort Atkinson residents in November of 1937. The main floor seated 392 and the balcony held 92 seats. The owners, I. J. Craite and John Mayles, employed an interesting cooling system in the Uptown. They flooded the flat roof with two to three inches of water during the summer months. This supposedly helped to keep the theatre cool and protected the roof from the sun’s rays.

— FOUNTAIN CITY — Buffalo County. The oldest settlement in Wisconsin; this is a river town nestled in the bluffs along the Mississippi River.

Auditorium

42 North Main Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1947; seats: 250 The theatre was on the site of Concordia Hall, which burned in 1919. In Fountain City’s first Geschichte (“Story” in German) book, the Auditorium is described as the place to be on Sunday evenings. Such classics as When a Man’s a Man,

Painted People, Parisian Nights, and Scars of Jealousy were shown at the theatre. There was a balcony all around. Admission was ten and fifteen cents. The projection room is now used for storage. This was a multi–use building for the town. Along with movies, the building was used for community plays and dances. Air conditioning was added to the theatre.

— FOX LAKE — Dodge County

Fox Electric Theatre Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1909; seats: 100 The Fox Electric Theatre was the first theatre in Fox Lake and was run by Oscar Litscher. The theatre, located in the Sanborn building, was fireproof and had its own electricity. The February 12, 1909, issue of the Representative announced that the new theatre would feature vaudeville and illustrated songs along with the photoplays. The theatre was open every night except Sunday; admission was ten cents. On August 6, 1909, the Representative reported there would be no shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday. After that there were no longer ads for the theatre. The building was later used for a chicken coop.

84

Frederic

Lake Theatre

403 Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1950; seats: 215 This theatre opened on July 9, 1915, as the Home with The Great Silence starring Francis X. Bushman, and two comedies. The new motion picture house was in the Roberts building with an inclined floor and new opera chairs. Managed by W. H. Murphy, the theatre would have a show three nights a week. Renamed the Lake Theatre in 1938 with the advent of “talkies,” the theatre featured leather-covered seats, a fireproof projection room, two Simplex projectors, and a good sound system. After closing, a public auction was held on April 13, 1950.

Star Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1927; seats: 100 The theatre was located in the Odd Fellows Hall owned by Walt Church. In a 1938 exchange of letters between Harriet O’Connell and Mrs. W. J. Hoffman we learn the story of the “very first moving picture shown in Fox Lake” as told by Mr. Parkinson. “It was a Western picture with the widely advertised special feature being a great train wreck in the mountains. This was before electricity was installed in the village; the exhibitor carried his own lighting system. The film broke occasionally when the moving picture started and eventually the lighting system failed leaving the Hall in darkness.”

The Comet Theatre opened to a big crowd. Movies were shown Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday every week. Admission was five cents for children and ten cents for adults.

Frederic Theatre 127 Oak Street West. Open: 1938; closed: 1974; seats: 476 The Frederic Theatre was operated for many years by Clint Norine who sold it to Gary Young in 1974. Gary and Joan Young remodeled the theatre building to open for their business. Thus ending theatre entertainment in Frederic. Residents had to drive twenty-five miles to St. Croix Falls to see a movie. (Frederic The First 100 Years. 2001.) This singlescreen theatre, in the downtown business district, was completely remodeled and reopened in the spring of 2004 as the new home of the Frederic Public Library.

— FREDERIC — Polk/Burnett Counties. Frederic is a rural community in northwestern Wisconsin. (www.fredericwi.com)

Auditorium Oak Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1937; seats: 225 The Frederic Auditorium was owned by the American Legion, which was organized in 1920 and was very active in those early years. What Happened to Jones with Reginald Denny could be seen for twenty-five cents. (The Saga of Frederic. August 4, 1951.) Comet Theater Oak Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1920; seats: 150

Frederic Theatre, Frederic, 1950s (courtesy Frederic Historical Society).

85 Star Theatre Oak Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1937; seats: 250 Originally the Matusek Saloon, it was converted into the Rex Theatre. During World War I, dances were also held in the theatre along with movies. The first movies with sound thrilled audiences in 1928 when the theatre was renamed the Gem. In 1932, it became the Star Theatre. Village Hall

Oak Street/Polk Avenue. Open: 1905; closed: 1913; seats: 200 Dances as well as silent movies were held in the Village Hall. Pictures would be flashed on the screen accompanied by a narrator. The building was sold in 1913 for use as a woolen mill. The building continues in use today as an apartment building. (From an interview with Ethel Oleson, an early resident of Frederic, in 1993 by Doris Matz.)

— GALESVILLE — Trempealeau County. The businesses around the public square across from the gazebo-styled band-

Galesville stand are all in historic buildings. Downtown, Ridge Avenue and the Gale College Historic Districts and Eastside Farm are all on the National Register of Historic Places. Galesville’s well-preserved, decorative buildings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries reflect the wealth that agricultural development and the regional mill brought to the town on Lake Marinuka. (www. galesvillewi.com)

Gale Theatre

16787 South Main Street. Open: 1952; closed: 1970; seats: 400 This moving picture house was built by two families of Johnsons. The townspeople considered the Gale the last word in picture theatres. The downtown theatre became the police station after closing, and then was converted into the home of the Galesville Public Library by the spring of 1988. (Galesville Centennial 1854–1954.) The Galesville Library and the Gale Laundromat on the west side evoke memories of the 1950s and 1960s. They were originally the Gale Theatre and an adjoining restaurant where you could go for ice cream after the movie.

Gale Theatre, Galesville, 1960s (courtesy Galesville Public Library).

Gays Mills / Genoa City / Gillett

86

Marinuka Theatre

Davis Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1952; seats: 426 This first picture theatre was opened by Walter Hamilton and Richard Grover. The opening night film was The Wolf, and the house was packed. The ground floor room in the Grover Block was remodeled into the theatre. (Galesville Centennial 1854–1954.) The “Grover Block” burned early in 2005 leaving the vacant building space on the east side of the square.

— GAYS MILLS — Genoa Theatre, Genoa City, 2001 (photograph by author). Crawford County. Gays Mills lies along the banks of the Kickapoo diner called the “Cinemette” was built into the north River in the Driftless Region of southwestern Wiswall with its own entrance. The theatre was a secondconsin. The village is named in honor of its founder run house, but it also served as the auditorium for the John Gay and his brother, builders of the first village hosting live theatrical performances and high sawmill and flourmill. Gays Mills calls itself the school graduations. When the theatre opened it had “Apple Capital of Wisconsin.” (www.gaysmills.org) a full stage, a crying room on the second floor, a large screen, and two Brenkert-Enarc projectors. Gays Mills Theatre 325 Main Street. After closing, the theatre sat dark. The Genoa Open: 1928; closed: 1939; seats: 150 Theatre was purchased on November 22, 2002, by The Kickapoo Locker Service is on the site. a partnership of Bob Maltz of Wonder Lake and the Gary Steadman of Monroe planning to reopen Kickapoo Theatre 212 Main Street. Open: Rev. the theatre on its anniversary in 2003. They plan to 1945; closed: 1957; seats: 223 open a “family-oriented triplex theatre that plays The theatre building was converted into the Vilsecond-run movies.” (Steve Targo, “New Genoa lage Hall. Theater owner fulfills family dreams,” Lake Geneva Regional News, December 19, 2002.) This never happened, and the theatre still sits dark today.

— GENOA CITY — Walworth/Kenosha Counties. The early settlers that came up the river from the lead mines in Galena, Illinois were Italian fisherman and farmers. In 1885, the town was known as Genoa Junction due to the intersection of railroad lines. By 1892, the Carter Opera House was built. (www.genoacity.info)

Genoa Theatre

625 Walworth Street. Open: 1949; closed: 1993; seats: 300 This downtown theatre opened on November 23, 1949, with a 1950s-style marquee, Lannon-stone trim with a “swamp roof ” (a 1940s system for cooling) over the screening room. The roof pitches down about three to four inches in the center. In the summer, the idea was to pump cold water onto the roof in order to cool down the building. The roof was made to bow in the center. Not getting the proper maintenance caused the roof to leak. A counter-style

— GILLETT — Oconto County. In the logging era, Gillett was one of the first stops for lumberjacks returning home after a winter of work. Today Gillett is a Wisconsin Main Street community that is located fortyfive minutes northwest of Green Bay. (www.ci. gillett.wi.us/)

Saturday Night at the Stores The nicest evenings were those warm enough to allow groups to gather on the street corners. The kids, if they were extra good and extra quiet, could have an ice cream cone before going home. The community leaders took advantage of these Saturday night gatherings to meet and greet the farm people as they stood on the corners. Sometimes, in appreciation of their loyal and continuous patronage, a free movie was presented, with

87 benches, camera and screen set up on a vacant lot. (History of Gillett 1856–1976. Published 1976 by Gillett Public Library Board.)

Gem Theatre

86 Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1959; seats: 220 “Izzy played her most wonderful piano music to accompany the moods of the scenes and, of course, the show couldn’t begin without her. Most of the movies were serials so that we had to go back week after week. There was trouble in controlling the kids, but it was part of the fun. Local merchants also had ads on the screen. Frieda Gaulke had a little ice cream parlor in the lobby on the left-hand side as you entered.” The Gem Theatre burned down on November 11, 1967.

— GILMAN — Taylor County. Gilman is a rural community in north-central Wisconsin.

Gilman Theatre

North Main Street. Open: 1948; closed: 1988; seats: 300 The Gilman Theatre was built by the same peo-

Gilman / Gleason / Glenwood City ple that built the theatre in neighboring Thorp. The theatre closed in November 1988. In 2007 the marquee read “The Rock Church” with a large cross atop the building.

— GLEASON — Lincoln County. Salem Gleason and his wife, Sarah Jane, journeyed to the northern Wisconsin wilderness in 1880 by covered wagon. At a bend in the road where the Prairie River meandered through tall pines, the Gleason’s decided to stay, and a settlement grew. Their log house became a stopping place for all travelers including the Indians. (www.rootsweb.com/~wilincol/)

Hummingbird Hall and Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1929; closed: 1943; seats: 250 The site had been a blacksmith shop that burned down in 1927. Conrad Strobel, the owner of the shop when it burned rebuilt a new building on the same site that contained a Tavern, Dance Hall, and Picture Theatre. The theatre was on the right side of the building while the Tavern was on the left side with the Dance Hall behind the Tavern. The theatre floor was slanted. In 1940, the building was purchased by Henry Ratzburg, who converted the theatre portion of the building into a frozen locker plant in 1944. In 1968, a coin-operated Laundromat was on the site; the entire building burned down in 1980.

Hummingbird Theatre, Gleason, 1940 (courtesy William Dexter).

GLENWOOD CITY Top: Gilman Theatre, Gilman, 1948; bottom: Gilman Theatre, Gilman, 2007 (both photographs courtesy Gilman Area Historical Society).

St. Croix County. Glenwood City is on the banks of Tiffany Creek in northwestern Wisconsin. It was once a stop on the Soo Line Railroad, but the line to Glenwood City was abandoned. (www.roots web.com/~wistcroi/)

Glidden / Goodman / Gordon

88

Above: Glen Theatre, Glenwood City, 1910s; right: Glen Theatre, Glenwood City, 1950s (both photographs courtesy Glenwood Area Historical Society).

Glen Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1978; seats: 350 This was the town’s Opera House. In addition to showing silent movies the Opera House served as a gathering center for area people with plays, basketball games (before the school had a gym), shows, dances, and other community events and school functions. H. L. Boch and A. R. Krueger were the first people to use it part time for moving pictures. Mr. Krueger remodeled the theater in the late 1930s and thereafter it was used exclusively for movies. The theatre was called the Glen (and a sign was added on the building). Next Charles and Gordon Spiess operated it for a number of years. Richard Rivard purchased the business in 1959 and later sold it to Ronald Brettingen in the late 1960s. In 1972 the theatre was sold to Dr. L. A. Anderson and movies continued to be shown a couple of more years until he too resold it. The next owner didn’t make a go of it and Anderson got the business back and closed the theatre. The building sat vacant a number of years and one winter the roof collapsed under heavy snow. In 1986, Dr. Anderson had the “Opera House Theatre” demolished and hauled away. (Information from Glenwood City Historical Society.)

Marinette County. The village was named for the James B. Goodman family who established a lumber mill and company town in 1907. (www.roots web.com/~wimarine/)

— GLIDDEN —

Douglas County. Gordon is located in northwest Wisconsin near the cities of Duluth and Superior.

Ashland County. The town had its beginning in 1876 when the railroad came through. By 1878 Glidden was an important headquarters for logging activity. The village was born directly as a result of the logging operations in this district. The town, formerly called Chippewa Crossing, was now

termed Glidden, after Charles R. Glidden, a prominent railroad man of that time. (Clyde Travis. ed. The History of Glidden. 1935)

Rex Theatre

Grant Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1957; seats: 200 The theatre building now houses apartments.

— GOODMAN —

Community Hall

Mill Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1954; seats: 325 R. B. Goodman built the Hall as a center of entertainment for the town. Dances were very popular; the movie theatre in the building was called the Goodman Theatre. The building has been restored for multi-purpose use, but movies are not shown.

— GORDON — Movies were presented using portable equipment operated by the Brunell Amusement Company during the summer months from 1946 to 1956.

89

Grafton / — / Green Bay

— GRAFTON — Ozaukee County. The area now known as Grafton is one of the oldest in Ozaukee County, and is twenty miles north of Milwaukee. In 1838, Timothy Wooden purchased the land, which would become the business district of Grafton. By 1841, development was underway with the area comprised of mainly settlers of German descent. (www.village.graf ton.wi.us/)

Grafton Theatre 1971 Wash- Grand Theatre, Grantsburg, 1940s (courtesy Grantsburg Area ington Street. Open: 1948; closed: Historical Society). 1951; seats: 400 The Grafton Theatre was converted serves the community as the Grantsburg Senior Ceninto the Library for a time after it closed. It then beter. came the Village Hall of Grafton.

— GRANTON —

— GRATIOT —

Clark County. Granton is a small village situated in the southeast corner of Clark County. The Granton area is rich in agriculture with dairy farming and cheese making predominating.

Lafayette County. In southwestern Wisconsin, the village is on the eastern edge of what was the lead mining district first named Gratiot’s Grove after a first settler from Missouri.

Opera House

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 200 Silent movies were shown as part of the entertainment for the town.

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1930s; seats: 200 The “silents” were the only movies shown in the Opera House.

— GRANTSBURG —

— GREEN BAY —

Burnett County. Grantsburg is known as the “Gateway to Crex Meadows,” the largest wildlife area in Wisconsin. Grantsburg is also an access point to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, which provides over two hundred miles of pristine, picturesque river setting. (www.grantsburgwi.com)

Brown County. Green Bay is the oldest city in Wisconsin, and is located on the Fox River. Since the time of the glaciers, the Fox River and Green Bay region have supported several Native American cultures with its rich natural resources. Archeological evidence shows these early people inhabited the Red Banks area on Green Bay’s east shore as far back as 7000 B.C. The Fox River divides the City into east and west sides, which are connected by four bridges. On Broadway, Inc. is Green Bay’s Main Street Program formed by a grassroots effort in 1995 to revitalize the Broadway area from Mather to Mason Street and from the Fox River West to Ashland Avenue. (www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/)

Grand Theatre

118 West Madison Avenue. Open: 1936; closed: 1975; seats: 309 Owner Arvid Olson announced the opening of his new Grand Theatre on April 3, 1936. The first movie was Hands Across the Table featuring Carole Lombard and Fred McMurray. Admission was twenty-five cents and ten cents for children. There was a full-page congratulatory ad by the other merchants of the village in the newspaper. The theatre was owned and operated by a succession of townspeople, and in its final years movies were presented only on weekends. Today the theatre

Bay Theatre

(See Meyer.)

90

Green Bay

Bijou Theatre

315–317 North Washington Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1938; seats: 550 The theatre was demolished.

Colonial Theatre

106–108 North Washington Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1937; seats: 650 The theatre was demolished.

Fox Theatre

(See Meyer.)

Grand Theatre

310–312 North Washington Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1940; seats: 800 The theatre was demolished.

Green Bay Theatre Meyer Theatre

(See Vic.)

117 South Washington Street. Open: 1930; open; seats: 2035 The theatre’s story began on Valentine’s Day 1930 when it opened as one of the many Fox Theatres in the country. The Fox Theatre opened with gala events including a feature film, a theatre organ recital, and footage from Green Bay Packer game victories.

The Fox is an excellent example of the “atmospheric” theatre interiors in fashion at the time. Designed by L. P. Larsen, a Chicago architect, the theatre’s exterior Art Deco design features vertical concrete insets on bands of terra cotta blocks. There is a Spanish influence in the interior in the blend of colors and styles. Heavily textured plaster, decorative columns with gold leaf, intricate painted designs and statues adorn the building. The interior lobby features two wide staircases, while the auditorium is meant to resemble a Spanish garden. Originally the theatre also had the lighting system that featured the twinkling stars and moving clouds. Fox Theatres Inc. spared no expense creating the lavish vaudeville house and movie palace. The company was forced into bankruptcy in 1933, but the theatre survived and was renamed the Bay in 1934 when a Wurlitzer pipe organ was added. In its conversion to a triplex cinema, much of the décor of the theatre was hidden or lost. Restoration meant uncovering what was originally there and carefully recreating those things destroyed. A major task was returning the midnight blue sky and installing the fiber optic lighting to give the illusion of stars overhead. As part of the recent restoration that was begun in 1998, the original, restored Mighty Wurlitzer was returned to the historic movie palace where it was used to accompany silent films in the theatre’s early days. The theatre was renamed the Meyer Theatre upon reopening in 2002 as a performing arts center in honor of Robert T. Meyer. (Sarah Riley, “Meyer Theatre Opening ‘Poetic’ Grand Opening Gala Open to Thousands,” The Green Bay News Chronicle, February 20, 2003.) The Meyer Theatre represents an extraordinary blend of the past and the present. This exceptional performance hall features the ornate design of a turnof-the-century movie palace, yet offers new amenities attractive to modern-day audiences and performers. With just under 1,000 seats, the theatre

Left: Bay Theatre, Green Bay, 1983 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Right: Meyer Theatre, Green Bay, 2001 (photograph by author).

91 presents professional live performances, including musicals, concerts, family theatre, film festivals, and unique touring shows. The theatre had been divided into three screens and now is returned to a single screen theatre. With a commitment to the community, the Meyer is also the site for many local performances. The Meyer Theatre was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2000, and is also a member of the League of Historic American Theatres.

Orpheum Theatre

Green Lake auto dealership in the 1920s was converted into the West Theatre. The theatre became a “brew and view” during the late 1980s called the West Pitcher Show. Owner Robert Johnson said it was first in the country to incorporate a restaurant/bar/cinema concept into an existing theatre. The West screened secondrun, independent and foreign films, and hosted live entertainment. Presently it is Club Five Six and does not show movies.

(See Vic.)

Packer Theatre

312 North Washington Street. Open: 1943; closed: 1954; seats: 699 The Packer Theatre was demolished.

Strand Theatre 105 South Washington Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1962; seats: 840 The theatre was called the Time for a few years, and is now torn down. Vic Theatre

217 East Walnut Street. Open: 1903; closed: 1985; seats: 1114 The theatre opened as the Green Bay and became the Orpheum Theatre in the 1910s. In 1958, the theatre was renamed the Vic when Marcus Theatres took over the theatre.

West Theatre

405 West Walnut Street. Open: 1942; closed: 2003; seats: 791 The newly renovated building that had held an

West Theatre, Green Bay, 2001 (photograph by author).

— GREEN LAKE — Green Lake County. Green Lake is on the north side of Big Green Lake, the county seat. The three other Green Lake communities include Markesan, Princeton, and Ripon. (www.greenlakecc.com)

Left: Vic Theatre, Green Bay, 1979 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Right: Vic Theatre, Green Bay, 2001 (photograph by author).

Greendale / Greenwood

Thrasher Opera House

506 Mill Street. Open: 1910; open; seats: 200 Charlie Thrasher built the Opera House that was named after him in downtown Green Lake. A classically simple building, the opera house first hosted vaudeville and traveling theatrical companies. People came from miles around to see the movies that were shown when electricity became available around 1912. Originally the hub of community activity, the opera house hosted town meetings, dances, school functions, plays, graduation ceremonies, and even basketball games. The evolution of the opera house continued when Mr. Thrasher purchased a projection system and for twenty-five cents one could see a movie with a piano player highlighting the scenes on screen. A movie was shown every night. By 1929, sound equipment was installed. The shows listed in the Green Lake County Reporter trace the evolving theatre with its name changes:

Thrasher’s Opera House The movie listed on June 26, 1930, was Alice White starring in The Girl from Woolworths. Thrasher’s Movie House June 13, 1940, lists the movie, in Technicolor, as Spencer Tracy in Northwest Passage. Only two years later, the Green Lake County Reporter of April 30, 1942, lists the Lake Theatre. Lake Theatre The theatre featured two shows daily except Tuesday; Friday and Saturday: Tarzan with Johnny Weismuller; Sunday and Monday: Birth of the Blues with Bing Crosby; Wednesday and Thursday: All Through the Night with Humphrey Bogart. Films continued through World War II, but after closing in 1945 the building became a warehouse. In 1994, a prominent real estate broker in Green Lake, Ron Hagstrom, purchased the Opera House and began planning for a complete restoration. The main features of the building were restored and the inside of the building was cream colored with accents of maroon and federal blue. Features include an embossed tin ceiling, a stenciled pattern along the walls, a hardwood floor, and a projection balcony. The stage has been re-floored, a missing proscenium replaced, and the ticket window is back in its original location. The restoration uncovered a piece of wood installed near the stage door that had been signed by every member of the cast who performed in the last play held there in 1945. The play was You Can’t Take It with You. Thrasher’s Opera House today is a musical, cultural, and educational venue. It has been designated a City of Green Lake Historic Structure, is listed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places, and is nominated

92 to the National Register of Historic Places. (www. thrasheroperahouse.com)

— GREENDALE — Milwaukee County. Greendale is a suburb of Milwaukee that was founded in 1938 as an urban planning experiment by the Federal government. The town is one of three built about twenty miles outside of an existing major urban area. The homes were built close together and the suburb was referred to as a garden community. (Greenhills, Ohio, near Cincinnati, and Greenbelt, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., are the other two.) (www. greendale.org/history.htm)

Greendale Theatre

5639 Broad Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1968; seats: 500 The Greendale Theatre was in a single story building that eventually became a store. When the Southridge shopping center was built on the northern end of town, new multiplexes were part of the center and soon caused the Greendale to close.

— GREENWOOD — Clark County. In northwestern Wisconsin, the name of Greenwood originated from the combination of two previous names, Greenland and Land of the Big Woods. Greenwood, at the center of Clark County, boasts a thriving agricultural industry along with one of the largest butter plants in the state. (www.clark-cty-wi.org)

Parkway Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1949; seats: 266 The Greenwood Opera House, once a livery stable, was made larger with a new floor and stage when the Modern Woodmen purchased the Opera House, which was used for all community gatherings. Moving picture shows were included when owned by O. A. Hiles. When W. A. Porter of Chippewa Falls purchased the Opera House in 1937, the hall was entirely remodeled and redecorated to open as a movie house. New seats, new sound equipment, new picture machines, and a new heating and cooling system were just some of the new additions. Renamed the Parkway Theatre, the Gleaner reported the opening on June 26, 1937, adding that a complete weekly program of films would be published each week. Admission was twenty-five cents and ten cents.

Rogers Cinema Schofield Avenue. Open: 1950; closed: 1977; seats: 500

93

Hammond / Hancock / Hartford

Ritz Theatre, Greenwood, 1951 (courtesy Greenwood Public Library).

The theatre opened as the Ritz Theatre built by William Brezinski, and was renamed Rogers Cinema in 1972 when Rogers Theatres from Marshfield took ownership.

damage. (Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Company, 1890.)

Hancock Theatre

— HAMMOND —

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1955; seats: 200 The theatre was torn down and Hancock’s Post Office is on the site.

St. Croix County. In northwestern Wisconsin, in “The Heart of St. Croix County,” Hammond is close to the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. (www.hammondwi.org)

— HARTFORD —

Hammond Theatre

850 Davis Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1958; seats: 320 The second floor of the Community Center had a balcony and was the place where movies were shown. The theatre was then called the Community. In the mid–1940s, it was renamed the Hammond Theatre.

Lodge Theatre

848 Davis Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1930; seats: 150 This theatre showed silent films and was on the second floor of the International Order of Odd Fellows Hall.

— HANCOCK — Waushara County. Hancock is in west-central Waushara County. The village was originally called Sylvester after the first settler. Hancock suffered three fires and each time it was rebuilt. The first fire was in 1893, and the next one a year later destroyed the town. The last fire in 1904 did not do as much

Washington County. Twenty minutes from Milwaukee, Hartford preserves its history in homes, buildings, and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in museums like the Hartford Heritage Auto Museum where famous Wisconsin-built cars, including the Kissel, are displayed. Shortly after the turn of the century, the Kissel Motor Car Company was established in Hartford. Organized by Louis Kissel and his sons, the company built automobiles until the Great Depression hit the nation. (www.ci.hartford.wi.us/)

Arcade Theatre

102 North Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1920; seats: 400 The Arcade was in operation only a short time and was operated by E. J. Wagner. Carol Lauren played the piano for the silent movies. After closing, the post office moved into the building.

Crystal Theatre

128 North Main Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1925; seats: 418 The Crystal Theatre opened owned by N. M. Mertes, who made improvements by building an addition onto the rear of the theatre, having the ticket

Hartford

94

Crystal Theatre, Hartford, 1915 (collection of author).

office located in the lobby, and placing dressing rooms under the stage. The lobby was entered through swinging doors above which was a colored glass arch. “Change of Program Each Night.” The Crystal’s orchestra furnished the music at the theatre. (Hartford Times, December 26, 1913.) The theatre was renamed the Orpheum in 1914 by its new owner, Mr. Brown of B & B Amusement, who planned to give Hartford “The Best There Is.” (Hartford Times, May 22, 1914.) The theatre was renamed the White House when the Hartford Times reported that Arthur Klug became the new proprietor in April 1917 making a number of improvements and listing the programs of movies featured.

Empire Theatre

14 North Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1916; seats: 200 Mr. E. J. Wagner was manager of the Empire Theatre until 1913 when he moved to Milwaukee.

Hartford Theatre

15 North Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1985; seats: 392 Before the theatre opened, the building housed the Rippey Buick Garage (across from the Empire). The Hartford Theatre had many owners during the time it was a movie theatre: “Hartford’s Two Theatres Sold to Milwaukee Firm; Take Possession August 13; Harry Melcher of Milwaukee Is New Owner; Charley Braun Stays On as Manager of Both Houses,” Hartford Times-Press, August 4, 1944). The two men named represented M. & E. Theatre Management Company; the other second theatre referred to in the headline was the State Theatre. M. & E. now owned eighteen small town theatres in Wisconsin. Under the headlines of “Local Movie Theater Has New Owner” (Hartford Times, March 22, 1962), the paper reported that Mr. Lesmeister of North Dakota has purchased the Hartford from Unity The-

Top: Hartford Theatre, Hartford, 1935 (collection of author). Bottom: Hartford Theatre, Hartford, 2001 (photograph by author).

ater Management Corp., Milwaukee. The new owner plans to install a new projector, popcorn machine, and new furnishings. Cartoons, news, and other short subjects in addition to the feature film were also planned. In 1974, Gregory Ehlenbach purchased the Hartford, which was reported to be rundown and out-ofdate. During his first two years he completely remodeled the interior replacing all the seats with Massey Rocker Loungers, one of only two theatres in Wisconsin with this type of seat. The projection equipment was replaced with complete automation and Dolby Stereo sound was installed. The Hartford Times-Press reported the proposed construction of new Hartford Cinemas to be built by Greg Ehlenbach (December 27, 1984).

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1932; seats: 500

95 The new Opera House showed only silent films and did not convert to sound. Messrs. Leach and Christianson managed the theatre until it closed. When the State Theatre reopened with talkies the Times reported that the Opera House would remain open and be operated as a still movie house on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Orpheum Theatre

(See Crystal.)

State Theatre 145 North Main Street. Open: 1921; closed: 1951; seats: 500 Owner and proprietor Mr. H. A. Lavelle, opened the State Theatre on December 10, 1921, with The Lure of Jade with Pauline Frederick. The Times reported that the play had been performed at the Butterfly Theatre in Milwaukee to capacity houses. The Hartford Times reported on October 12, 1923, “State Theatre Changed Hands Last Friday. Leach and Christianson New Owners.” The theatre was in the Schauer building across the street from the Opera House and had been remodeled into “one of the finest movie houses in the state.” The newspaper ran the ads for the changes in program on Saturday and Sunday and then on Wednesday. The State closed in 1926 and was used only for special occasions. The Hartford Times announced the reopening on October 18, 1929. “State Movie House to Be Re-Opened. Will Be Opened Soon with Latest Equipment for Reproducing Sound Recording Moving Pictures.” Owners Messrs. Leach and Christianson will have installed the new DeForest Phonofilm picture machine and reproducing devices. With the first showing of “talkies,” the theatre underwent a complete renovation. The large, box-like canopy with its rows of electric lights has been refinished as has the large electric sign with the name of the theatre, which is

Hartland to be lit at night. Opening date was November 4, 1929. “Now Showing Pictures with The DeForest Phonofilm.” “The most perfect of all sound equipment. Never out of synchronization.” “All Features 100% Talking and Singing.” So advertised the State Theatre in the Times.

Turner Hall

North Main Street. Open: 1876; closed: 1914; seats: 500 The first Opera House in town was totally destroyed by fire as was reported in the Hartford Times on November 27, 1914. “Opera House Is Destroyed by Flames Today. Fire Was Discovered Shortly Before Two O’Clock This Morning.” The owner, Otto Gelhaar, had made many recent improvements as reported in the Hartford Times on February 10, 1911: “New folding chairs, inclined gallery, new floor, enlarged stage, and heating plant.” There was a saloon and bowling alley in the basement. Before the fire, many first-class plays and attractions were held at the Opera House including the Oberammergau Peasant Players reported in the Times on January 3, 1913, “It will be a rare treat to our German population to hear them.” The cause of the fire was believed to have been a fire in the boiler in the steam heating room beneath the stage. The Opera House experienced another fire in 1908, which was quickly extinguished. (“A Midnight Fire Alarm,” Hartford Times, May 2, 1908.)

White House Theatre

(See Crystal.)

— HARTLAND — Waukesha County. Hartland is located twenty miles west of Milwaukee, in the heart of southeastern Wisconsin’s Lake Country. The village was first called Warren and then Hersheyville after early settlers. Then after the railroad came the village was given the name it still holds after the Indian word “Shabaquanake.” (www.hartlandwi.org)

Victor Theatre

124 East Capitol Drive. Open: 1914; closed: 1951; seats: 216 The Victor Theatre opened on July 4, 1914. New projection equipment was added in 1925 with new sound equipment being added in 1934. The lobby was enlarged and remodeled in 1947. State Theatre, Hartford, 2001 (photograph by author).

96

Haugen / Hawkins / Hayward

Hawkins Theatre Washington Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1960; seats: 250 The theatre building was torn down. Rialto Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1934; seats: 150 The theatre was on the second floor of the building and showed silent movies.

— HAYWARD — Sawyer County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Hayward is located along the Namekagon River. The town is a popular fishing vacation destination because of the many lakes in the area. (www.haywardareachamber.com)

Grand Theatre

Iowa Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1950; seats: 251 The theatre had a small balcony.

Hayward Theatre

Top: Victor Theatre, Hartland, 1940; bottom: Victor Theatre, Hartland, 2007 (both photographs courtesy Hartland Historical Society).

Iowa Avenue. Open: 1910s; closed: 1931; seats: 200 The Hayward Theatre was on the second floor of the Opera House. There was a stage for theatrical performances, both traveling shows and local plays. Dances were also held at the Opera House. A fire destroyed the building.

Park Theatre

— HAUGEN — Barron County. The village of Haugen is located in northwestern Wisconsin on Bear Creek, which was Haugen’s original name. (www.rootsweb.com/~wi barron/)

Movies Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 175 The theatre remained a silent movie house, and closed before converting to sound.

116 East First Street. Open: 1948; closed: 2006; seats: 322 The Park Theatre opened with the movie Romance on the High Seas in an area of Hayward known as Whitten Park. Through its three owners, the theatre remained a single-screen house. The theatre is being remodeled into a performing arts center “to promote an appreciation of and involvement into arts in Hayward, Cable, and the surrounding Northwoods areas.” (www.parktheatreproject.com)

— HAWKINS — Rusk County. Hawkins is located in northern Wisconsin between the Flambeau Recreation Area and the Jump River. The village is the gateway to the Flambeau River State Forest. (www.hawkinswisconsin. com) Park Theatre, Hayward, 2006 (courtesy Park Cultural Center).

97 Highland / Hilbert / Hillsboro / Hixton Unique Theatre Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1914; seats: 130 The Unique Theatre was the first moving picture show, which was located in Eagle’s Hall. Silent movies were shown with captions to tell what the actors were saying. Once a week there was a serial, which would end at an exciting point so that you would not miss next week’s show. The Broken Coin and The Perils of Pauline were some of the serials. Admission was five cents for children and ten cents for adults. Youngsters would make a mad rush after school to get to sweep the floor so they could get in to see the movie free. They could also get in free for peddling handbills around town advertising the movie.

— HIGHLAND — Iowa County. Highland is a rural community located in the rolling hills of west-central Wisconsin. Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area is close and attracts many visitors.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1939; seats: 250 Townspeople also called this the Auditorium where movies were shown.

— HILBERT — Calumet County. Before the turn-of-the century, the village was known as Hilbert Junction because its beginnings date from the time the Wisconsin Central Railroad was built. (www.rootsweb.com/~ wicalumet/)

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1938; seats: 250 The Opera House presented movies along with other entertainments. The building was razed.

— HILLSBORO — Vernon County. Immigrating Czechs began arriving in the mid–1800s from the Bohemian region of what is now the Czech Republic, drawn to the similarity of the area to the land they left behind. Each summer, Hillsboro celebrates its Czech heritage with its “Cesky Den” festival, calling itself the Czech capital of Wisconsin. (www.hillsborowi. com)

Hill Theatre

727 Water Avenue. Open: 1942; closed: 1961; seats: 400 James Biba, owner of the Royal Theatre had purchased the used brick when the village brick streets were being dismantled and built the New Royal just south of the old theatre. The theatre opened on October 14, 1942, owned by Mr. Biba and his son. In July 1952, they remodeled the theatre and renamed it the Hill Theatre. Starting in March 7, 1957, the Hill was open three days a week. Outdoor theatres were getting popular and business dropped off. After the theatre closed, it was first a hardware store and now houses the Peterson Pharmacy.

Rose Opera House

128 Mill Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1920; seats: 500 Charles F. Rose tore down his hotel to build the Opera House, which was a two-story brick building. First, a hand-crank projector was used and in 1910 a motor-driven projector was in place. Music accompanied the silent movies. Meetings and other social events were held in the Opera House: dances, basketball games, roller skating, plays and live shows. The 1935 Jubilee newspaper reported that about one hundred local people acted in plays and left their names on the opera walls. When Dan Hyland became manager of the theatre in September 1920, movies were no longer shown at the Opera House, which continued with dances and other social events until the 1950s. The building still stands but has not been in use since 1970.

Royal Theatre

Water Avenue. Open: 1919; closed: 1943; seats: 240 The theatre started as a silent movie house called Midget Movie Theatre opening on July 10, 1919. Robert and Vernard Sherman changed the business to a talking movie house in August 1929. When Mr. H. R. Knower purchased the theatre in May 1932, he added an addition onto the rear and installed new projection and sound equipment. A new sandwich and candy shop was added in the lobby in April of 1935. On October 1, 1936, James Biba purchased the theatre and renamed it the Royal Theatre. An aircooling system was installed in 1939. After closing, it became a food locker with a dairy bar in the front of the building. The building was demolished in 1973.

— HIXTON — Jackson County. Hixton is located along the Trempealeau River in west-central Wisconsin.

98

Holmen / Horicon / Hudson

Hixton Hall Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1934; seats: 150 The Hall presented only silent movies.

— HOLMEN — La Crosse County. Holmen is a small community in the scenic upper Mississippi River Basin approximately five miles north of La Crosse. (www.holmen.wi.com)

Hall Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 200 A short-lived silent movie house.

Unique Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1927; seats: 250 The theatre showed silent movies, closing before converting to sound.

Referred to as Opera Hall, its two storefronts were occupied at different times by grocers, dry goods merchants, hardware dealers, and clothiers all taking advantage of the block’s ideal location. (Richard C. LaRowe. Hudson and North Hudson, Wisconsin: An Intensive Survey of Local Architectural and Historical Resources. March 1984.)

Gem Theatre

501 Second Street. Open: 1903; closed: 1909; seats: 200 This was Hudson’s first movie theatre. Ella Walby played the piano nightly at the Gem Theatre, offering musical background for the silent pictures.

Hudson Theatre

205 Locust Street. Open: 1921; closed: 1984; seats: 370 Opened as the Rex Theatre with Mary Pickford’s latest hit The Back Door. In September 1927, a pipe organ was installed in the theatre to provide music for the silent films. So This Is London with Will Rogers was the first sound picture shown in 1930. The Rex was sold in 1939, and renamed the Hud-

— HORICON — Dodge County. Horicon was a large lowlying marsh with a beautiful clear river running out of it. Two miles to the south was a rapids and a ford near the site. The river continued on and meandered south until it found its way into the Mississippi River. Today the Horicon Marsh is well known and draws many visitors particularly in the fall when the Canada Goose migration brings hundreds of thousands of geese through the Refuge. (www.horicon.lib.wi.us/)

Pastime Theatre

319 East Lake Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1960; seats: 228 The Pastime was a one-aisle theatre, and in the 1930s the brickwork on the facade was remodeled. Currently offices are in the building.

— HUDSON — St. Croix County. At the urging of area residents, William Crowe had the Opera Block constructed, which was completed in December 1880. Crowe’s Opera Block was a source of community pride, which provided a backdrop for cultural, religious, social, and political events for generations.

Top: Rex Theatre, Hudson, 1930s; bottom: Hudson Theatre, Hudson, 1978 (both photographs courtesy Hudson Star-Observer).

99 son Theatre opening October 20 (Willis H. Miller, “Rex Theatre: A Piece of Nostalgia,” Hudson StarObserver). The Rex vertical sign was removed and a flat sign reading Hudson Theatre was attached at the top of the building. When the Hudson closed on July 30, 1984, Hudson no longer had a movie theatre. The building was razed in 1986.

Theatre Delight

220 Locust Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1921; seats: 250 Theatre Delight was on the first floor of the W. S. Hatch Building. Admission was five cents and ten cents. Miss LaRocque of Prairie du Chien played the piano and sang the illustrated songs. A violin player was added on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The Star-Observer on July 1914 reported a musical trio performing grand opera and ragtime. There was a change of music and pictures every evening. The theatre closed when then owner, Clarence Mickelson, built the Rex Theatre. (Willis H. Miller. Stories of Old Hudson. Western Wisconsin Publishing Company, 2000.)

— HUMBIRD — Clark County. Humbird is situated in the southwest portion of the county, on the line of the West Wisconsin Railroad. The village took its name from Jacob Humbird, a well known railroad contractor. (www.rootsweb.com/~wiclark/)

Humbird Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1939; seats: 200 The theatre opened in the Town Hall Building called Town Hall. The theatre was renamed the Humbird in 1935.

— HURLEY — Iron County. Called the “Top of Wisconsin,” the Hurley area is rich with history. The city is joined by a bridge with Ironwood, Michigan, her larger sister city across the river. Hurley gained a notorious reputation after the mining and logging boom when it became a rendezvous for “rum runners,” gunmen, and criminals. Hurley rejected alcohol prohibition and entertained such notorious figures as Al and Ralph Capone and John Dillinger. In 1938, eighty of its 115 business establishments along Silver Street were taverns. (www.hurleywi.com)

Central Theatre

Silver Street. Open: 1893; closed: 1904; seats: 250 The Central Theatre was the earliest theatre in town showing silent moving pictures.

Humbird / — / Independence

Range Theater

Silver Street. Open: 1938; closed: 1965; seats: 686 In the 1950s, the Range Theatre was part of Ironwood Amusement, Inc. After closing the theatre building was sold and serves Hurley as a retail business.

Rivoli Theatre

Silver Street. Open: 1918; closed: 1927; seats: 200 The building burned down in 1935, and became the site of the Range Theatre.

— HUSTLER — Juneau County. By 1903 there were two general stores, two saloons, a hardware store, a cheese factory and a blacksmith shop. However, in 1903, a fire occurred which destroyed most of the business district. By 1914 Hustler was very much back in business with several more businesses established, including a bank, livery stable, feed mill, Opera House, hotel, physician, lumberyard, meat market and railroad express and telegraph agent. (Source: Juneau County, The First Hundred Years. 1988.)

Hustler Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1935; seats: 150 This short-lived theatre remained a silent movie house.

— INDEPENDENCE — Trempealeau County. Independence is located thirty-five miles south of Eau Claire at the mouth of Pleasant Valley. The city received its name because it was established in 1876, the year of the Centennial celebration of American independence. Although the surrounding territory had been settled, Independence was one of the earliest townships in this part of the county. (www.independencewi.org)

Legion Theatre

Jefferson at Second Street. Open: 1903; closed: 1958; seats: 285 Residents of the small village of Independence wanted a site for gatherings as their old wooden village hall no longer met their needs. The building would become not only the center of village government, but an Opera House with a balcony on the second floor would become the focal point for the community and a gathering place for entertainment and social activities. The two-story brick structure was completed in 1903 and a festive school concert celebrated the oc-

Ingram / — / Janesville

100

casion. Through the years the Opera House has been the scene of many varied gatherings from concerts, dances, graduations, sports events, and movies. But the Opera House fell into disrepair and was closed for nearly thirty years. Renovated and reopened in 1999, this historic landmark has hosted many private and public events. It has become “the most visibly outstanding government building in Trempealeau County” once again. (Source: Wisconsin State Historical Society.)

— INGRAM — Rusk County. The town was named after O. H. Ingram, an early pine logger and partner in the Chippewa Logging. Co. Ingram’s heyday was in the logging era when it was a booming place on the Soo Line. (www.rootsweb.com/~wirusk/)

Hall Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 150 This theatre showed only silent movies closing before converting to sound.

— IRON RIVER — Bayfield County. In northern Bayfield County in the Northwoods, Iron River occupies a site once known to the Indians as Medicine Springs because of the mineral waters found here. (www.iracc.com)

Daniels Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1937; seats: 250 The theatre, named after its owner Ed Daniels, presented silent movies with his daughter, Bernice Moran playing the piano accompaniment. In 1927, Al Jolson “burst into song from the tiny screen.” (Iron River Centennial.)

Rex Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1961; seats: 250 The theatre was in the same building as the Daniels. When Heck Chantelois became the owner and operator of the theatre he renamed it the Rex Theatre. The theatre is no longer standing; the site is now a parking lot.

— JANESVILLE — — IOLA — Waupaca County. Iola is located on the south branch of the Little Wolf River, in the western part of the county, surrounded by agricultural and dairy farms.

Iola Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1925; closed: 1957; seats: 300 The Iola Theatre was formerly the Opera House. The building has been torn down.

Rock County. Called “Wisconsin’s Park Place,” Janesville is located on the Rock River in southcentral Wisconsin near the Illinois border. Settled in 1835, Janesville is one of the earliest communities in the state. (www.ci.janesville.wi.us/)

Apollo Theatre

306 West Milwaukee Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1985; seats: 632 In an imposing brick building, the Apollo Theatre presented movies for many years. The building was demolished in 1997. (See photograph on page 101.)

Beverly Theatre

— IRON BELT — Iron County. Iron Belt’s history is as a small mining town. The county is named for the iron deposits found in the area, which is in northwestern Wisconsin on the northern border with Michigan. (www.rootsweb.com/~wiiron/)

Royal Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 110 This small theatre remained a silent movie house, and was demolished.

17 South Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1970s; seats: 500 This theatre was torn down.

Jeffris Theatre

(See Park Place Cinemas.)

Myers Theatre 118 East Milwaukee Street. Open: 1870; closed: 1976; seats: 750 The Myers Opera House opened on July 18, 1870, and started showing movies in the 1920s. The building was designed by Oscar Cobb with a balcony and a small stage. It was the oldest established legitimate theatre in Wisconsin. Theatricals would be presented two or three times a week. In 1886, it was remodeled and 150 seats were added. One year later a fire destroyed the building, but it was rebuilt by prominent citizens John and Peter Myers. The Opera House became the first “show house” in Janesville

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Jefferson

to put on moving pictures, a travelogue. (“When Myers Opera House was opened 52 years Ago it was one of the Best.” Janesville Gazette, July 15, 1922.) In 1978 the Myers was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Park Place Cinemas

319 West Milwaukee St. Open: 1924; closed: 1995; seats: 1044 This theatre opened as the Jeffris Theatre. After a fire destroyed much of the lobby and marquee in the 1980s, the theatre was divided into two theatres. Three more screens were added by dividing one of the theatres, and adding two more theatres upstairs over the lobby. This now five-screen theatre was renamed Park Place Cinemas, and is currently closed. (See photographs on page 102.)

— JEFFERSON — Jefferson County. Jefferson is the county seat located at the confluence of the Rock and Crawfish Rivers. (www.jeffersonwis.com) The Opera House in 1909 was listed at Main and Racine Streets. Also on Racine Street was the Dreamland Theatre, which opened in 1907 and closed in 1911 with seats for 200. Two other early silent movie theatres were on Main Street: the Orpheum Theatre, short-lived from 1909 to 1911 seating 200. The Idle Hour Theatre seating 400, opened in 1910 and closed in 1929, remaining a silent movie house.

Jefferson Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1958; seats: 450 Opening as the Allen Theatre in the three-story Stoppenbach building on the corner of Main and Racine Streets, theatre photoplays were advertised on the marquee that was outlined in lights as was the “A” in a circle atop it. On May 1, 1941, the Allen Theatre Building and equipment were sold to Frank Eckhardt of Wisconsin Rapids. “The only alteration planned is a change in the canopy in the near future.” The theatre was renamed the Jefferson in 1946. On March 29, 1951, the theatre was leased to the Jefferson Theatre Corporation by Mr. Eckhardt with the announcement that the Jefferson would undergo a thorough remodeling and therefore would be closed for two to three weeks. On February 5, 1959, the Jefferson Theatre building was purchased by Allen Frankiewicz, owner of Left, top: Apollo Theatre, Janesville, 1943; middle: Myers Theatre, Janesville, 1939; bottom: Myers Theatre, Janesville, 1940 (all photographs courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Juneau / Kaukauna

102

Top: Allen Theatre, Jefferson, Early; bottom: Jefferson Theatre, Jefferson, 1960s (both photographs courtesy Jefferson Historical Society).

directly through the city, offering hiking and bicycling.

Juno Theatre Top: Jeffris Theatre, Janesville, 1943 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Park Place Theatre, Janesville, 2001 (photograph by author).

People’s Meat Market. He said there were no plans for the building, which only housed a jewelry store. The theatre building was demolished in 1966.

— JUNEAU — Dodge County. Juneau, the Dodge County seat, is located less than an hour’s drive from Milwaukee or from Madison. The Wild Goose State Trail runs

South Main Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1956; seats: 400 The theatre was at the corner of Main and Oak Streets. There are now offices on the first floor and apartments on the second.

— KAUKAUNA — Outagamie County. Kaukauna is one of Wisconsin’s oldest communities. The first white explorer to see Kaukauna was Jean Nicolet, who pushed his birch bark canoe up the Fox River from Green Bay in search of a water passage to the Orient. Nicolet made allies with the Winnebago Indians that he found in the region. Because travelers had to carry their boats and cargoes over the three waterfalls at what is now Kaukauna, that spot was destined by

103 nature to become a way-station and settlement on this important waterway. (www.cityofkaukauna. com)

Bijou Theatre

210 Lawe Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1937; seats: 400 Movies came to Kaukauna in silent form, the first movies being shown in a store building on the site of what is now the Bowling Bar on the north side of town. Temporary chairs were set up, and admission was a nickel. The Nugent family, who were musicians, converted a store building into a theatre called the Bijou. A fire destroyed most of the building in 1918, but the Cleland family bought the property from the Conkey family, rebuilt, and operated the Bijou until the theatre was sold to the Rialto chain of movie theatres in 1937.

Rialto Theatre

210 Lawe Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1965; seats: 410 This was the Bijou Theatre rebuilt during the heyday of the arrival of talking pictures, and featured a large Art Deco sign with the “Rialto” name and a curved outside ticket booth. The Rialto Theatre opened in February 1937 with a great flourish featuring Edna Ferber’s Come and Get It with Joel McCrea and Frances Farmer. Other pictures in the opening days were Laurel and Hardy in Our Relations, Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance, and William Powell and Carole Lombard in My Man, Godfrey. The theatre was managed by Walter Holt. In its last years, the Rialto Theatre was part of Marcus Theatres, but they “could not operate successfully by running on weekends only.” The last film to be shown was Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole in Becket (“Closing of Rialto Theatre Marks End of a Movie Era,” Kaukauna Times, 1965). The coming of television also dimmed the attraction of the Rialto. The building is now incorporated with “Gustman Chevrolet Sales.”

Vaudette Theatre

151 East 2nd Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1938; seats: 307 This was the original Vaudette Theatre featuring silent movies. The interior of the theatre was redone in 1931 and featured walls with an awning and window box decor. The screen was nine feet by twelve feet, there was a stage, and reed organs were used for the music. “Wilfred Brown played the piano until the talkies came in. In 1929, they made machines for the theatres to run sound along with the film.” (Robin Driessen, “Resident’s Memories of Theatre More Than Just Movies and Popcorn,” Kaukauna Times.) Family-oriented movies were featured in this family-owned theatre. The Van Dykes closed this theatre when they opened the new, larger Vaudette.

Kennan / Kenosha

Vaudette Theatre 209 East 2nd Street. Open: 1938; closed: 1975; seats: 500 The first Vaudette was just a few blocks away but the new theatre presented the popular sound movies of the time. The Kaukauna Times ran three articles on the opening of the theatre on January 26, 1938: cover stories on the grand opening, a description of the interior, and a profile of William Van Dyke. The article praised the second Vaudette for the latest technology in projectors and “rewinding machines.” The opening night program included Back in Circulation with Pat O’Brien and Joan Blondell, the Three Stooges in Cash and Carry, Fox news, and Broken Follies, a vaudeville reel. During the early years there were vaudeville acts: the Frisco Follies had musicians and dancers and Prince Omwah was a magician and mindreader. He had a crystal ball and would ask the audience questions. And when the Rialto Theatre closed the Vaudette was the only theatre in Kaukauna. After closing, the theatre was converted into a St. Vincent de Paul resale store. Although some features of the theatre’s appearance remain, the marquee was removed. The only theatre building still standing on the south side of town.

— KENNAN — Price County. Kennan is a small town in northwestern Wisconsin.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1934; seats: 250 The center of entertainment for this small town also showed movies.

— KENOSHA — Kenosha County. Kenosha is the fourth largest city in Wisconsin on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan behind Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay. It is sometimes considered Chicagoland’s northernmost city. (www.kenosha.org)

Bijou Theatre (See Virginian.) Blue Mill Theatre

500–504 56th Street (Market Street) This theatre opened as Kenosha’s original Orpheum on the northwest corner of Exchange Street (now Fifth Avenue) and Market Street (now 56th Street). This frame building stood next to the famous Rhode Opera House. The theatre was renamed the Blue Mill when it was purchased by

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Kenosha

Charles Collins in 1916. The building was demolished in 1918 for the construction of the new Union Dye Works. That building was also torn down for a parking lot for the Opera House.

Burke Theatre (See Cameo.)

atre. After closing, the building was converted into a restaurant. In the early 1960s, a fire destroyed the theatre.

Crystal Theatre (See Norge.) Gateway Theatre (See Rhode Opera

Butterfly Theatre (See Hollywood.)

House.)

Cameo Theatre

Hollywood Theatre 4902 7th Avenue. Open: 1918; closed: 1952; seats: 525 Originally named the Butterfly Theatre for the distinctive ornamentation on either side of the proscenium, the theatre was built strictly for movies by the Klinkert Brewery of Racine during Prohibition and operated by Michael Lencioni. The theatre converted to sound in 1930, and in 1935 was renamed the Hollywood Theatre known for showing some of the most popular serials of the day. The final double feature at the Hollywood Theatre was April 30, 1952. The theatre stood vacant for a few years and then was rented for church services. In 1960, the local Polish Legion of American Veterans purchased the theatre, leveled the floor and hung a false ceiling. The theatre is now used for retail.

620 56th Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1942; seats: 385 Walter M. Burke built a building in downtown Kenosha that would bear his name, and opened a theatre on the first floor also named after him. The Burke Theatre went through several owners until a fire in 1925 damaged the building. The theatre was remodeled in 1927 and renamed the Cameo Theatre. The theatre was closed in the late 1920s through the early 1930s. In 1934, it reopened after being remodeled and having sound equipment installed. The Cameo Theatre featured the new talking pictures, and in 1940 became part of Standard Theatres. Its triangular-shaped marquee is still on the building.

Columbia Theatre

2222 63rd Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1929; seats: 450 The Columbia was the only silent movie house in the Uptown business district. With the typical entrance arch, the theatre was family-owned. The Columbia Theatre never converted to sound, and the popularity of talkies eventually closed down the the-

Kenosha Theatre 5919 6th Avenue. Open: 1927; closed: 1963; seats: 2400 The Kenosha Theatre opened Sept 1, 1927, designed by L.P. Larson for Carl Laemmle, the founder of Universal Studios and a native of Wisconsin. (At

Hollywood Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author).

105 that time, all the major movie studios owned every aspect of making and distributing movies, including owning the theaters where movies would be seen by the public.) The Kenosha was also part of the Milwaukee Theatre Circuit; many popular stars appeared on its stage: Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and the Tommy Dorsey Band to name a few. Newspaper stories from 1927 tell the story about the theatre and its opening: (“Kenosha Theatre is Marvel Building in Spanish Architecture,” “Theatre Lovers of Kenosha Will Be Thrilled at Splendor and Magnificence of Kenosha’s New Dramatic Shrine to be Formally Opened on Thursday,” “Starlit Sky Called a Masterpiece,” Kenosha Evening News.) This was to be a state-of-the-art theatre done in a Spanish design with an atmosphere of sunny Spain throughout the interior. On entering the lobby one felt they were in an old world courtyard. The elaborate lighting effects and wall decorations are faithful to the atmospheric motif of the theatre. On the stage an iridescent curtain will be lowered during the overtures and vaudeville acts. A special ventilating system was installed which will provide continuous fresh air the year round. The theatre is long

Kenosha

and not very wide which contributes to its excellent acoustics. The Kenosha Theatre would provide its audiences with the best vaudeville acts and photoplay productions available. An orchestra under the direction of Karl von Hoppe, the widely known violinist, has been carefully assembled for its ability to synchronize music to motion pictures and to accompany visiting vaudeville acts. The majestic Wurlitzer organ would be played by Ted Stanford. In the 1930s the theatre was part of the Warner Bros. chain, and then became part of Standard Theaters until they sold the building with a deed restriction that the building could not be used as a theatre for thirty years. Standard owned the Lake Theatre and did not want the competition, especially with the popularity of television. The Kenosha Theatre closed on April 21, 1963. In 1983, the theater was purchased by the Jeff Baas family with the idea of restoring the building. Years of neglect and a leaking roof had caused much damage to the interior of the building. A new roof was placed on the building, and the apartments above the lobby were renovated as has the retail storefront. The theater portion of the building was leased to the non-profit Citizen’s Group for the Theatre, which heads the Kenosha Theatre Restoration Project: (www.kenoshatheater.com). The owner has presented a formal business plan to the mayor of Kenosha to use tax-exempt revenue bonds to help with restoration efforts. (Lisa Black, “Advocates setting stage for Kenosha Theatre revival; Restored site would meet demand for close, inexpensive entertainment, owner says,” Chicago Tribune, July 29, 2008.)

Lake Theatre (See Rhode Opera House.)

Lincoln Theatre 6923 14th Avenue. Open: 1920; closed: 1952; seats: 542 The Lincoln opened May 30, 1920, a neighborhood theatre built by G. A. Stella. The theatre had a small vertical sign of backlit milk-glass letters. It also had a pipe organ. In 1929, the theatre was closed by owner Charles Kerchma. A new owner, Hugo Vogel, reopened the theatre in 1933. In its last years it showed art films, and closed in April 1952. The theatre was then donated to the Lakeshore Tabernacle, who covered the entire theatre’s facade with faux stone and removed its sign. Eventually the building was donated to another church. Kenosha Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author).

Kenosha

106 building to be torn down. The site is now a parking lot.

Orpheum Theatre

5819 6th Avenue. Open: 1922; closed: 2000; seats: 1404 The Orpheum Theatre opened on March 14, 1922, built by Saxe Amusements of Milwaukee to feature the Orpheum Circuit vaudeville and motion pictures. The original marquee was a square canopy with a large blade sign three stories high. When the theatre became part of the Fox West Coast chain in the 1950s, the marquee was changed. In its last years, it beLincoln Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author). came a United Artists theatre. In the early 1990s, the current, Majestic Theatre 5709 6th Avenue (Main more ornamental marquee was installed. At that time, the Orpheum was a four-screen theatre showStreet). Open: 1916; closed: 1927; seats: 450 ing dollar movies. The Majestic was a popular storefront silent movie In 2008, an ice cream/candy shop will take the theatre operated by Charles Pacini who also owned place of Heim’s Toy Store, which had occupied the the Lincoln and Butterfly Theatres. The Majestic theatre and is relocating next door. The owners are was the most prominent Main Street showplace until going to try to uniformly juxtapose the old theatre the Orpheum Theatre opened one block away in decorations with the store. The theatre’s stage will re1922. In September 1923, the Majestic premiered main closed to the public because of the water damthe locally produced film The Belle of Kenosha. Comage from the last seven years. petition with the new Kenosha Theatre was too much and the theatre closed. The building was demolished in the 1960s for the building of a new Walgreen’s.

Norge Theatre 5611 22nd Avenue (formerly Howland Avenue). Open: 1910s; closed: 1930; seats: 350 Opened as the Crystal Theatre on Kenosha’s West Side presenting silent movies and vaudeville programs. With a new owner, the theatre reopened on August 15, 1920, as the Strand with the feature The Glorious Lady starring Olive Thomas and Howard and Marjorie Sershon on stage with a popular song medley. A piano accompanied the silent movies Orpheum Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author). on the screen. The theatre was renamed the Norge Theatre in 1928 to commemorate the airship Norge for Princess Theatre (See Virginian.) its first flight over the North Pole on May 12, 1926. The theatre closed never to show sound movies. Rhode Opera House 514 56th Street. After closing, the theatre became the Pacetti Food shop and in the 1970s a furniture store and factory. Open: 1891; open; seats: 1250 In early 1982, a heavy wet overnight snowstorm The (original) Rhode Opera House was built by weakened the facade causing the city to order the Peter Rhode and hosted many prominent stars on

107

Top: Lake Theatre, Kenosha, 1983 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Rhode Opera House, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author).

Kenosha its stage: George M. Cohan, the John Phillip Sousa Band, lecturers Amelia Earhart and Admiral Byrd. William Howard Taft appeared at the Opera House during his Presidential Campaign. In 1896, the Opera House burned and was rebuilt on the same site. It started showing moving pictures in 1901. In 1924, it became part of Saxe Brothers Theaters from Milwaukee. In 1926 Saxe Brothers demolished the Rhode Opera House, and in 1927, built the Gateway Theatre, which was designed by George Rapp. The grand opening was December 29, 1927, which featured live entertainment plus the first-run film, She’s a Sheik with Bebe Daniels. The Barton theatre organ featured wide instrumentation and sound effects. The lobby was adorned with Pearlman crystal chandeliers. Standard Theaters leased the theater in 1963 and renamed it the Lake Theater. It reopened April 28 with the feature film Papa’s Delicate Condition starring Jackie Gleason. There were new red “rocker” seats, new stereo sound, and a restored fountain. In 1976, the Lake became a two-screen theatre by splitting the auditorium in half. A center wall extends from the floor to the domed ceiling. The balcony seats were removed and the projection rooms were relocated from the third floor to the mezzanine. The Lake Theatre closed in April 1984. In 1988, Lakeside Players, a community theater group, became a tenant, with their first performance, Rehearsal for Murder, opening in April. In September 1989, Lakeside Players purchased the Rhode Opera House renaming the theatre back to its original name in honor of the family. In 1998, Lakeside Players celebrated its Silver Anniversary season, and the Rhode Opera House celebrated its Diamond Anniversary in 2002. The Rhode Opera House is now part of the Rhode Center for the Arts and includes the Pollard Gallery. The Gallery has been opened in a newly remodeled storefront.

Kenosha

108

Many of the “ghost” stories related to the Rhode involve things heard rather than seen. The most interesting occurrence in recent history was during a performance of the play Post-Mortem in 1996. One scene in the play takes place during a séance and during this scene one night, the audience, cast, and crew members heard the sounds of people laughing and talking, and the fainter sound of piano music. There was no such sound cue in the production (nor, as far as anyone knows, in any other production). Fortunately, the show was being videotaped, and the sounds are audible on the tape. This story has been related by several different people who were either in the play or attended that night. Also, the house manager says that he was in the lobby during the performance, and verifies that there was no one talking in the lobby. Hearing or seeing people backstage when no one else is around is common and these stories are posted on the Rhode Opera House website: (www.rhode opera.org). Supposedly the favorite seat of one of the spirits, possibly a young man, is in the auditorium rear where he sits during rehearsals. A member of the stage crew had a much more personal encounter. During a performance he walked from backstage into the West Auditorium. As he approached the

staircase he saw and felt a presence. He described it as a cold, black cloud that passed through him as he descended the stairs.

Roosevelt Theatre

2908 Roosevelt Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1985; seats: 905/764 The Roosevelt Theater opened on Christmas Day 1927, designed by Einar Dahl. (“New Roosevelt Is a Monument to Einar Dahl,” Kenosha Evening News, December 24, 1927.) It was part of the United Theaters chain, which also operated the Vogue, the Butterfly, and the Lincoln theaters in Kenosha. From 1939 until 1968, Bill Exton operated the theatre, from 1969 to 1971 Ted Lenz operated the theatre, and from 1971 until 1985, Carmichael and Associates owned and operated the Roosevelt and are credited with the long-run of the theatre. The original marquee and sign were replaced in the late 1940s. In the 1950s, the theatre organ was removed in order to install modern air conditioning. Original decorations were removed after a fire in a neighboring structure caused major smoke damage. In the 1970s, seating capacity was reduced to 764 when larger “pushback” seats were installed. The lobby was modernized at the same time. The Roosevelt was the only theatre in Kenosha that operated continuously for fifty years.

Roosevelt Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author).

109 The theatre with its attached storefronts, secondfloor offices, and parking lot had been for sale, but the “final act appears to be imminent for the Roosevelt Theatre” writes Matthew Olson in the Kenosha News of August 6, 2008. The City Council approved removing asbestos and demolishing the building saying it was in unsafe condition.

Strand Theatre (See Norge.) Virginian Theatre

611–17 58th Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1922; seats: 600 The theatre began as the Bijou with a small balcony. Vaudeville acts were featured as were silent films. Renamed the Princess Theatre, and in 1915, the theatre was called the Virginian. When the new Orpheum Theatre opened just a half-block away the theatre closed its doors not able to compete. After closing the building was converted to retail space.

Kewaskum

ing, and it says “Vogue Theatre” on the tile in the front walk. In the 1940s, when the Vogue Theatre was part of Milwaukee’s Standard Theatres chain Bill Exton (who also operated the Roosevelt and Hollywood Theaters) leased the theatre. The last double-feature program at the Vogue Theatre was on the night of Monday, December 15, 1951. In 1958, the theatre was purchased by a local religious group. In 1960, the original marquee was removed for the widening of 52nd Street. The following year the theatre seats were removed and the floor was leveled. In 1970, a group of college students restored the box office, and using folding chairs started showing 16mm films. The Diorio family purchased the theatre in 1977. They called the theatre La Vogue and converted it into a gymnastics academy by day and a disco by night. Denise Diorio now plans to restore the theatre.

Vogue Theatre

1820 52nd Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1951; seats: 609 Vaudeville acts and silent movies were featured when the Vogue Theatre opened in September 1923, operated by Walter Schlager. There was a Wicks organ in the theatre, and also a balcony. “19 The Vogue 23” is on the tile work at the top of the build-

— KEWASKUM — Washington County. The village of Kewaskum is located in southeastern Wisconsin along the Milwaukee River twenty miles south of Fond du Lac. Named for a Potawatomi Chief who made his camp

Vogue Theatre, Kenosha, 2001 (photograph by author).

Kewaunee / Kiel

110

in the area, Kewaskum is known as the “Gateway to the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest.” (www.kewaskumwi.org)

Kewaskum Theater 1233 Fond du Lac Avenue. Open: 1949; closed: 1970; seats: 476 Forty local businessmen formed and became stockholders in the Kewaskum Community Theater Corporation. A former veterinarian’s office and residence were moved from the current site so a new theatre for the town could be built which did open in the fall of 1949. There were two shows nightly plus a Sunday matinee when the theater opened but then shows were cut to Wednesday, and Friday to Sunday night showings plus a Sunday matinee. In the last years the theatre was open movies were shown only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. On June 2, 1970, the marquee read: “Theater; Closed Building for Sale.” Mr. and Mrs. Honeck managed the theatre for fifteen years “so there would be entertainment for the young people in town.” However those same young people caused damage to the interior of the theatre and attendance had slowed down. Alfred Hitchcock’s Topaz was the last movie. One of the shareholders commented that “the theater was built on the premise that it would be a place of entertainment, but that it came a little too late because television began to surge in popularity in the early 1950s.

Hall the name certainly influenced by a large number of early Bohemian settlers in Kewaunee. It was also called the Sokal and the Opera House. The theatre was renamed the Kewaunee in 1936. The building is currently being used for retail.

Palace Theatre

Ellis Street. Open: 1940s; closed: 1950s; seats: 290 The theatre building is now used for retail.

— KIEL — Manitowoc/Calumet Counties. Kiel is located at the northern edge of the Kettle Moraine on the Sheboygan River in the southwestern corner of the state. Only an hour’s drive from Milwaukee or Green Bay, Kiel also lies midway between the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago. (www. kielwi.org)

Comet Theatre 615 Fremont Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1919; seats: 200

— KEWAUNEE — Kewaunee County. Kewaunee first developed as a lumber town, and its natural harbor was a major factor in the development of the early settlement. In 1891, Kewaunee was one of the great marine ports of the northern lakes. Rail service also came that year with the building of the Kewaunee, Green Bay and Western Railroad. The following year saw the first car ferry service across Lake Michigan between Kewaunee and Frankfort, Michigan. (www.kewaunee.org)

Kewaunee Theatre

Milwaukee and Harrison Streets. Open: 1936; closed: 1960s; seats: 400 The theatre opened as Bohemian

Top: Comet Theatre, Kiel, 1914. Bottom: Comet Theatre, Kiel, 1916 (both photographs courtesy Edwin Majkrzak).

111 During 1914 the Comet Theatre operated at 130 Fremont Street in what was then Mueller’s Hall. At this new location it remained a silent movie house. Eldora Schubert Hayner played the piano. This was the favorite place for children and adults to go especially during the Christmas holidays. The Comet Theatre was owned by George Maurer and George Henschel.

Kiel Theatre 506 Fremont Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1961; seats: 540 The Pastime Theatre was leased by Chapman Theatres, and completely remodeled and renamed the Kiel opening on November 4, 1939. A new marquee was erected, the complete front remodeled, and new modern projection equipment and wide range sound installed. “No city in the state will have a better theatre than the Kiel. The lowest admission prices will be maintained with all productions shown strictly first run.” (“Pastime Theatre Now Becomes The New Kiel.” Tri-County Record, November 3, 1939.) The theatre closed on November 18, 1959, having been leased since 1952 by Carl Willihnganz. The Kiel reopened again leased by Joseph Cozzual. Unable to attract moviegoers, the theatre closed permanently in October 1961.

Kiel

ing. Pool and billiard tables will be installed later. After the theatre closed it became a restaurant and sweet shop, then in 1943, a beauty shop and barbershop.

Pastime Theatre

501 Fremont Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1939; seats: 200 This was the original Pastime Theatre owned by Edwin Stecker and Ludwig Pichler. The Pastime moved in 1917 to 506 Fremont Street then owned by Edwin Stecker and Edwin Berth. From 1929 to 1939 Edwin Berth was the sole owner. “Music and Pictures Displayed at their Best” was the theatre’s

Kiel Theatre, Kiel, 1940s (courtesy Edwin Majkrzak).

Paramount Theatre 615 Fremont Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1920; seats: 200 When the Comet Theatre was leased by the Mitchell Brothers, it was reopened August 9, 1919, under the name of Paramount Theater. The “wellknown and high class” Paramount pictures will be shown. Repairs have been made on the two picture machines enabling the presentation of continuous shows. The Tri-County Record reported that the bowling alleys in the basement, which had been closed for the summer were being made ready for the open-

Top: Pastime Theatre, Kiel, 1913; bottom: Pastime Theatre, Kiel, 1920 (both photographs courtesy Edwin Majkrzak).

Kilbourn / Klondike / Knapp

112 Electric 10 Theater Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1920s; seats: 200 This early theatre opened in the New Bank Block listing its name on the window along with the price of admission.

Electric 10 Theatre, Kilbourn, 1910s (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Mission Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1931; seats: 200 The Mission Theatre showed only silent movies and closed never converting to sound. Pastime Theatre, Kiel, 1928 (courtesy Edwin Majkrzak).

motto. The building’s facade was a large arch with the theatre’s name inscribed at the top of the arch. There was an island box office.

— KILBOURN — Columbia County. One of the oldest sites of the western Great Lakes region is the “Dalles” of the Wisconsin River. It was identified on maps by French explorers, and after they left Wisconsin, the spelling and pronunciation was Anglicized as the “dells.” When the railroad arrived in 1857, the village of Kilbourn, named in honor of the railroad’s president, was established at the point where the tracks crossed the Wisconsin River. But locals continued to refer to the area as the “Dells” and in 1931, the city of Kilbourn officially changed its name to Wisconsin Dells. It is one of the oldest resort areas in Wisconsin. (www.dells. com/dells/history)

Crystal Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1927; seats: 300 The Crystal Theatre was another silent movie house that closed before converting to sound.

— KLONDIKE — Oconto County. In northeastern Wisconsin, Oconto County is among the oldest settlements in Wisconsin. Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, brought movies to the smaller towns of Oconto County. He started his enterprise in 1936 and continued until 1954, showing movies in vacant lots. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets.

— KNAPP — Dunn County. Knapp is a small village in westcentral Wisconsin.

Community Hall 111 Oak Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1937; seats: 350 Today the building houses the Village offices.

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La Crosse

— LA CROSSE — La Crosse County. La Crosse, the county seat, is situated along the Mississippi River. Surrounding the relatively flat prairie where La Crosse lies are towering bluffs, one of the most prominent of which is Grandad Bluff (mentioned in Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain). This feature typifies the topography of the Driftless Region in which La Crosse sits. The region is composed of high ridges dissected by narrow valleys called coulees. As a result, the area around La Crosse is frequently referred to as the Coulee Region. (www.lacrosse wisconsin.com)

Bijou Theatre

115–117 South Hollywood Theatre, La Crosse, 2001 (photograph by author). Third Street. Open: 1905; closed: reopened in 1993. Fortney, Fortney and Fortney LLP 1920; seats: 400 purchased the Hollywood in 1993 to preserve the The Bijou opened as a vaudeville theatre and was building and its cultural value to the city. Big red listed as such in the 1905 City Directory. Silent films letters on the Hollywood Theatre marquee stated began in 1915. “Fortneys Donate Hollywood Theatre to Children’s Bijou Theatre 115 South Third Street. Open: Museum.” Ron Fortney handed over the keys for the theatre to the Children’s Museum’s executive direc1928; closed: 1939; seats: 400 tor during a press conference. The donation was the This was the second Bijou Theatre to open in La fourth largest in the organization’s history. Fortney Crosse and presented silent movies. also presented a check for $1,000 to begin refurbishing the theater. The theatre is located less than a Casino Theatre 303 Main Street. Open: block from the Children’s Museum. “We thought 1911; closed: 1927; seats: 800 that this would be the perfect way to preserve the An early theatre that presented vaudeville acts and building,” he said. “It’s a good fit for La Crosse.” silent movies. The theatre closed Wednesday and will be opened again once the Children’s Museum decides what to Dreamland Theatre 1200 Caledonia do with it. (Timothy San Pedro, “Theater donation sets stage for expansion at Children’s Museum,” La Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1921; seats: 350 Crosse Tribune, August 28, 2003.) The Dreamland Theatre showed silent movies. The Children’s Museum placed the theater for Electric Theatre 112 South Fourth Street. sale. The museum was looking to at least break even with the theater, but came up far short of that goal. Open: 1909; closed: 1910s; seats: 150 The theatre then served as a venue for rock conA photoplay theatre that was very short-lived. certs and was called “Hollywood Theatre Live.” The Hollywood Theatre is now closed and for sale. Fifth Avenue Theatre (See La Crosse Community Theatre.)

Hollywood Theatre

123 Fifth Avenue South. Open: 1936; closed: 2003; seats: 1200 The Hollywood opened on December 3, 1936, with the film Pigskin Parade. The theatre was designed by Liebenberg and Kaplan, a Minneapolis firm, in the popular Art Deco style of the era. The theatre had a balcony, and there was a 40-foot screen that retracted so the performing stage could be used. The theatre was twinned, closed in 1989 and then

La Crosse Theatre 5th Avenue between Main and Jay Streets. Open: 1900; closed: 1930; seats: 500 In the 1900 City Directory the La Crosse Theatre was listed under “Opera House.” The theatre was sold in 1930 and then gutted. La Crosse Community Theatre

118 Fifth Avenue North. Open: 1937; closed: 1959; seats: 500

La Crosse

114

Riviera Theatre, La Crosse, 2001 (photograph by author).

La Crosse Theatre, La Crosse, 1915 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

This was the Fifth Avenue, the last theatre built in La Crosse in the 1930s. In 1968, the La Crosse Community Theatre moved into the theatre. The theatre group now makes the theatre their home. Their premier production was Generation. (www.lacrossecom munitytheatre.org)

Rivoli Theatre

117 North 4th Street. Open: 1920; open; seats: 1314/600 Built in 1920 as a vaudeville theatre, the Rivoli Theatre was designed by architects Bernard Dockendorff and A.E. Parkinson in a Spanish style with an “atmospheric” garden setting inside. The theatre opened with the movie Yes or No. Stadium-style seating was featured in the auditorium. The theatre was once ornate, but deteriorated terra cotta decorations had to be removed. The theatre closed in 1987, and was reopened in April of 1994 by new owner, Tom Misco, now with two screens. The second screen is located in a former lounge. Many seats were removed to add tables and on-site dining. Currently known as the Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria, the theatre also has a “Theatre Party Room” available, more than pizza on the menu, and firstrun movies. (www.rivoli.net)

La Crosse Community Theatre, La Crosse, 2001 (photograph by author).

Lyric Theatre

318 Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1915; seats: 300 The Lyric Theatre was torn down in 1915 to build the Lynne Tower building.

Majestic Theatre (See Wisconsin.)

Rivoli Theatre, La Crosse, 2001 (photograph by author).

Riviera Theatre

Strand Theatre

1215 Caledonia Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1968; seats: 800 After closing, the theatre was converted into the “Caledonia Street Antique Mall.”

1119 Jackson Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1955; seats: 415 The theatre was demolished; the site is now a parking lot.

115 Wisconsin Theatre

516 Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1952; seats: 800 The theatre opened as the Majestic Theatre featuring vaudeville. By the 1920s, moving pictures were the main features. In 1936, the theatre was closed and completely remodeled, reopening later in 1936 renamed the Wisconsin Theatre. Perry E. Crosier of Minneapolis was the architect for the remodeling, which featured many improvements including air-conditioning and the latest Western Electric sound systems. “Perfect Posture” air cushioned chairs were also added. The lobby was trimmed in Carrara glass with a colored terrazzo marble floor in a modernistic design. The main lounge was accessible by two circular staircases located at either end of the main foyer, which extended the entire width of the building. A 58-foot high neon sign had been added to the building. The theatre was owned by the La Crosse Theatres Company. Prior to World War II, the theatre’s most popular features were Westerns. In 1952, the auditorium of the theatre was destroyed by fire. The building with its storefronts, box office and front canopy remained for a time. (“Blaze Ruins Old Theatre In La Crosse,” La Crosse Tribune, December 29, 1952.) “Fire believed to have started in the projection booth early Sunday morning destroyed the Wisconsin Theatre at La Crosse with temperatures near zero. The fire raged for more than two hours reducing the 43-year-old theatre in downtown La Crosse to a battered shell. The fire traveled from the rear of the theater to the front. Shortly after the blaze began, the theater’s rear wall collapsed, and firemen had to rip

La Farge / Ladysmith

down the sidewalls, which were unstable. All of the city’s fire fighting equipment was called out to control the blaze. Two firemen were overcome by smoke and were hospitalized.”

— LA FARGE — Vernon County. La Farge is located on the banks of the Kickapoo River in the southwest part of the state, in a valley that was untouched by the glaciers years ago. The word Kickapoo, in the Native American language, means to go here and there, or crooked, and no other name would be more appropriate for the river, which bears that name. (www. lafarge-wisconsin.com)

Mars Theatre

120 West Main Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1963; seats: 300 The theatre building now serves the community as the “Field House Bar.”

— LADYSMITH — Rusk County. Located on the Flambeau River, Ladysmith was once a booming rail center and a stopping place in the early days for voyagers, trappers, and traders. (www.rootsweb.com/~wirusk/)

Miner Theatre 116 East Miner Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 2007; seats: 600 This single-screen theatre was open until violent

Miner Theatre, Ladysmith, 1948 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

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storms during the summer of 2007 caused damage to the building. At one time, the theatre was part of Miner Amusement Company.

Unique Theatre West Second Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1951; seats: 504 The Unique Theatre opened December 16, 1913. Supposedly fireproof, the theatre burned down in 1951.

— LAKE GENEVA — Walworth County. Just ten minutes from Geneva Theatre, Lake Geneva, 2001 (photograph by author). the Illinois State Line in southeastern Wisconsin, Lake Geneva became a resort tra directed by Roy Green. Then there was an organ for wealthy Chicago families after the Civil War. solo by Buddy Noll, playing popular songs with the These families began construction of the many words of the songs being shown on the screen. Next mansions on the lake, and Lake Geneva became on the program was a newsreel, followed by cartoon known as the Newport (Rhode Island) of the West. pictures, Andy Gump by Sidney Smith who appeared The Chicago Fire of 1871 caused many Chicago in person. Vaudeville acts were next on the program families to move to their summer homes on the before the world premier feature attraction, Telling lake while the city was rebuilt. (www.lakegenevawi. the World with William Haines. com) In the 1980s, the Geneva was divided into four smaller screens; the additional screens added in the balcony leaving the auditorium intact. Renovated in Ford Opera House Broad Street 2001 when the theatre became part of Nova Cinemas, The 1897 Opera House was located where the the Geneva 4 showed first-run films. Closed in early Geneva Theatre is now. With her red, curly wig, 2008 “for remodeling,” the theatre reopened in late Cornelia Ford was the first owner. The Opera House summer presenting films in three of its theatres and was also the site of many school dances in addition live performances in the fourth theatre. to presenting shows like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In 1906, the first moving picture show appeared with silent films. In 1909, the Opera House was leased to Mr. Majestic Theatre 757 Main Street. Open: Glass. The Lake Geneva News ( July 3, 1913) adver1912; closed: 1928; seats: 500 tised the latest and best photoplays at the Auditorium The Majestic Theatre opened September 23, 1912, in the Opera House while a new play, The Missouri with “high class vaudeville.” The theatre had a large Girl, was advertised at the Majestic Theatre.

Geneva Theatre 244 Broad Street. Open: 1928; open; seats: 705 The Geneva Theatre opened on June 6, 1928, in the historic downtown district on the site of the Ford Opera House. The theatre was designed by Graven and Mayger as a single-screen theatre with a balcony. One of the best equipped show houses in Wisconsin in a town the size of Lake Geneva. The Geneva had a vertical sign that towered above the theatre building. (“Packed House for Opening of Geneva Theatre, Lake Geneva R N, June 7, 1928.) Over 1400 people attended opening night to see a program that opened with an overture by the Geneva Theatre Orches-

Majestic Theatre, Lake Geneva, 1910s (courtesy Geneva Lake Museum).

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Lake Mills

stage to accommodate “the better class of plays.” In 1914, serials were popular, and the Press advertised Zudora. “Get the Habit—Wear a ‘Zudora’ Button.” In July of 1916, the Majestic Theatre featured D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. The Lake Geneva Press advertised on May 29, 1919, the seven-act super feature, Eye for Eye, with Mme. Nazimova. This film was a screen version of the play l’Occident.

— LAKE MILLS —

Lake Theatre, Lake Mills, 1945 (courtesy Roland Liebenow,

Jefferson County. Lake Mills is located on MD). the shores of Rock Lake. This historic community is nestled in the heart of Wisconsin’s southern gateway, forming a convenient triangle to Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago. Lake Mills entered the Wisconsin Main Street Program in 2006. In the 1840s, Winnebago Indians shared their knowledge of the “stone teepees” (pyramids) in Rock Lake with the settlers. The Rock Lake Research facilities are continuing studies to learn more about the “Rock Tepees” that lay beneath the waters of Rock Lake. (www.lakemills.org) In June 1908, Bert Howe’s old furniture store building was rented to an unidentified group who opened Lake Mills’ first movie house. It was given the name of the Palace Theatre and advertised that there would be a new show every night. Admission was ten cents for adults and five cents for children. The Palace Theatre did not survive a full year. (Roland Liebenow M.D. See You at the Movies.)

Lake Theatre West Lake Street. Open: 1938; closed: 1976; seats: 300 During 1938, a marquee was added to the Majestic Theatre, which indicated that the theatre was now the Lake. The old annex space became a refreshment stand. Tom Lees brought Gone with the Wind to Lake Mills, introducing Technicolor films. During World War II, free matinees for War Bond Rallies were held plus copper scrap collections. After the war, television and drive-in theatres became a source of competition. The theatre closed in 1974 but had a brief resurgence from September 1975 until June 1976 with movies from Thursday to Sunday each week. The lack of air conditioning led to the closing of the theatre. The building stood empty for ten years before being demolished in 1985.

Majestic Theatre

West Lake Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1938; seats: 400 In April 1909, Bert Howe rented his building to the Lake Mills Band for use as a movie house. It was renamed the Majestic Theatre. The theatre began weekly advertising and offered a series of ten-minute films, and later began to offer longer shows of silent movies with printed narratives or subtitles. One advertisement stated that there would be a 3,000-foot film each night. During the first year of operation, the theatre had

Majestic Theatre, Lake Mills, 1910 (courtesy Roland Liebenow, MD).

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no permanent seats, and on several occasions was also used for public dances. When new management took over in the Fall, an inclined floor was put in as were permanent opera-style seats, and a new movie projector. Then a five-piece Majestic Orchestra was organized. By 1910, vaudeville performances were added to the movie programs as well as matinees.

Opera House Lake Street. Open: 1888; closed: 1914 The Opera House was built with a formal stage and was the town’s amusement center. At the turn of the century, touring groups and local talent shows provided the bulk of the entertainment. As early as January 1909, the Opera House offered a travel movie as one of its showings. It closed when the competition from Majestic Theatre proved too great.

— LANCASTER — Grant County. Lead prospectors were among the first settlers, but later it was the fertile prairie soil that attracted settlers. The town was named for Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Grant County Courthouse’s octagonal copper and glass dome stands in downtown Lancaster. The first Civil War monument ever erected in 1867 in Wisconsin stands on the northeast corner of the square. (www.lancasterwisconsin.com) Majestic Theatre, Lake Mills, 1914 (courtesy Roland Liebenow, MD).

Grantland Theatre

218 South Madison Street. Open: 1949; open; seats: 400 Built in 1922, the historic landmark City Hall in Lancaster included a community theater. The theatre features box seats and a balcony and began showing movies in 1949. The Grantland is listed on the Wisconsin League of Historic Theatres, now part of State Theatres LLC. Restored to its original appearance in 1990, the

In 1911, Ora Wodke’s father remodeled his threestory livery stable into a modern motion picture theatre with a professional stage, dressing rooms, an enclosed projection booth, and an attached annex along the left side. In 1912, the Majestic Theatre moved from East Lake Street to West Lake Street. After the Opera House closed, the theatre provided an auditorium for locally produced shows. During the 1920s, short comedies, news reviews, and sport highlights became added attractions to the main feature movies. By 1929, the Majestic was featuring Saturday morning matinees with weekly movie serials to attract children. However, in December of that year Vitaphone sound equipment was installed. In May 1933 Tom Lees from Juneau took over theatre operations, instituted double features, Tuesday “Dime Nights,” and “Lucky Ticket” nights. By 1936, he was able to remodel the theatre. During 1938, a marquee was added, and the old annex space became a refreshment stand. Grantland Theatre, Lancaster, 2001 (photograph by author).

119 Grantland presents films nightly and is home to the Lancaster Community Players.

Orpheum Theatre

205 East Maple Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1951; seats: 350 The Orpheum Theatre was started as a photoplay house by Burr Robbin. It was later purchased by F. C. Burr, and then by Whit Burr in 1916. Talkies started in 1928.

Laona

Reeds Opera House

227 West Maple Street. Open: 1893; closed: 1915; seats: 500 Reeds Opera House was built by Dr. J. H. Reed, a Lancaster dentist. Silent films were presented on the second floor, which had a balcony. For this small town, it was “a thing of wonder.” In about 1913, ownership of the Opera House was transferred to J. D. Hatch. Mr. Hatch recalls the week’s run, both matinee and evening, of the film The Birth of a Nation that he presented with a thirtyfive piece orchestra. (“Memories of Bygone Days Linger in Old Opera House,” The Independent.)

— LAONA — Forest County. The town was established in the late 1800s by William Duncan Connor, a lumberman working for his father’s Lumber and Land Company. The town is named after the first child born to a settler. A classic company town, Laona’s hospital, store, school, library, and housing were all built by the Connor Company. The town’s economy revolved around the company’s lumber mill, and Laona remains a foundation of Wisconsin’s lumber history. (www.forestcountywi.com)

Club House

5252 Beech Street. Open: 1935; closed: 1960s; seats: 318 This was the center of entertainment for the town, which included movies being presented. The Northwoods Inn is now on the site.

Lyric Theatre

Beech Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1934; seats: 300 The Lyric Theatre was across the street from the Club House. It opened showing the latest silent moving pictures, but was destroyed in a fire and burned down in 1934.

Top: Orpheum Theatre, Projection Booth, Lancaster; bottom: Orpheum Theatre, Lancaster, 1940s (both photographs courtesy Cunningham Museum).

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— LENA — Oconto County. Lena was known as Maple Valley to the first settlers in the area. (www.co.oconto.wi.us/) Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, showed movies in vacant lots from 1936. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets.

Kobes Hall Main Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1938; seats: 250 The Hall is still standing and used for special events. A tavern also shares the building.

— LITTLE CHUTE — Outagamie County. The village of Little Chute is in the heart of the Fox River Valley, just east of Appleton, a community proud of its Dutch heritage. La Petite Chute, French for Little Falls, is the original name for the area of rapids in the Fox River where the village is today. (www.littlechutewi.org)

The Little Chute Theatre was sold to the Henry Arts family in 1949. Before the building was demolished, it served as a temporary location for St. Luke Lutheran Church. (Kathy Bagnall, “Growing up in the movies: Koehn clan remembers running old Little Chute theater,” Post Crescent, March 4, 1992.)

— LODI — Columbia County. Lodi’s Indian name is “peaceful valley” and it is surrounded by rolling hills in south central Wisconsin near the Wisconsin River. (www. ci.lodi.wi.gov)

Eaton Opera House 161 South Main Street. Open: 1876; closed: 1932; seats: 300 In the early days the Opera House was used for presentations and stage entertainment. Different stock companies from the East would come and put on one-night stands. The building was also used for home talent shows, and the music for these shows was furnished by local talent. About the year 1910 motion pictures came to Lodi. Among the early movie theatre managers were Chandos and Bradford Pruyn and then John Bartholomew with his “Picture Show” as it was called.

Lodi Theatre 125 Lodi Street. Open: 1949; 220 Main Street. closed: 1974; seats: 450 Open: 1920; closed: 1968; seats: 220 Lyle Turner saw a need for a larger theatre in Lodi At the corner of Wilson Street in downtown Litand Mr. Turner erected and opened the new Turner’s tle Chute, Antone and Clara Koehn purchased the Lodi Theatre. After a few years, CinemaScope was show house from (brother) John Koehn in 1925. installed and a large screen replaced the smaller one. After Antone died in 1929, Clara and her eight chilMr. Turner ran the theatre until December 31, 1970. dren each had a job to do in running the theatre. The oldest daughter, Merla, played the piano for the silent movies, which changed three times a week. The movie companies always sent a list of music to be played with the shows. Serials were popular with moviegoers and they would return week after week to watch episodes of Santa Fe Trails and the Perils of Pauline. Occasionally the Koehn’s booked a traveling vaudeville act that would perform before the scheduled movie. The show house was also used for commencement ceremonies and plays. If you wanted some popcorn you had to go across the street. Lodi Theatre, Lodi, 1970 (courtesy Lodi Valley Historical Society). Little Chute Theatre

121 On January 1, 1971, the theatre was purchased by Ray and Annette Ostertag and operated as the Lodi Theatre until July 1974. From that time Lodi has been without a theatre. The building currently stands and is leased to the town.

Shadow Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1949; seats: 300 When the City Hall was erected in 1932, the theatre moved to the second floor and was called the Shadow. Christian Dahl and Albert Neis ran the movies for several years. In the 1930s the Carboneau brothers put in modern equipment and were the movie operators. The theatre was sold on March 21, 1941, to Lyle Turner, who renamed it the Lodi.

— LOYAL — Clark County. Loyal was so named because of the patriotic nature of the men of the pioneer town who went off to protect the Union during the Civil War in the 1860s. Logging and pioneer farming brought settlers to the area, which is now known for its productive land and dairy heritage. (Robert McBride. History of Clark County Wisconsin. 1909.)

Loyal / Luck

the first cooperative creamery in the United States. (www.luckwisconsin.com) In the 1930s on Saturday nights, free movies were shown on the outside of the Danish Brotherhood Society Hall, which still stands on the corner of First Street and Third Avenue.

D’lux Theatre

304 Main Street. Open: 1946; closed: 1976; seats: 330 Chauncey Weitz and Lynn Hike built the D’lux Theatre and like many small-town theatres at that time it was a great success drawing good crowds. The first movie shown was Kiss and Tell. After three or four owners, Art and Dolores Bierman purchased it in 1967 and then reopened the theatre in 1968. The D’lux finally succumbed to television and other competitors, and closed on September 26, 1976. (Luck Diamond Jubilee 1905–1980.) This former single-screen theatre now provides offices for a graphics company.

Cozy Theatre Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1929; seats: 150 The Cozy Theatre showed silent movies and never converted to sound. Loyal Theatre 200 North Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1963; seats: 252 The theatre opened as the Viking and was renamed the Loyal Theatre in the early 1940s. The marquee is gone, and the theatre building is currently home to a furniture store.

D’Lux Theatre, Luck, 1950s (courtesy Edna Lawson).

Luck Village Hall

— LUCK — Polk County. Earlier in time, there was a lake surrounded by a forest of pine, maple, birch and butternut trees, known only to the Chippewa Indians. They knew this lake as Pic-o-nock-akonk ,which is believed to mean “Butternut” because of the abundance of butternut trees that grew in the area. Therefore, this territory was called Butternut, before it was named Luck. Danish immigrants were among the first settlers. The historic West Denmark settlement is the site of

Second Street East. Open: 1920; closed: 1929; seats: 250 Silent movies were shown on Monday nights in the Village Hall, a large community building where there were also dances, plays, basketball games, and meetings. In 1931, according to an article in the newspaper, H. D. Tomlinson and A. P. Sondergaard became the new owners of the movie house, which evidently meant just the equipment and the business. The building itself, as the Butternut Social Club in the early years, had been moved from another part of town near the lake when the railroad came

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through, about three quarters of a mile farther to the west. To make room for the new bank parking lot, the building was torn down. (Source: Luck Historian, Ed Pedersen.)

— LUXEMBURG — Kewaunee County. Kewaunee County’s landscape lies on a limestone rock layer known as the Niagara escarpment, which drops sharply toward Green Bay while sloping across the county to Lake Michigan. Glacial action was responsible for a Kettle Moraine belt that runs through the central part of the county. (www.luxemburgusa.com)

Opera House/Legion Theatre

Main

movies were shown in the theatre with the admission price of ten cents for adults and five cents for children. In 1920 the American Legion Post leased the building to run silent movies and continued until attendance fell off due to the advent of talkies. The American Legion could not afford to finance new equipment and continued using the building for meetings and social gatherings. After 1933, under the management of Eugene Herring, it was decided to show talking movies and other feature films. When movies stopped the building became a tavern/club with a succession of different owners. In January of 1966, the club burned to the ground.

Unique Theatre Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1917; seats: 100 The Red Owl Store was opened by Louis Liebl in 1902 next to the Post Office. Frank Wawrika converted the store into the Unique Theatre, which had

Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1945; seats: 152 In 1917 Reinhold Okrush purchased land and moved the Park Hall from the village park. The Hall was converted into a dance hall and show house called the Opera House. Frank Wawirka and Anton Grassel leased the building in 1920 and a year later O. M. Evenson purchased equipment to show movies and ran the theatre. (Sarah Rasmussen tells that any village activities and school sports were all held at the Opera House. Silent movies were shown once a week, black and white, with a piano player playing music to fit the action. Half of the hall had long wooden benches for the kids, and a few rows of folding chairs for the adults. The floor was flat.) During 1924, Mr. Okrush added a residence and ice cream parlor on Unique Theatre, Luxemburg, 1913 (courtesy Carol Simonar). the south side. Vaudeville acts and

a balcony and a stage. After it closed, the building became a lunchroom, then a feed store, followed by a succession of general stores until the entire building burned down in the 1980s.

— MADISON —

Opera House, Luxemburg, 1917 (courtesy Carol Simonar).

Dane County. Madison, named after our fourth President, is Wisconsin’s State Capitol, the county seat of Dane County, and the home of the University of Wisconsin. The city occupies a hilly isthmus about a mile wide between Lakes Mendota and Monona

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Madison

in what is known as “the Four-Lakes region.” This region takes its name from a chain of lakes, Kegonsa, Waubesa, Monona, and Mendota, which are connected with one another by the Yahara or Catfish River. The Four-Lakes region was formed by the glaciers when they retreated about 13,000 years ago. The area was first occupied by Native American “mound builders,” but only a few effigy mounds remain today. By the time the first settlers began to arrive, the Winnebago Nation called the area home, which continued into the 1940s. (www.madisonpubliclibrary. org)

Amuse Theatre

16 West Mifflin Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1917; Barrymore Theatre, Madison, 2001 (photograph by author). seats: 370 This was an early silent movie house and the theatre became X-rated. Closed for a time in on the Square that was torn down to build Madithe early 1980s, the theatre was renovated into a live son’s first picture palace, the Strand Theatre. Roy events venue in 1987. When live concert performCummings was manager of the Amuse Theatre. ances were presented beginning in early 1990, the Projectionist Ernest Carlson recalled that competheatre was renamed the Barrymore for the noted tition often led him to increase his projection speed acting family (www.barrymorelive.com). Movies and in order to admit a waiting crowd so that they community-based events are also presented. The wouldn’t wander off to another theatre if they were Madison Repertory Theatre also uses the venue. The forced to wait. (Darryl Fox, “Civic Development Barrymore’s rich acoustics have also provided the and Theatre History: The Case of the Madison Thesetting for live, recorded releases. atre,” Marquee, Journal of the Theatre Historical SoIn 2007, the Barrymore celebrated its twentieth ciety of America, Volume 20, No. 1, 1988.) anniversary. (David Medaris, “Still rockin’ Barrymore Theatre turns 20,” Wisconsin State Journal, Bandbox Theatre East Main Street. Open: July 12, 2007.) Mr. Slone, along with Tom Petersen, 1902; closed: 1920s spearheaded the campaign to transform the X-rated Opened as the Flom Theatre, a vaudeville and movie palace into an anchor for revitalizing the burlesque house that added films in order to better Schenk-Atwood neighborhood. compete. The theatre was converted to a nickelodeon “The main spirit was twofold,” recalls Mr. Slone. renamed the Bandbox Theatre when moving pic“One was to provide a performing arts theater that tures were first presented on October 20, 1917. wasn’t beholden to anyone in the city. The other was, of course, to get rid of a porn theater.” Barrymore Theatre 2090 Atwood Avenue. Open: 1929; open; seats: 980 Capitol Theatre 207 West State Street. Described as a mini-palace, the Eastwood Theatre opened on December 27, 1929, in the SchenkOpen: 1928; open; seats: 2280/1089 Atwood neighborhood. The ornate building with The Capitol Theatre opened on January 21, 1928, Italian Renaissance influences and its domed tower designed by the renowned C. W. Rapp and George was designed by Frederick J. Klein and H. E. Alford. L. Rapp. The theatre was an example of the type of Inside one finds the typical atmospheric auditorium opulent movie houses that were being built at the so popular at the time: a picturesque courtyard with time. Its very large sign and marquee were lit at night a twinkling starry sky. When the Eastwood opened, and could be seen for blocks. The decor had a Moorit was equipped to show sound movies. ish/Spanish theme. Uniformed ushers escorted In the 1960s, the theatre was called The Cinema moviegoers to their seats. The Capitol Times adverand showed mostly Disney and family movies into tised it as “A Palace of Enchantment.” the early 1970s. Both the neighborhood and the theOpening night featured vaudeville acts along with atre began to decline in the late 1970s to early 1980s the movie Her Wild Oats with Colleen Moore. The

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Capitol Theatre was directly across the street from the Orpheum Theatre. Vaudeville acts with Mae West and Al Jolson would appear on stage. The state of the art building boasted the latest in modern conveniences, and a Grand Barton theater organ. The new talkies opened at the Capitol in February 1929.

the project. Now complete, the Overture Center for the Arts contains Overture Hall, the intimate Playhouse, three black box multipurpose spaces, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, meeting rooms, four art galleries, a soaring glass lobby, and the Capitol Theater, returned to its original name and preserving the important historic features and character of the original Rapp & Rapp theatre. (www.overturecenter. com) A silent film series is presented accompanied by the Barton organ, called Duck Soup Cinema. The old carbon arc lamp houses and reel-to-reel projectors are used to show the classic silent films. The prints, which are 35mm, are also run in the proper aspect ratio and speed.

Cinema (See Barrymore.) East Side Theatre

Capitol Theatre, Madison, 1963 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

The theatre was operated by RKO–Stanley Warner, who sold it to the City of Madison in July 1974, and then Mayor Paul Soglin set the wheels in motion to open a new performing arts center in Madison. The Capitol became the Oscar Mayer Theatre in 1980 featuring live performances, but with the ornate original lobby torn out. It was the main venue in a complex that also included the smaller Isthmus Playhouse, meeting rooms, and a Crossroads lobby connecting the performing arts venues with the Madison Art Museum under the same roof. The Madison Civic Center was Madison’s home for the arts and entertainment. There were performances by the Madison Repertory Theatre and the Madison Symphony Orchestra, children’s shows in the Crossroads, and the silent film series in which the Grand Barton organ continued to play. In 1998, local businessman W. Jerome Frautschi made a gift of $50 million for the development of a cultural arts district in downtown Madison. He established the Overture Foundation to solve the space needs of the city’s major arts organizations. Eleven months later, he made the decision that he would donate another $50 million. At the completion of the first phase of construction, the announcement was made that Mr. Frautschi had spent $205 million to build this state of the art facility. Internationally famous architect Cesar Pelli was engaged to design

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1925; seats: 200 The East Side was a silent movie house that closed before converting to sound.

Esquire Theatre 113 East Mifflin Street. Open: 1968; closed: open; seats: 500 Movies stopped in 1993, and the theatre building is now under the auspices of the Gerald A. Bartell Community Theatre Foundation, called The Bartell.

Esquire Theatre, Madison, 1994 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

125 A not-for-profit revenue, the first floor houses the Evjue Theatre with 96 seats and the second floor houses the Drury Theatre with 199 seats. (www.mad stage.com/bartell)

Eastwood Theatre (See Barrymore.) Fair Play Theatre

208–212 State Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1920s The Fair Play Theatre opened next to the Grand Theatre at the same time that the Grand started showing movies. The Fair Play was licensed by the Motion Picture Patents Company, and managed by Messrs. Sherwood and McWilliams.

Flom Theatre (See Bandbox.) Fuller Opera House

6–10 West Mifflin Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1954 Morris F. Fuller and Edward M. Fuller offered to build a $60,000 Opera House, and the residents of Madison raised another $15,000 to complete the project. The exterior was finished in gray pressed brick, trimmed in putty-colored Bedford stone with oiled oak doors and stained windows. The interior of the Opera House could seat 1200 on the main floor. There was a second-level balcony, a third-level gallery, and ten private boxes. A separate foyer and stair tower led to the gallery. Features included parquet floors, gold-gilt and amber walls, and five hundred gas and electric lights. The interior was designed by New York architects. (Source: Wisconsin Historical Society.) The Fuller Opera House sat on one side of City Hall and would become the Parkway Theatre when movies became the popular entertainment. Both the Opera House/Parkway Theatre and City Hall were torn down in 1954.

Madison

The theatre opened as the Grand, a vaudeville house, on September 16, 1907. In 1909, the theatre was leased by J. E. Sherwood and Frank J. McWilliams and opened as a movie house. Competition from the Fair Play next door caused the Grand, by late 1910, to revert back to presenting vaudeville. Lasting less than a year, the Grand was showing Patents Company films by the Fall of 1911. In 1923 it was renamed the Madison when the theatre was sold to Fischer-Paramount Corporation. Two hundred seats were added by constructing a new balcony. Other changes included a new air ventilation system and walls done in blue damask. Reopening in March of 1923, the Madison featured My American Wife with Gloria Swanson. In an effort to compete against the theatres showing sound movies, the Madison announced in January 1929 that it would be open from noon until 11 P.M. and ticket prices would be half of the admission price at leading competitors. The strategy did not work and in March of 1929, the Madison Theatre closed its doors with F. W. Murnau’s The Last Laugh. (Darryl Fox, “Civic Development and Theatre History: The Case of the Madison Theatre,” Marquee, Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Volume 20, No.1, 1988.)

Madison Theatre

113–115 Monona Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1957; seats: 908 Opened as the Orpheum Theatre, part of the national Orpheum vaudeville and theatre circuit, and managed by Marcus Heiman who also managed the Fuller Opera House. In 1927, the theatre was renamed the Garrick when a new Orpheum Theatre opened on State Street. In December 1936, it was renamed the Madison Theatre after being remodeled into a complete movie house. The theatre building was demolished.

Garrick Theatre (See Madison.) Gem Theatre (See Palace.) Grand Theatre (See Madison.) Lyric Theatre South Baldwin Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1920s; seats: 250 The Lyric was a neighborhood silent movie theatre. Madison Theatre

204–206 State Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1929; seats: 815/1015

(Old) Orpheum, Madison, Early (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

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Madison

Majestic Theatre

115–117 King Street. Open: 1906; closed: 2002; seats: 648 The Majestic Theatre opened on December 15, 1906, a two-story vaudeville theatre, that included newsreels as part of the program. It was built for and managed by the Biederstaedt brothers, and designed by Madison architects, Claude and Starck in the Neoclassical Revival style. The theatre was the Madison home of the touring company known as the Majestic Players, which included Melvyn Douglas, Ralph Bellamy, and Edmund O’Brien, among other noted actors. In 1912 a third floor was added, making the Majestic Theatre Madison’s first large movie theater. The lobby was very narrow, there was a balcony and there were quasi-boxes on either side of the auditorium. The Majestic Theatre was declared a Madison Landmark, and was nominated by the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation in 1995. (Tom Alesia, “Majestic Theatre ready for latest incarnation,” Wisconsin State Journal, February 17, 2003.) “Opening this Wednesday, Club Majestic turns the 96-year-old theater into a state-of-the-art nightclub, where dancers will use the same space

where W. C. Fields and the Marx Brothers once performed. The remodeled interior alters the well-worn art-film space into one of the city’s most cosmopolitan nightclubs.” From the outside, the Majestic maintains its long-running charm. The marquee remains, with enhanced neon fixtures. Inside, the small lobby serves as a coat-check area before patrons enter the dazzling club with oversized, stuffed chairs and a lounge above the stage

Olympic Theatre University Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1920s; seats: 250 The Olympic was a neighborhood silent movie theatre. (old) Orpheum Theatre (See Madison.) Orpheum Theatre

216 State Street. Open: 1927; open; seats: 2246/1834 This premiere “movie palace” was built by Chicago architects C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp, originally offering a combination of vaudeville and movies. The theater was designed in the Art Deco and French Renaissance styles popular at the time with

Majestic Theatre, Madison, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Madison

Top: Orpheum Theatre, Madison, 2001; left: Orpheum Theatre, Vertical Sign, Madison, 2001 (both photographs by author).

a gold and cream color scheme. There are two balcony entrances, both leading to the same swooping seating section. The original Kimball pipe organ was installed in the Weill Center in Sheboygan. The huge vertical sign towers over State Street lit at night with bulbs and chasers outlining the sign. The Orpheum opened on March 31, 1927, and would go on to accomplish a feat that has eluded nearly every other Orpheum across the country — it is still a major first-run movie theater. The theatre began showing sound films in April 1929. An additional smaller theater (350 seats), called Stage Door, is used for live concerts and art house films. This second screen is in a separate space connected by a long narrow hallway. The Orpheum is a Madison Landmark and was nominated by the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation in 1997. It has survived many attempts to change its function as a “first-run” theater, and in 1998, Madison native Henry Doane rescued the Orpheum from being converted into an IMAX movie house. While still

Manawa

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showing first-run and art films, the Orpheum has also been home to comedy shows, rock concerts, and dances recitals. Now called The Orpheum Lobby Restaurant & Theatre. The grand lobby was converted to a full service restaurant and bar. The lobby, mezzanine and theatres are also available to rent for private functions. Since 2006, fund raising has been ongoing to help relight the marquee and eventually the landmark Orpheum sign. (www.orpheumtheatre.net)

Orton Theatre Williamson Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1931; seats: 300 The Orton was a neighborhood movie theatre that closed before converting to sound. Palace Theatre 1947 Winnebago Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1933; seats: 300 This neighborhood theatre opened as the Gem. In 1921, the theatre was renamed the Palace, but remained a silent movie house never converting to sound. Parkway Theatre

6–10 West Mifflin Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1954; seats: 1264 The Fuller Opera House sat on one side of City Hall and became the Parkway Theatre when movies became the popular entertainment in 1921 when it was also remodeled. The Parkway Theatre showed Vitaphone shorts. In 1926 a Barton theatre organ was installed in the theatre. The Parkway became the city’s first theatre to show sound features: The Jazz Singer in February 1928. Both the theatre and City Hall were torn down in 1954.

This neighborhood theatre remained a silent movie house.

Strand Theatre

16 East Mifflin St. Open: 1918; closed: 1990; seats: 1396 The opulent Strand Theatre was designed by C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp, and was considered Madison’s first large movie palace. The Strand’s large vertical sign rose higher than any surrounding building. The upper part of the façade features classic Ionicstyle columns. In 1926, the huge Wurlitzer was installed on both sides of the screen. The Strand started showing sound films by November 1928. When the theatre was purchased in 1942, the organ was moved and is now at the Theatre Organ Society of San Diego. In 1990, the theatre was partially demolished; the remainder of the building torn down in 1996 with the marquee given to the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Wisconsin State Journal column “Have You Seen This Madison” from 1969 to 1977.) Condominiums are now on the site.

Varsity Theatre

State Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1920s; seats: 250 The Varsity remained a silent movie house.

Pastime Theatre West Washington Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1920s; seats: 250 The Pastime Theatre remained a silent movie house. Royal Theatre

407 Atwood Strand Theatre, Madison, 1955 (courtesy Theatre Historical SociAvenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1920s; ety of America). seats: 300 The Royal had the large arched ANAWA entrance typical of the early silent movie houses. A ticket booth sat in the center surrounded by billWaupaca County. The Little Wolf River was boards of coming attractions. “ROYAL” was on a bridged in three places here by the 1880s, making sign above the arch. Manawa a focus of all traffic through the township. The city was cradled in the lower crook of the reStar Theatre East Washington Street. Open: verse-“S” made by the river. According to local folklore, “Manawa” means “Long Bow,” and was 1911; closed: 1920s; seats: 250

—M

—

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Manchester / Manitowoc

the name of a Native American who was killed in a duel near the lower river crossing. (www.manawachamber.net)

Maria cuts into the town near its southeast corner, and the Grand River flows westwardly through the town.

Arjoy/Manawa Theatre Bridge Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1946; seats: 200 The Arjoy was a storefront-type theatre that was renamed the Manawa Theatre in 1935. The theatre closed when the town wanted to build a more modern theatre. The building still stands used for retail.

Manchester Hall Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1943; seats: 275 Manchester Hall served the town in many capacities including the place where moving pictures were shown.

Manawa Theatre

Second Street. Open: 1947; closed: 1963; seats: 525 This theatre replaced the old Manawa Theatre and was built by a group of townspeople. This new, two-aisle theatre opened on June 25, 1947, with a marquee. There was a cry room on the ground level. Currently, the building houses offices and apartments. (Source: Robert Squires, former manager of the Manawa Theatre.)

— MANITOWOC — Manitowoc County. On the Manitowoc River where it enters Lake Michigan, Manitowoc means “home of the great spirit.” Its downtown district, the area surrounding 8th Street, reflects a community rich in history and civic pride. (www.mani towoc.org)

Capitol Theatre

— MANCHESTER — Green Lake County. The village of Manchester is located in the center of Green Lake County. Lake

913 South 8th Street. Open: 1921; open; seats: 1383/1169 Built as a vaudeville and opulent movie house, the Capitol features a large, ornate auditorium with seating on the main floor, two balconies and box seats on the side walls. The large vertical

Above left, top: Manawa Theatre, Manawa, 1948; bottom: Manawa Theatre, Concessions, Manawa, 1948; above right: Manawa Theatre, Vertical Sign, Manawa, 1948 (all photographs courtesy Robert Squires).

Manitowoc

130

sign read Ascher’s Capitol Theatre and the opening program on June 16, 1921, featured a vaudeville show called Review of the Times. The Capitol operated as a movie theatre until 1985 when it closed. Restored, the theatre reopened in 1987 as the Capitol Civic Centre, which is listed on the Wisconsin League of Historic Theatres. Often referred to as the “Jewel of the Lakeshore,” the Capitol Civic Centre is the focal point of the performing arts on Wisconsin’s East Coast. Now showcasing live stage productions by professional traveling artists and local performing groups. Close to becoming a multiplex movie house, the Society to Preserve the Capitol began when a small group of local performers wanted a home stage, and felt there was a need for a performing arts center on the lake shore. The Society purchased the Capitol Theatre, and on June 21, 1987, a performance called The Final Curtain was held on the Capitol’s stage. This fund-raiser marked the beginning of the reno-

vation. On October 30, 1987, the Capitol Theatre reopened as the Capitol Civic Centre transformed back to its original elegance. (www.cccshows.org)

Colonial Theatre

1019 Washington Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1922; seats: 200 The theatre opened as the Park and was renamed the Colonial Theatre in 1915. This was a silent movie house.

Crystal Theatre

315 North 8th Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1924; seats: 250 The original Crystal Theatre opened at 102 North 8th Street and was destroyed in a fire in 1911. The theatre reopened in a leased roller rink at the above address in 1911. After closing the theatre was remodeled to open as the Strand Theatre in 1928.

Empire Theatre 1801 Marshall Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1955; seats: 500 The theatre building is still standing converted into a retail store.

Empire Theatre, Manitowoc, 2001 (photograph by author).

Top: Capitol Theatre, Manitowoc, 1983 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Capitol Theatre, Manitowoc, 2001 (photograph by author).

Lakeshore Cinema 1116 Washington Street. Open: 1916; open; seats: 780 Built in 1915 by John M. Kadow, the theatre opened on March 4, 1916, called the Mikadow in downtown Manitowoc across from Washington Park. Rebuilt in 1956, it served as a church for several years. Family-owned Get Reel Inc. purchased the theater from the church in March 2002 with the intention of converting it back to a cinema. After extensive remodeling, which included adding a kitchen and theater tables, the renamed Lakeshore Cinema opened in May of 2002. Licensed as an intermediate-run theater with the biggest box office hits shown after they leave theatres in the greater Green Bay area, Lakeshore Cinema offers nightly shows during the week, matinees on weekends, plus homemade pizzas and sandwiches

131

Marathon

brought to your table. (www.GetReelCinemas. com)

Mikadow Theatre (See Lakeshore.)

Strand Theatre, Manitowoc, 2001 (photograph by author).

of the building was torn down for remodeling. The second floor was torn out, the stage was removed, and the old lobby and entrance were replaced to make it one of the most modern theatres in that part of the state. There were new glass doors and new ramps leading from the lobby to the auditorium. Trane air conditioning was installed along with Ballantyne sound and Simplex projectors, and a new marquee with a chaser in the nose and front that produced a waterfall effect. Two “Strand” name signs are in silhouette with letters in gold neon. (“New Equipment, New Appearance for Manitowoc’s Strand Theatre.”) Top: Mikadow Theatre, Manitowac, 1983 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Lakeshore Cinema, Mani- Vaudette Theatre North towac, 2001 (photograph by author). 8th and York Streets. Open: 1909; closed: 1915; seats: 250 The Vaudette was an early silent movie theatre in Orpheum Theatre 7th and Washington the National Bank building. Streets. Open: 1851; closed: 1927; seats: 400 This was Turner Hall.

Park Theatre (See Colonial.) Strand Theatre

315 North 8th Street. Open: 1928; open; seats: 488 The Strand was built on the site of the Crystal theatre in downtown Manitowoc. The theatre has been divided into five screens. Nick Johnson, owner of the Strand, came to Manitowoc in 1935 to manage the theatre for Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corporation, but took the house over as an independent operator five years ago. Most

— MARATHON — Marathon County. Marathon is in the Wausau metropolitan area.

Village Hall

3rd and Walnut Streets. Open: 1938; closed: 1949; seats: 200 The second floor of the Village Hall was used for various community activities, which included showing movies. The floor was level. The building was torn down in 1985.

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132

— MARINETTE — Marinette County. The City of Marinette is located at the mouth of the Menominee River as it enters the waters of Green Bay. At the northeast boundary of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, its neighboring city is Menominee, Michigan. (www.mari nette.wi.us/)

Bijou Theatre

1722–1726 Main Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1924; seats: 383 The Bijou Theatre was built for prominent businessman Frank Lauerman as a combination general store and vaudeville house. Soon moving pictures replaced vaudeville acts, but the larger theaters in Marinette caused the theatre to close. By 1920, there were eight movie theaters in operation in the twin cities of Marinette and Menominee, Michigan. “No community north of Milwaukee had better quality theater fare early in this century.” Fox Theatre, Marinette, 1941 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society (Howard Emich. Menominee River of America). Memories. 1976.) Converted into offices and retail space after closing, entire roof caved in and settled on the floor of the authe theatre remains to serve the community today. ditorium. The immediate demolition of the theatre The well-preserved neo-classical Bijou Building was building was announced. (“Theater Razing Contract added to the National Register of Historic Places in Made,” Marinette Eagle-Star, August 28, 1967.) 1993. The Bijou is now one of Marinette’s most inTwo early theatres opened on Main Street within tact early twentieth century commercial buildings, a year of each other when the new silent moving picand the sole survivor of the eight theaters that once tures became popular. The Grand Theatre opened in competed for the area’s movie audience. 1905 with 200 seats. The Lyric Theatre opened in

Cozy Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1928; seats: 200 The Cozy Theatre was on Main street opposite Lauerman’s shoe store showing a movie program consisting of The Girl in the Taxi and a Toonerville comedy.

Fox Theatre

1701 Vine Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1967; seats: 999 The theatre opened as the Scott Opera House, and was renamed the Marinette Theatre in 1910 when it became a silent movie theatre. The theatre was remodeled and equipped for sound in 1929 and renamed the Fox, “The Place to Go,” by its new owners, the Fox-Wisconsin Amusement Corporation. The Fox Theatre building closed early in July 1967, after a portion of the roof caved in. Then the

1906 with 300 seats. Both theatres remained silent movie houses, the Grand closing in 1911 and the Lyric in 1920.

Marinette Theatre (See Fox.) Rialto Theatre 1824 Hall Avenue. Open: 1888; closed: 1954; seats: 664 This was the Stephenson Opera House in 1888 named for an early settler who became a state legislator and U.S. Senator. When moving pictures became the popular entertainment, the Opera House became the Rialto Theatre in the 1920s. When FoxWisconsin Amusement Corporation reopened the Rialto Theatre, it was redecorated with new sound equipment and a new screen. The grand reopening featured Two O’Clock Courage with Tom Conway

133 and Ann Rutherford along with Gene Autry in Under Fiesta Stars. (“Rialto Theater Open Saturday,” Marinette Eagle-Star,” Friday, November 2, 1945.) The paper reported that programs would change Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays, with first-run pictures shown Saturdays and Sundays. The Rialto closed the last week of April 1954 with The Boy from Oklahoma featuring Will Rogers and Go, Man, Go! with the Harlem Globetrotters. The theatre was reopened for a short time in November 1954. The Rialto Theatre was torn down.

Marion

the Pigeon River and named for the first child born in the village. (www.marion.gov)

Fuchs Opera House

Garfield Street Edward Fuchs in 1908 opened his Opera House on Garfield Street. By the turn of the century, the social center of Marion had long been the Ramsdell Opera House, earlier known as The Rink, located on South Waupaca Street. The grand opening of the Fuchs Opera House marked the beginning of a new era in Marion’s social life. The first event to take place there was a Thanksgiving Day dance; the first movie was shown in 1909. In November 1920, the Opera House was moved to a site immediately south of the pond. After the move, the building was enlarged. During the years in which the Opera House served as the social center of the community, a wide variety of events took place there: roller skating, dances, basketball games, home talent shows, and traveling shows. In addition, hundreds of movies were shown during its years of operation.

Marion Theatre Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1954; seats: 342 This theatre, which had a balcony, had been converted from the early Fuchs Rialto Theatre, Marinette, 1941 (courtesy Theatre Historical Opera House, and in the early 1930s, renamed the Fox Theatre and again reSociety of America). named in the mid–1940s to the Marion Theatre. Ed Fuchs sold the building in Scott Opera House (See Fox.) 1971, after which it was torn down. Stephenson Opera House (See Rialto.)

Strand Theatre

1704 Main Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1945; seats: 578 When Fox-Wisconsin reopened the remodeled Rialto Theatre the Marinette Eagle-Star reported that they closed the Strand Theatre the prior weekend. The last ad to run in the Marinette Eagle-Star on October 27, 1945, was for God Is My Co-Pilot starring Dennis Morgan and Abbott and Costello in Here Come the CoEds. The Strand Theatre burned down in 1955. Marion Theatre, Marion, 1950s (courtesy Marion Area Historical Society).

— MARION — Waupaca/Shawano Counties. An early lumber village in northern Wisconsin, Marion is located on

Markesan / Marshfield

134

— MARKESAN — Green Lake County. An 1890 account of the “Village of Markesan” states it is pleasantly situated on the uneven land lying on both sides of the Grand River. “It is the center of rich and beautiful farming country in which it possesses no rivals to be feared and it is predicted that its progress will be steady and satisfactory.” (Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., 1890.)

Markesan Theatre

19 South Bridge Street. Open: 1936; closed: 1974; seats: 296 The Markesan Theatre was owned and operated by Henry and Mabel Pueschner until 1970. Then the theatre was purchased by Kurt Hitzemann who operated the business until 1972 when it reverted back to the Pueschner family. Randy Berghammer purchased the theatre and operated it until 1974 when it was closed. The building is still standing but the marquee is no longer on the building.

— MARSHFIELD — Wood and Marathon Counties. Marshfield is the largest city in Wood County, but it straddles the border between Wood and Marathon counties. The largest round barn in the United States is here.

Marshfield became a Wisconsin Main Street Community in 1990.

Adler Opera House

107 East Second Street. Open: 1897; closed: 1955; seats: 600 The Adler Opera House was converted to “moving pictures” by John Peter Adler. As a young boy, he had helped his father, Phillip Adler, haul bricks for the opera house, and captained the “bill boys” who distributed theater advertising throughout the city, and became bill poster and stage manager for many attractions that played the opera house. John Barrymore and Boris Karloff are just some of the actors in the road show companies that appeared in the early days. J. P. Adler took over from his father on December 1, 1908, and the following year introduced Marshfield to silent movies. An organ, sometimes played by Mrs. Adler, would accompany the silent films. Perhaps an orchestra would play on Saturday and Sunday nights. In addition, stage shows also continued to be booked into the Adler. Productions such as Tobacco Road and Cat and the Canary were presented during the Depression. Mr. Adler stopped showing movies in 1955, and returned the theatre to a meeting hall for various town gatherings. In 1964, the Adler Block was sold and the Adler Opera House was razed. The site later became a new Woolworth’s Department store.

Adler Opera House, Marshfield, Early (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

135 Adler Theatre 419 South Central Ave. Open: 1937; open; seats: 800 This theatre was originally the (new) Adler built for the Adler Theater Company. It opened on September 25, 1937, with the film Big City. Designed by Minneapolis architect Perry E. Crosier, the theatre’s facade was of polished granite and black Vitrolite glass with a large canopy. An electric sign tower was lit with an assortment of colored bulbs and neon tubes. The interior featured air-conditioning, a highfidelity sound system, and state-of-the-art film projectors with high intensity lamps. In the late 1940s, a concession stand was added in the lobby. In 1958, the Adler Theatre was downtown Marshfield’s only theatre. (Marshfield History Project. The Marshfield Story 1872–1997. Piecing Together Our Past. Amherst: Palmer Publications, Inc. 1997.) In the early 1960s, the (new) Adler had become Marshfield’s Youth Center, and in 1963, the manager, Paul J. Rogers, was hired by the Adler Theatre Company. In June of 1972, the theatre was purchased by Paul J. Rogers and then renovated in 1973 into a two-screen theatre renamed Rogers Cinema I and II. In 1977, Paul Rogers and his partner, John V. Koran, built the restaurant space adjacent to the theatre. In 1984, the theatre was renovated creating a third screen by dividing the balcony. In 1996, Rogers Cinema undertook a major renovation when they purchased the two adjacent properties and expanded Rogers Cinemas to seven screens. Relda Theatre 214 South Central Ave. Open: 1918; closed: 1958; seats: 500 Mr. J. P Adler purchased the Trio Theatre, which opened in June 1918. An organ was installed on November 29, 1922, to accompany the silent motion pictures. In 1927, after extensive remodeling, Mr. Adler held a contest to rename the theatre. The theatre was renamed the Relda, Adler spelled backwards. The silents were always accompanied by a piano player. The first talking picture was shown on November 30, 1929, Home Towners. The theatre was redecorated in 1955, but by 1958 the Relda was converted into a retail store. At that time, Mr. Adler sold all his central Wisconsin theaters except the Adler Theatre in Marshfield, the Rosa Theatre in Waupaca, and the Adler Theatre in Neillsville. ( Jan Coombs. Big Ambi-

Mauston

tions in a Small Town: The Story of J. P. Adler and the Movies.)

— MAUSTON — Juneau County. A Mr. Maughs plotted out a village, which became known as Maughs Mills. Soon Maughs dropped the “gh” from his name, added a “ton” and the village became known as Mauston. Mauston is the only town in the United States bearing that name. The county seat is on the Lemonweir River, near the shores of the ancient Glacial Lake that covered much of central and northern Wisconsin. (www.rootsweb.com/~wiJuneau/)

Gail Theatre

101 West State Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1980s; seats: 400 Opened as the Majestic Theatre by A. G. Doer in a building on the south side of State Street two buildings east of Division. Shortly after opening the theatre was moved to a building on the north side of State near Hickory. A Link organ was installed in

Top: Gail Theatre, Mauston, 1948; bottom: Majestic Theatre, Mauston, 1920s (both photographs courtesy Juneau County Historical Society).

Mayville / Mazomanie / Medford

136

1926. In 1930, new owner Mr. Suszycki remodeled and enlarged the theatre and renamed it the Gail in honor of his wife. The building was demolished in September 1993.

Rex Theatre

the Ideal had been sold to Mr. Slack who took possession immediately. Admission was five and ten cents. This building burned down in 1926.

Majestic Theatre

State Street. Open: 1912; closed:

1926; seats: 200 The Mauston Star announced the closing of the Rex Theatre in their issue of June 10, 1926. They also wrote that the theatre seats were sold to the owner of the Majestic. Theatre. The Rex regularly advertised in the newspaper prior to its closing.

— MAYVILLE — Dodge County. Main Street Mayville was designated a Historical District in 1994. The Main Street Program is a project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The district is composed of most of the historic downtown commercial business center of Mayville along Main Street. The eastern boundary of the district is the Rock River, which runs the length of the town. In addition, Mayville is on the eastern edge of the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area, the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. This vast wetland is renown for its migrant flocks of Canada geese, and is home to more than 260 kinds of birds. (www.mayvillechamber.com)

34 Brodhead Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1934; seats: 250 The Mazomanie Sickle of June 9, 1916, reported that Ryan Corner was being remodeled for a moving picture show house. Continuing the press coverage, on June 23, 1916, they announced that the new moving picture house expects to open for business on Saturday of the following week. On June 30, 1916, Nick Pappas, the proprietor, said that the theatre is up-to-date in every way, welllighted and ventilated. For hot weather, a number of electric fans have been installed. The picture machine, which is motor-driven and screen are of the latest improved type. Mr. Pappas expects to run his theatre every night during the week. Matinees will be on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, which will be Paramount days, and also on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The floor of the building has been made to slope. The exterior of the building presents a very cosmopolitan appearance with ticket booth, electric lights and built-in entrance. On November 10, 1916, Mr. Slack rented the Majestic Theatre and closed the old Ideal. The theatre was called Ideal-Majestic Theatre, but by September 1917 it seems “Ideal” was dropped from the name. There were Majestic Theatre ads until February 23, 1934.

May Theatre

20 South Main Street. Open: 1933; closed: 1957; seats: 303 The theatre has been home to family-owned Lloyd’s Appliance for over twenty-five years.

— MAZOMANIE — Dane County. Many of the village’s first pioneers were members of the British Temperance Emigration Society, popular in the Yorkshire and Lancashire regions of England. The village was named after an Indian chief whose name, when translated, means “Iron that Walks.” Prior to the coming of the railroad the area was sparsely settled. Thirtyfour commercial buildings in the downtown district have been named to the National Register of Historic Places. (www.villageofmazomanie.com/His tory/History.htm)

Ideal Theatre

Crescent Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1916; seats: 200 Mr. Vanderlie opened the Ideal Theatre on April 1, 1913, in one store section of the Reible Block. The Mazomanie Sickle of February 20, 1914, reported that

— MEDFORD — Taylor County. Medford is located in northwestern Wisconsin. The Chequamegon National Forest covers one-third of Taylor County of which Medford is the county seat. (www.medfordwis.com)

Avon Theatre

140 South Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1972; seats: 494 Orin G. Blakeslee, owner and operator of the Cozy Theatre opened the new Avon Theatre on November 1, 1930, with Clara Bow in Her Wedding Night. Other features that night were Eddie Cantor in Insurance, and Robert Bruce’s scenic Many Moons. In addition, there were movies of Medford people taken on October 11 while filming on Main Street. The “atmospheric” interior of the auditorium was designed by J. E. Nason of Minneapolis. Congratulations were sent to Mr. Blakeslee by all the major Hollywood studios. The epitome of the movie palace, the Avon Theatre transported the moviegoer to a street in Venice, with fronts of Italian Renaissance palaces trimmed with trailing vines and climbing flowers. Windows

137 along the “street” glowed softly and a vaulted skyblue ceiling reflected slowly moving clouds shown by concealed projectors. Drifting across the ceiling were fleecy clouds or storm clouds depending on what complimented the movie being shown. “A thing of beauty,” reported The Star-News; advertisements called the Avon Theatre “The Show Place of Northern Wisconsin.” The Avon closed in September 1972 after sixty years of operating movies in Medford by the Blakeslee family. (“Medford to Have a New Theatre; Architects Here with Plans for New Building to Go Up This Summer,” Taylor County Leader, March 20, 1930.)

Mellen

coordinate the music with the movies. The silent movies were about ten to twenty minutes in length. Then a piano-organ combination was installed known as a reproducer organ. After that a Phototone was installed which was a nonsynchronous machine playing records to cue the picture. Most of the music-producing equipment in use by theatres became obsolete with the advent of talkies. The Taylor County Leader announced that manager, Mr. O. G. Blakeslee, will install a new talkie machine called an Ultraphone and that the first alltalkie picture will be Navy Blues on May 1, 1930. (“Avon Management’s Picture Theatre Record Extends over 18 Year Period,” The Star News, October 30, 1930.) The building was demolished.

Germania Hall Ogden/Second Street. Open: 1886; closed: 1930s; seats: 600 For many years Germania Hall was the center of entertainment by traveling stock companies, home talent shows and silent movies. In partnership with John Werner, O. G. Blakeslee started to show the first moving pictures in 1912. He also showed movies mostly on Saturday nights at the Paquet Opera House/Music Hall, a very popular amusement center in the early days of Medford, located on the second flour of a four-story building. Germania Hall was torn down in the 1950s.

— MELLEN — Ashland County. Mellen is situated on the historic Bad River in northern Wisconsin, in the Chequamegon National Forest next to the wooded hills of the Penokee Mountain Range. (www.mellenwi. org) Avon Theatre, Medford, 1940s (courtesy Taylor County Historical Society).

Cozy Theatre South Main and Division Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1930; seats: 400 Movies were shown with a portable projector and screen while a piano accompanied the silents. There was also an orchestra consisting of a violin, drums, marimbas, and xylophone. Sometimes the piano player would view the movie before show time to

Met Theatre

105 East Bennett Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1957; seats: 350 The theatre opened in the Knoll Building with the name of Cosy Place. It was on the first story with the upper story used for office space. That same year Bernard King sold the theatre to Richard White who renamed it the White Theatre. Just after the First World War, Alton Lighter purchased the theatre in 1919, adding new lighting and new seating. The the-

Melrose / Menasha

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atre was then renamed the Orpheum. For the next thirty-four years, from silent films to talkies, Mr. Lighter ran a thriving business. In July 1953, the theatre closed, and in April of 1954, Leon Kalmon purchased the theatre and reopened it under the name Met. Feeling the influence of television, the theatre was closed on and off that last summer of 1957, but in the first week of October the ad was printed “Met Theatre will close.” Saddle the Wind was the last show. The building is still standing. ( Joseph A. Barabe. By the Side of the Road. Mellen: XL Publishing Company, 1992.) ( Joseph A. Barabe, ed. A Journey into Mellen Centennial 1886–1986, Volumes 1 and 2.)

— MELROSE — Jackson County. The village of Melrose is in westcentral Wisconsin. (www.rootsweb.com/~wijack so/)

Rose Theatre 415 North Washington Street. Open: 1946; closed: 1955; seats: 420 Built and owned by Harvey Rucker, the Rose Theatre opened on February 17, 1946, with the movie Pillow to Post. The theatre was designed by Chicago architect, Irving M. Karlin. Mr. Ashley purchased the Rose in 1950 and four months later gave the theatre back. The theatre was then resold to Mr. Floyd Hodd. After four years, Mr. Hodd was unable to make payments and gave it back. The building was then leased to Melrose businessmen. They operated the theatre for about a year but then closed the theatre and remodeled it into a restaurant.

— MENASHA — Winnebago County. Menasha is in the heart of the Fox Valley closely united with Neenah, Wisconsin. They lie on both sides of the two channels through which Lake Winnebago empties into the Fox River. (www.town-menasha.com)

Brin Theatre 1 Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1969; seats: 960/840 The Brin Theatre opened Christmas Day 1928. The large theatre building not only included the theatre but also a bowling alley. The facility was considered one of the finest in the entire Northwest. The new theatre contained the stage and orchestra necessary to accommodate vaudeville and other live acts. The Brin Theatre became part of Wisconsin Amusement Enterprises on July 31, 1934. Closed for repairs and remodeling in September 1942, it opened the following February with the screen and projec-

tion equipment replaced, the orchestra pit removed, and the interior done in a variety of bright colors. Marcus Theater Enterprises decided to close (March 1969) the Brin Theatre after a recent remodel and reduce the seating capacity to 840. S and M Theaters (Marcus) had owned the theatre since 1951. Numerous reasons were cited including new bowling alley openings. The town had already drawn up downtown redevelopment plans showing the site of the theatre as a parking lot, which never came to pass. The theatre building is still standing in downtown Menasha without a marquee. Today the auditorium serves as the “Brin Mall.” ( Julia Gunderson, “The Brin Theater ... a glimpse of the past and present,” Valley Scene, April 1997.)

Crystal Theatre (See Orpheum.) Orpheum Theatre

159 Main Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1920; seats: 200 This theatre opened as the Crystal on September 2, 1907, located beside City Hall, and operated by French Stanton Amusement Company of New York. The November 30, 1908, Menasha Record reported that the Crystal Theatre was closed. The Ketchum family reopened the theatre on January 18, 1909. Refurbished in the spring of 1911, the theatre was reopened renamed the Orpheum on Easter Sunday, April 16, with a performance by the Riesenweber Orchestra and an illustrated song by Reuben Eckrich. The manager was A. A. Schiffer and the pianist was Anna Krautkramer. Admission was five cents. In October 1911, the Orpheum Theatre was moved to the Bierman Block. The May 13, 1913, Menasha Record told of Miss Tillie Krause serving as pianist during the absence of Miss Ruth Arft who was enjoying a well-earned vacation.

Orpheum Theatre

Corner Main and Milwaukee Streets The Menasha Record of September 17, 1915, announced that a new moving picture theatre will be built called the Orpheum. J. Herziger arrives on November 29, 1920 (Menasha Record ), in Menasha to manage the Orpheum Theatre saying that an organ would be delivered the following year. The public heard for the first time on March 24, 1921, the newly-acquired three-manual Barton theatre organ. This was the first such instrument in NeenahMenasha, also one of the very first in the State. On August 2, 1923, a newly expanded Orpheum reopens. Saxe Amusement Enterprises of Milwaukee buys the Orpheum and Doty Theatres on March 24, 1926. The Menasha Record announced that the Orpheum Theatre will close on May 17, 1929, and reopen on May 24, 1932. The Menasha

139 Record of April 23, 1934, tells of a remodeled Orpheum to reopen in July.

Photoplay Company Theatre 339 Broad Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1922; seats: 200 As its name states, this was a short-lived silent movie house. Square Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1920; seats: 250 On June 17, 1912, the Menasha Record reported that the Square Theatre was taken over by A. E. Stadler. This silent movie house never converted to sound.

Menomonee Falls

and operated by S and M Theaters Company. (“Menasha Film Suit Settled for $75,000,” Valley Scene, March 26, 1951.)

— MENOMONEE FALLS — Waukesha County. Menomonee Falls is located on the rapids of the Menominee River that flows through the center of town just northwest of Milwaukee. (www.menomonee-falls.org)

Falls Theatre Appleton Avenue. Open: 1941; closed: 1973; seats: 414

Star Theatre Main Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1908; seats: 150 The August 14, 1906, Menasha Record announced that a “Bijou” was to be built on Main Street at Dilmore Livery; the Star Theatre opened November 12, 1906. (Silent movie houses were often referred to as “Bijous.”) Valley

Theatre 157 Main Street. Open: 1944; closed: 1953; seats: 500 In the 1950 Menasha City Directory, the theatre was called the Fox Valley and owned by the Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corporation. The building still stands. In 1951 Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hartwig of Oconomowoc were the major owners of the Valley Theatre (and the Brin Theatre)

Above: Falls Theatre, Menomonee Falls, 1941; below: Falls Theatre, Interior, Menomonee Falls, 1941 (both photographs courtesy Menomonee Falls Public Library).

The new Falls Theatre was built when the first one burned down. After closing, it was torn down. Valley Theatre, Menasha, 1944 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Falls Theatre Appleton Avenue. Open: 1910s; closed: 1940; seats: 200 This early theatre was in the Wood Building, and burned down in 1940.

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— MENOMONIE — Dunn County. Menomonie is situated along the beautiful shores of Lake Menomin and the banks of the scenic Red Cedar River in northwest Wisconsin. Steeped in logging history and once dubbed “Queen of the Pinery,” Menomonie is located twenty-five miles east of Eau Claire. Anchored by the architecture of the Mabel Tainter Memorial, Menomonie’s Main Street has been designated a national Downtown Historic District, with a restoration and revitalization program currently under way. (www.menomonie.com)

Grand Theatre

517 Broadway. Open: 1932; closed: 1950; seats: 315 The Grand was demolished after closing.

Dinner Theatre. With tables in all the theatres, pizza and burgers are offered along with first-run films Tuesdays through Sunday. Party rooms are also available in the theatre with its distinctive blue façade.

— MERCER — Iron County. At the northern entrance to Wisconsin’s Northern Lakes Region, Mercer is called the “Loon Capital of the World.” (www.mercerwi. com)

Opera House Main Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1932; seats: 200 Only silent movies were featured. The “theatre” was also known as the Movies.

Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre

205 Main Street. Open: 1889; open; seats: 313 The building was presented to the city by Captain and Mrs. Andrew Tainter built as a memorial to their daughter Mabel who had died while away at college. Designed by Minneapolis architect, Harvey Ellis, in a Richardsonian Romanesque style, the building was constructed to house a public library, meeting rooms, and a theatre. The massive building is constructed of rough stone with the doors and windows deeply set into arched openings. Four short towers can be found at the corners of the building. Decorative stone carvings can be seen around and above the arched main entrance. The interior features Middle Eastern Moorish design motifs on its intricate handstenciled walls and carved woodwork. Elaborate chandeliers, curved balconies and a highly detailed proscenium arch over the stage highlight the theater interior. There is also a rare Steere and Turner Tracker pipe organ. The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts is listed on the National Register of Historical Places, and designated a Wisconsin historical marker site. A venue for performing arts events, the theater features nationally recognized and local artists. (www.mabeltainter.com)

Orpheum Theatre 406 Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1950; seats: 560 Both the Orpheum and the Grand closed when the new State Theatre opened. The Orpheum is still standing. State Theatre

639 South Broadway Street. Open: 1950; open; seats: 850 When the Grand and Orpheum theatres closed, the equipment was incorporated in the new State Theatre. The theatre has been divided into four screens and is now called State Cinema 4 Budget

— MERRILL — Lincoln County. Located in the timber country of the North, Merrill was known as Jenny Bull Falls. It lay at the heart of a vast forest land known best to the Chippewa Indians. Electric streetcars were placed in operation in 1890, one of the first such installations in the world. Further evidence of the refinement of civilization was seen a year later when the T.B. Scott Library opened. Merrill’s recognition as a principal millwork center comes in light of the lumbering background of the community. (www.ci.merrill.wi.us/)

Badger Theatre

206 Grand Avenue. Open: 1904; closed: 1960; seats: 500 The Badger Hotel and Opera House opened on October 10, 1904, in a “flat iron design” by architects Van Ryn and DeGelleke. Movies started to be presented around 1911. The entire structure was gutted by fire in 1967.

Cosmo Theatre 815 East Main Street. Open: 1886; closed: 1928; seats: 400 The eastern half of the M&I Bank building was the Berard Opera House back in 1886. A performance of Kathleen Mavourneen opened the brick Opera House on September 11, 1886. On the second floor was a stage, dressing rooms, and a balcony. The Berard Opera House entertained the people of Merrill for many years and then passed into the hands of Charles Stachie who converted the east portion of the first story into a motion picture house. The upper floor continued to be used for shows and dances. In 1920, A. L. Robarge purchased the building. The theatre was equipped with a new Kilgen organ in 1927, new seats were installed and the theatre was renamed the Cosmo.

141 On Sunday afternoon, December 16, 1928, the Cosmo Theatre was filled with mostly children watching a “Buster Brown” movie when they noticed smoke entering the theatre. Below the theatre in the furnace room a fire was smoldering and soon the entire building would be filled with smoke, but all patrons escaped the building without injury. When the fire started, 3,000 feet of motion picture film on reels were removed by breaking windows in the front of the theatre. The Wausau Fire Department was called to help. Fighting the fire continued all night and during the forenoon. The Merrill Daily Herald reported that when the fire was out, the adjoining Belleview Cafe was gone as were the five business places housed in the building and eleven apartments.

Cosmo Theatre 813 East Main Street. Open: 1929; open; seats: 714/450 The Merrill Daily Herald announced on February 23, 1929, that A. L. Robarge planned to build a new movie house at the location of the old Littlejohn building, and it would be operated jointly with Fox Film Corporation. This theatre would have a Vitaphone for the newest in sound pictures and the second floor will have five new, large apartments. Arthur Hanson of Wausau was appointed to manage the new Fox. A large sign (in three sections) with the letters “FOX” was installed to be illuminated by seven hundred electric bulbs. A beautiful canopy extended over the entire sidewall so in the neighborhood of two thousand lights would be lit in the sign,

Merrill

canopy and attraction boards. The Fox Theatre opened on December 7, 1929, with the headlines in the Merrill Star Advocate reading “Gala Opening of New Theatre Tonight, Fox Officials Here for First Show in House.” The opening night feature was They Had to See Paris with Will Rogers along with a Gus Edwards’ Revue The Doll Shop, a Mickey Mouse Sound Cartoon and Fox Movietone News. A feature of Merrill’s new show house was the fact that it was the only theatre in the state of Wisconsin built especially for sound. The final movie on January 29, 1933, under the Fox name was Silver Dollar with Edward G. Robinson. Closed briefly and reopened on February 12, 1933, as the Merrill Theatre with the feature attraction Dangerously Yours with Warner Baxter. A contest was held for Merrill theatregoers to decide on a new name for the east side motion picture house, and the Merrill Daily Herald of March 8, 1933, announced “Cosmo” Chosen as New Name of Showhouse.” (“Cosmo Theatre and Apartment Building Sold. Miss Lucille Forbes, Prominent Wisconsin Theatre Operator, Takes Over Business Tomorrow,” Merrill Daily Herald, December 30, 1938.) The first show was a gala New Year’s Eve show There Goes My Heart with Fredric March and Virginia Bruce. (Excerpted from “History of the Cosmo Theatre” by Jack Swope.) The vintage theatre had been twinned by dividing the theatre in half on its long axis. A third theatre was added in 2008 in a new building on the vacant lot next to the original theatre.

Cosmo Theatre, Merrill, 2002 (photograph by author).

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— MIDDLETON —

— MILWAUKEE —

Dane County. Middleton began as Peatville, and then successively called Mendota, Middleton Station, and Middleton. (www.ci.middleton.wi.us/)

Milwaukee County. Milwaukee is the largest city within the state of Wisconsin; the county seat of Milwaukee County. Along the southwestern shores and steep bluffs of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee’s terrain is sculpted by the glacier path. While just thirty miles west of the city is the Kettle Morraine and Lake Country with its hilly landscapes and inland lakes. Native American tribes originally inhabited the Milwaukee area, in fact the Potawatomis still lived in their Lime Ridge Village in 1842 when the first legitimate theatre was built. (Larry Widen and Judi Anderson. Milwaukee Movie Palaces. Wisconsin: Milwaukee Historical Society, 1986.)

Middleton Theatre

2111 Parmenter Drive. Open: 1947; closed: 1991; seats: 550 Eskin Theatres built the Middleton Theatre in less than a week. Peacock and Belongia of Milwaukee were the architects. The steel marquee was integrated with its Quonset-hut structure forming an extension of it. Under the marquee, and with no other roof, a small building of Waylite blocks was erected to house the lobby, foyer, restrooms and office. The theatre had a neon-illuminated changeable letter sign. The theatre has been demolished.

— MILLTOWN — Polk County. The village is located in the heart of Indianhead country in northwestern Wisconsin.

Abby Theatre 2212 West Greenfield Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1957; seats: 530 Opened as the Greenfield Theatre designed by Arthur Kienappel. The theatre was renamed the Pastime, and then closed as the Abby Theatre.

Gem Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1931; seats: 500 The Gem Theatre was a silent movie house that was never equipped for sound.

Milltown

Theatre Main Street. Open: 1946; closed: 1970; seats: 358 The theatre was built by Paulsen Amusements who also built the theatre in Amery. The theatre building is currently for sale.

— MILTON —

Abby Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

Rock County. Joseph Goodrich founded Milton and built the 1844 hexagonal stagecoach inn, the Milton House, the first poured grout building in the United States. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark, the oldest concrete building still standing in the United States. (www.ci.milton.wi.us/)

Weneeda Theatre Madison Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1930; seats: 300 The Weneeda Theatre showed silent films and closed when it did not convert to sound.

Academy of Music 623 North Milwaukee Street. Open: 1866; closed: 1923; seats: 1680 Jacob Litt purchased the financially ailing theatre and reopened the renovated Academy of Music in 1885. The theatre was designed by Edward Townsend Mix. Motion pictures first came to Milwaukee on June 26, 1896, when Thomas Edison’s Vitascope pictures were shown at the Academy of Music. Brief scenes of New York City, a boxing match and the famous kiss with actors John Rice and May Irwin thrilled the audience. The Academy management

143 offered return engagements of the Vitascope before the end of the year. The theatre was also called the Imperial, Lyceum, and Shubert theatres.

Ace Theatre 905 South 5th Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1938; seats: 266 Opened as the National Theatre designed by Charles Lesser. The theatre was then renamed the Palace and Palace Pictures. It closed as the Ace Theatre. Aetna Theatre 3000 North 12th Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1913; seats: 244 This early theatre opened as the Royal and is now demolished. Airdome

1502 South 2nd Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1912; seats: 150 This short-lived early theatre is now gone.

Airdome (See Badger.) Airway Theatre

4001 South Howell Avenue. Open: 1949; closed: 1967; seats: 550 The Airway Theatre was opened a mile from the airport by a returning airman, the son of the owner of the Aragon Theatre, Eugene Goderski. The Airway was a Quonset hut–shaped building with the interior walls painted with images of aircraft through the years. An entire wall of the lobby featured a floorto-ceiling mural of a World War II aviator greeting one from the early days of flying. The cinema struggled showing fourth-run films, and the building and land were sold to a local bank who demolished it for a branch office. (The complete story of this unique theater can be read in Marquee magazine: James H. Rankin, “The Airway Theatre: One Man’s Fancy of Flight.” Chicago: Marquee, Journal of the Theatre Historical Society of America, Fourth Quarter, 1995.) (www.HistoricTheatres.org)

Alamo Theatre 1037 South 16th Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1954; seats: 680 The theatre opened called the Idle Hour, and was renamed the Alamo Theatre in 1930. It was a corner movie theatre whose entrance faced 16th Street and its emergency exits faced Washington Street. The Alamo had a blue glass tile front similar to the glass tile on the front of the Aragon Theatre with a large vertical sign above the marquee with slashes between the letters in ALAMO. In the early 1950s, the owners of the Alamo also owned the nearby Mozart and Aragon Theatres. The theatre building is now demolished.

Milwaukee

Alhambra Theatre 334 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1896; closed: 1960; seats: 2500 The Alhambra Theatre was built by the family that owned the Schlitz brewery. Designed by Charles Kirchhoff, this was a seven-story brick office building above the foyer and lobby. Three levels of seating, including eighteen boxes, flanked the spacious stage. Prohibition put an end to the four beer bars that were part of the theatre. During the Great Depression, to attract people back into the theatre, the orchestra pit was floored over to allow dancing near the stage. Milwaukee theatre chain, Saxe Amusements, operated the theater which later became part of Warner Brothers Theatres. With the advent of television, and people moving to the suburbs, the Alhambra Theatre was forced to close A year later it was demolished. American Theatre 742 North 3rd Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1924; seats: 700 The American Theatre was designed by Kirchhoff and Rose. The theatre was distinctive in its curved, multi-layered marquee, at the top of which were the words “THE AMERICAN.” The theatre was demolished long ago. American Theatre (See German Kino.) Apollo Theatre 2754 North Teutonia Avenue. Open: 1921; closed: 1975; seats: 1140 Designed by local architects Gustave Dick and Alex Bauer, the Apollo was built on the site of a 1911 theatre that had been torn down. This theatre opened named the Milwaukee. The brown brick building featured limestone trim, copper cornices, and terrazzo floors. There were three stores on the ground floor, eight offices with four waiting rooms on the second floor, and a bowling alley and barbershop in the basement of the theatre building. There was a Wurlitzer/Barton composite theatre pipe organ, an orchestra pit, and a small stage since the theatre was designed for movies. In addition, several dressing rooms provided for any use of the stage along with rooms for the musicians. The theatre would have been wired for sound movies around 1930. A succession of owners throughout its history renamed the theatre, starting in 1957, the Capitol Theatre, Ritz Theatre, and National Theatre, and finally the Apollo Theatre. By the summer of 1983, the city had to demolish the vacant, vandalized building for the public’s safety. Aragon Theatre 2311 South Howell Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1961; seats: 481

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The theatre opened as the Avenue designed by Stanley Kadow. New owners renamed the theatre the Pix and it closed as the Aragon Theatre. The building was demolished.

Arcade Theatre 2305 North 3rd Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1929; seats: 697 Designed by Peter Christiansen, the Arcade Theatre was demolished. Armory Hall (See Imperial.) Astor Theater

1696 North Astor Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1951; seats: 752 On the northeast side of the city, the Astor Theatre opened on January 30, 1915, with a showing of The Pit in Five Acts plus a Keystone comedy. A fairly large stage allowed for more neighborhood vaudeville acts than did other venues. The building of brown brick had a facade studded with light bulbs with the parapet featuring a center panel that read THE ASTOR, flanked by panels reading VAUDEVILLE and PHOTO PLAYS. The island box office was recessed from the sidewalk line into a tiled vestibule with the ceiling covered in incandescent bulbs. John Radke was the original owner, but he later sold the Astor Theatre to Jack Silliman’s Milwaukee Theatre Circuit. In 1927, Silliman had added double-level box seats. The new owner, Harry Perlewitz, redid the facade completely into an Art Moderne– Streamlined style in 1939. Then a new canopy without attraction boards was added that wrapped completely around the building from its Astor Street facade to its side facade on Brady Street. The skeleton neon letters of ASTOR were on the outward curve of the corner of the canopy. The theatre sat vacant until 1955 when it was transformed into Roa’s Films, a renter and producer of 16mm films to schools and institutions. By 1979, they were out of business and the building was boarded up because of the decline of the entire Brady Street neighborhood. In 1982, James L. Searles, began the transformation of turning the Astor Theatre into a pharmacy (Brady Street Pharmacy) with a lunch counter. His vision was to restore the facade of the theatre to its 1915 opening appearance, and to add a small cinema in the space created by the addition of 1963. In addition, he planned to add an area above the store as the Astor Street Performing Arts Center. By 2004, the first floor area created by the 1963 addition was converted into a new, smaller, version of the Astor Theater with a stage large enough for dancing, and three rows of seating. The intention also was to add digital projection when it became feasible. (www.astortheater.com)

Atlantic Theatre 729 North 3rd Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1955; seats: 1365 Milwaukee showman, Otto Meister, opened his first “dime museum,” a penny arcade at the turn of the nineteenth century, that included the first ‘flickers’ of the Kinetoscope, by means of which the earliest films were first seen, one person at a time. Through his Central Amusement Company, he and Milwaukee film pioneer John Freuler contracted with local architect, Henry Lotter, to make a movie house that was truly different. The White House Theatre opened December 16, 1916, with its motto, “The House That’s Different.” The White House Theatre was one of only a few theatres in the nation that was “backwards.” It was a “reverse” theatre where the audience entered from the usual front doors, but found the screen at their backs as they walked down side aisles going towards the rear. In addition, the auditorium was lit with only lights in the floor. The White House Theatre’s exterior was frequently photographed because of its five-story-high front of white architectural milk glass upon which was a lattice pattern of 3,580 light bulbs. There was a three-story-high square recess containing more light bulbs, a square box office, and a six-foot-high by thirty-foot-wide lime green panel on the white glass front with “WHITE HOUSE THEATRE” in light bulbs, making a vertical sign unnecessary. After Mr. Meister’s death in 1944, new owners renamed the theatre Mid-City. In 1950, the theatre again changed owners and was renamed the Atlantic Theatre, only to be demolished in 1955. Atlas Theatre (See Century.) Aurora Theatre 3002 North 3rd Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1920; seats: 598 The Aurora Theatre was designed by John Roth. Avalon Theatre

2473 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Open: 1929; closed: 2001; seats: 1637 Opened as the Garden Theatre on May 1, 1929, in a two-story building with twenty apartments and four first floor shops. The theatre had a vertical name sign three stories high as well as a marquee over the sidewalk with chasing lights and milk glass letters on the attraction boards. The facade’s arch was damaged in a storm, and the illuminated signs were removed to be replaced by the 1940s popular fluorescent back lighting tubes. These survive with a simple neon name sign. One of Milwaukee’s “atmospheric” theatres, the Spanish-style auditorium formed a setting in a courtyard under a starry sky. Such skies were adorned with electric stars and projected clouds and were surrounded with a line of blue “horizon” light-

145

Milwaukee

Avalon Theatre, Milwaukee, 2002 (photograph by author).

ing, which was originally concealed by glycerinpreserved shrubbery and foliage on top of the two flanking arcades over the exit ways. This was the first Milwaukee theatre equipped to show the new synchronized sound pictures. The facade, marquee, and box office were altered when renovations occurred in the 1940s. The stars and clouds were covered as was the artificial foliage. A 1954 CinemaScope screen hangs in the main auditorium. This screen was placed in front of the proscenium arch over the main stage to accommodate the widescreen films of the 1950s and 1960s. A backstage screening room was added in the early 1990s; the house right exitway was masked off to create a separate entrance to that mini-theatre from the lobby. The theatre’s large Wurlitzer pipe organ was removed by its owner, the Dairyland Theatre Organ Society, at the end of September 2004, after the theatre was vandalized, and the organ damaged. Purchased in 2005 by Lee Barczak whose plan is to renovate the south-side Bay View Avalon Theatre as a multi-screen movie house and multiuse entertainment facility, while respecting its architectural heritage as a movie palace. Barczak said he intends to make Milwaukee’s first theater designed for talk-

ing pictures into “a theater for the whole family.” (Bay View Compass, October 2005.)

Avenue Theatre (See Aragon.) Badger Theatre 2161 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1919; seats: 275 The Badger Theatre opened as the Union Electric Theatre. It was renamed the Rex Theatre, the Airdome, and closed called the Badger Theatre. Bay Theatre

2893 South Delaware Avenue. Open: 1926; closed: 1956; seats: 970 The theatre opened as the Lake, named for Lake Michigan just three blocks away. This was a neighborhood movie palace designed by Milwaukee theatre architects Peacock and Frank. The theatre was in a light brown brick building, with three stories above the marquee, while the remainder of the two-story building wrapped around the corner onto Rusk street. The shallow lobby with a tiled floor contained two staircases to the balcony. The theatre was not air-conditioned.

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The vertical sign still advertised the “Lake,” while the marquee, instead of advertising the day’s attractions, just featured large red neon letters spelling the new theatre’s name. This was in the early 1940s that the theatre became the Bay, now renamed for its neighborhood of Bay View on the south end of Milwaukee. From 1951, the theatre was open Fridays through Sundays. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Bay Theatre was operated by Standard Theaters. In its early years, the theatre was part of the Warner Brothers circuit. The advent of television, the airport three miles south of the theatre, and the competition from the nearby Avalon Theatre all contributed to the theatre’s closing.

Bell Theatre (See Roosevelt.) Bergmann Theatre 926 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1915; seats: 150 The year the Gem Theatre closed, the Bergmann Theatre opened across the street. Bijou Theatre (See Garrick.)

air every three minutes and that the whole building was fireproof. The butterfly with wings outstretched, had a body of a woman draped in a Grecian gown, and atop the butterfly at the top of the facade were spiral scrolls that supported a pedestal surmounted by a lyre, all delineated in light bulbs to bring the total on the whole ornate facade to 3,000. (Larry Widen and Judi Anderson. Milwaukee Movie Palaces. Milwaukee County Historical Society, 1986.) In 1930, the Butterfly Theatre came down when Central Amusement Company sold the land to Warner Brothers Theaters who also purchased (and demolished) two other buildings to make room for their masterpiece, the Warner Theatre.

Cameo Theatre 6416 West Greenfield Avenue. Open: 1916; closed: 1927; seats: 600 The Cameo Theatre opened as the Community Theatre designed by Charles Lesser. Capitol Theatre (See Apollo.) Casino Theatre (See Olympic.)

Boulevard Theatre (See Layton Park.) Burleigh Theatre

925 West Burleigh Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1957; seats: 828 The Burleigh Theatre not only showed movies, but presented vaudeville acts and other live entertainment. The theatre was owned by the Langheinrich family, and designed by Arthur Swager. Paul Langheinrich played the piano for the silent films. The movie house also had a Barton pipe organ, which remained in operation until 1957. A church now occupies the theater building.

Butterfly Theatre

212 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1930; seats: 1500 The Butterfly Theatre was on the site of owner Otto Meister’s Dime Museum. He and Milwaukee movie distributor John Freuler bought the land and formed the Central Amusement Company to construct and lease the theater. Downtown’s main street now had a most unique theatre. The design of a terra cotta butterfly for its sixtyfoot-high facade lit up with 1000 light bulbs spanning 27 feet from wingtip to wingtip required no name sign. The Butterfly Theatre also had a lobby with a marble floor, gilded birdcages of canaries, and an auditorium lit with crystal chandeliers. There was a balcony with a mirrored staircase from the lobby. A ten-piece house orchestra, pipe organ, and six opera singers were available to provide the music. The Butterfly claimed that it had the most advanced ventilation system capable of changing the

Castle Theatre (See German Kino.) Central Theatre (See Delta.) Centre Theatre (See Grand.) Century Theatre 2342 North 3rd Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1966; seats: 890 The theatre opened as the Atlas advertising “Good Pictures.” “Good Music.” “Latest Songs.” It was renamed the Century Theatre in the 1960s. Chopin Theatre (See Eagle.) Climax Theatre 1954 West Fond du Lac Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1957; seats: 850 Otto Meister and John Freuler (Central Amusement Company) built and opened this neighborhood theatre the same year as their Butterfly Theatre downtown. The Climax Theatre was designed by Duggan and Huff, and is now demolished. Colonial Theatre

1514 West Vliet Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1964; seats: 1500 The original Colonial Theatre became the lobby of the succeeding Colonial movie palace of 1926. The first photoplay theatre, designed by local architects, Kirchhoff and Rose, opened with a rectangular auditorium with a shallow stage intended to show

147 the moving pictures which were becoming all the rage then. There were 800 seats on a single level with an Early American decor. In 1926 Saxe Amusement Enterprises acquired the Colonial and adjoining properties to build a larger “movie palace.” There was a residence on the second floor and a store on the first floor. The theatre had a balcony, a Barton theatre pipe organ, and a small orchestra pit, which the coming of sound films eliminated. The grand lobby was larger than the entire original show house. Its massive terrazzo floor was divided into large square areas by means of wide darker strips set into the lighter-colored pieces. The center one featured a circle enclosing a large compass rose. The theatre was demolished in the mid–1970s.

Columbia Theatre 1023 West Walnut Street. Open: 1880; closed: 1936; seats: 1600 This opened as the West Side Turn Hall. The Columbia Theatre was demolished. Comet Theatre

3324 West North Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1956; seats: 642 The Comet underwent a remodel in the late 1930s to bring the theatre up-to-date.

Comfort Theatre

2440 West Hopkins Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1934; seats: 600 The Comfort Theatre was in a single-story building on the north side of Milwaukee. The facade was covered in false brick, and the chairs were wooden.

Comique Theatre 2246 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Open: 1905; closed: 1909; seats: 200 This storefront nickelodeon might be Milwaukee’s first motion picture theatre opening December 5, 1905, in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. “The Comique was a crude operation, with 200 chairs and a piece of white muslin tacked to the wall to serve as a screen,” said part owner, John Freuler in an interview years later. A typical show lasted about 20 minutes and usually was made up of comedy and chase scenes. “There were no fire exits, and the ventilation was so poor that the projectionist sprayed perfume in the air at regular intervals.” (Larry Widen, “A century at the movies: Milwaukee theater whetted appetites of filmgoers,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 5, 2005.)

Milwaukee

Coronet Theatre 3832 North Green Bay Avenue. Open: 1924; closed: 1959; seats: 965 The theatre opened as the Hollywood and was renamed the Coronet in the 1950s when it showed art films for a few years. The building was demolished. Cozy Theatre 1036 East Brady Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1914; seats: 168 The theatre opened as the Vaudette, was renamed the Ideal Theatre, and then became the Cozy Theatre. Now demolished. Cozy Theatre 7208 West State Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1922; seats: 400 This theatre went through many name changes before closing as the Cozy Theatre. It opened as the Wauwatosa Theatre Delight, then became the Princess, the Unique, and the Mystic Theatre. Crown Theatre

2514 North Teutonia Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1911; seats: 200 The short-lived Crown Theatre was demolished.

Crystal Theatre

726 North 3rd Street. Open: 1903; closed: 1929; seats: 1032 The first Crystal Theatre designed by Leiser & Host was remodeled by Kirchhoff and Rose in 1907. In addition to vaudeville, fight films proved so popular that the Crystal began carrying them on a semiregular basis. The theatre became part of Saxe Amusement Enterprises, but was torn down long ago.

Community Theatre (See Cameo.)

Crystal Theatre, Milwaukee, Early (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

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Davidson Theatre

625 North 3rd Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1954; seats: 1200 In 1890 John and Alexander Davidson built the Davidson Hotel. Housed within the building was the Davidson Theatre, whose entrance was through the front of the hotel under its porch-like canopy. The theatre was designed by Burnham and Root. The theatre’s repertoire was primarily directed toward live theatre with countless theatre greats such as Sarah Bernhardt, Al Jolson, Boris Karloff, and Milwaukee’s own Pat O’Brien appearing on its stage. Its spaciousness was in the architectural style of the 1890s. The theatre presented plays, vaudeville, films, and musicals. “A Night of Splendor” was the Milwaukee Journal headline from the opening night, September 8, 1890. The first-night offering was the opera L’Africaine presented by the famed Emma Juch and her company. In the years that followed the Barrymore’s, Lionel, Ethel and John, would be on its stage many times and Katharine Hepburn, Melvyn Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, and Van Heflin returned to its stage from Hollywood. The theatre was demolished when it closed.

Delta Theatre 1662 South 8th Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1953; seats: 250 The theatre opened as the Central designed by Stanley Kadow. A succession of owners renamed the theatre the Pulaski, Pola Negri, Popularity, Midget,

Eighth Street, and finally closing as the Delta Theatre.

Downer Theatre 2589 North Downer Avenue. Open: 1915; open; seats: 940 After it opened on December 3, 1915, the Downer Theatre was recognized as one of the most modern urban movie houses of the day, and became a model for subsequent neighborhood theaters. The Downer Theatre was designed by Martin Tullgren built to show movies with a Wurlitzer and in-house orchestra to accompany the silents. The Downer struggled in the 1940s when other theatres did well. In the late 1940s, the Downer became an art theatre operated by Fox Wisconsin. For years it was the only art theater in the area. Acquired in 1990 by the Landmark chain, it became a twin screen theater, and given a badly needed renovation that was respectful of its history. The Downer Theatre now has Dolby Digital Sound in its main house. The Downer is the oldest operating movie theatre in Milwaukee and specializes in art and foreign films. Eagle Theatre 1546 North 12th Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1912; seats: 209 Now demolished.

Downer Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

149 Eagle Theatre 2922 South 13th Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1929; seats: 483 The theatre opened as the Chopin. It was renamed the Eighth Avenue Theatre, and closed as the Eagle Theatre.

Empire Theatre (See Cudahy.)

East Theatre

Cents.)

2342 North Murray Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1952; seats: 638 The theatre opened as the Murray designed by Schutz & Seeler. Now demolished.

Eg yptian Theatre

3719 North Teutonia Avenue. Open: 1927; closed: 1967; seats: 1419 When the Egyptian Theatre, designed by Peacock and Frank, opened on Saturday, December 24, 1927, it attracted capacity crowds. The theatre had a lotusblossom-topped, three-story high vertical sign above the marquee. A ten-foot high revolving beacon was perched atop the stagehouse with the smoke vents styled to resemble windows in the tower below. The light could be seen for many miles. There was no way to tell from the three-story brown brick and limestone exterior what theatregoers would find inside. One could look up through the eight elaborate portals and see the stars twinkling and clouds drifting far above. The sub-ceiling ran from each side of the proscenium all around the auditorium and provided an ideal position for the thousands of blue “horizon lights.” Seats were of red and black leather with ebony armrests and illuminated iron end standards in an Egyptian motif. By 1965, it was obvious to Warner Bros. that this property was no longer going to make money because of the declining neighborhood and the audience lost to television. The theatre was sold and converted into a facility for underprivileged youths. However, the upkeep of the property was too costly causing the facility to close. The theatre began to decay and was condemned by the city. The Egyptian was demolished in 1983.

8th Avenue Theatre (See Eagle.) 8th Street Theatre (See Delta.) Electric Joy Theatre

1117 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1907; closed: 1908; seats: 400 A very short-lived nickelodeon.

Elite Theatre (See Mars.) Embassy Theatre 748 North Plankinton Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1929; seats: 1100 This theatre opened as the Empress, and closed as the Embassy. Now demolished.

Milwaukee

Empire Theatre (See Granada.) Emporium Theatre (See Imperial 5Empress Theatre (See Embassy.) Empress Theatre

755 North 3rd Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1955; seats: 1500 The theatre opened as the New Star and was renamed the Saxe Theatre when operated by Saxe Amusement Enterprises. The New Star Theatre was built by the Schlitz brewery and designed by Milwaukee architects, Kirchhoff and Rose. The theatre had three seating levels with eight box seats, and a five-pointed star of light bulbs over its proscenium. The most notable feature of the burlesque theatre was the giant beer bar located in the mezzanine lobby. The theatre then became the Gayety, and then the Orpheum before being named the Empress Theatre. In the 1940s, it was called the Empress Burlesque Theatre located two doors north of the White House Theatre.

Esquire Theatre 310 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 1981; seats: 471 The theatre opened as the Telenews on July 10, 1947. This brought the newsreel theatre concept to Milwaukee and was based on the premise of providing round-the-clock coverage of news. The Telenews operated from 9:45 A.M. until midnight with fourteen one-hour shows each with forty different subjects. By 1952, television was in so many homes that the theatre switched to a first-run art house policy. Some of the text of opening day ad copy read: “Opens Today at 9:45 A.M. Continuous to Midnight. America’s Finest Newsreel Theater Presenting Milwaukee’s Fastest Moving Program. A New Form of Entertainment!” “Our programs consist of one hour of the LATEST NEWS events gathered by leading newsreel companies throughout the world... Edited by experts and augmented with the FINEST SHORT SUBJECTS, providing Milwaukee with UNEXCELLED, DIVERSIFIED ENTERTAINMENT. It keeps you abreast of the times... HISTORY IN THE MAKING! Inaugural Program! 40 World News Events 40 Actual Films! Truman Rebukes Russia! Latest Flood Disasters! Texas City Rebuilds! Hunger in Germany! Circus in Moscow! First Showing! Telenewshorts: Radio’s Famed ‘Answer Man’ in ‘Storm Warning’ Sportscope! Track Expose ‘Racing Sleuth’ Milwaukee’s Greatest Entertainment

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Milwaukee

Value! ANY SEAT 33 Cents plus tax Anytime. The New Air-Conditioned TELENEWS NEWSREEL THEATER Wisconsin at 3rd.” (Milwaukee Journal, July 11, 1947.) Marcus Theatres purchased the theatre in 1965, renamed it the Esquire Theatre, and remodeled the theatre adding new Art Moderne elements popular at the time. A two-story facade of plain white limestone tiles surmounted along the parapet by a single line of light bulbs in a shallow arc from one side pilaster to the same on the other side. The marquee was a three-foot-high band of light bulbs that swung outward from one side of the facade to the other, having only the name outlined in contrasting color bulbs. Mounted above this canopy was a doublesided attraction board bordered in light bulbs but backed in fluorescents. The Esquire Theatre was torn down to make way for the Reuss Federal Building. The entire block was condemned by the city, which meant that not only the Esquire Theatre, but the Alhambra, Vaudette, White House, Towne, and the New Star theatres were torn down as well (or had already been demolished).

Fern Theatre

2556 North 3rd Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1955; seats: 580 This neighborhood movie theatre was designed by Charles Smith.

Fond du Lac Electric Theater (See Star.)

Franklin Theatre 1706 West Center Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1961; seats: 538 The theatre opened as the Lexington designed by Gustave Dick, the first theatre he designed before partnering with Alex Baur. It was also the first theatre on Milwaukee’s north side with a theatre pipe organ. The theatre was demolished.

Schlitz Brewery with its famous slogan, “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous.” Kirchhoff and Rose converted the beer hall into the Garden Theatre, which opened on April 22, 1922. It already had a soaring ceiling and that allowed for a balcony of 500 seats at the rear bringing the total seating to 1410, which was later reduced. There were silver leather seats, and ornamentation in the manner of Louis Sullivan. A Wurlitzer theatre organ was installed. The theatre building was demolished.

Garfield Theatre 2933 North 3rd Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1967; seats: 1947 The Garfield Theatre was named after the nearby city park of that name, designed by Dick and Bauer and built for the Saxe brothers. Inspired by a European opera house, the opulent movie palace opened November 19, 1927, with the photoplay, Adam and Evil as part of an eight-part program. The Garfield was Saxe’s forty-fifth theatre and the admission fee then was only forty cents, the highest price they charged for a feature film, several short subjects, three acts of vaudeville, plus orchestral and organ accompaniments. The light-colored brick building trimmed in polychrome terra cotta had eight storefronts with eight apartments above them. The triple border vertical sign spelled out: “Saxe’s GARFIELD” some five stories high in light bulbs. The theatre had a Barton theatre pipe organ. The Garfield Theatre was the last built by the Saxes. They sold their theaters to a subsidiary of the Fox motion picture studio in December of 1927. By the 1940s, sound pictures and large screen projection eliminated the orchestras and organ. Companies sold prefabricated aluminum marquees with the then new fluorescent lights and covered the outdated

Garden Theatre (See Avalon.)

Garden Theatre (See Newsreel.)

Garden Theatre 235 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1922; closed: 1940; seats: 1250 The Garden Theatre was named for the potted palms of the Schlitz Palm Garden, the largest German beer hall built downtown by the

Garfield Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

151 marble veneers with their own veneers of architectural porcelain panels and silvery aluminum poster cases. The light bulb extravaganza marquee was no longer in fashion. After the Garfield closed its doors, the building was converted into the headquarters for the OIC– GM (Opportunities Industrialization Center of Greater Milwaukee) until 2005. The theatre building now is home to the Greater Philadelphia Church of God in Christ. The congregation worships in what had been the theatre’s main auditorium. (Larry Widen, “Ghosts of the Garfield; Glimpses of Movie Palace’s Former Glory Linger as Congregation Moves In,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 10, 2006.)

Milwaukee

German Kino

2459 West Fond du Lac Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1966; seats: 838 Opened as the Iris Theatre designed by Charles Lesser. The theatre was renamed many times: the Castle, Radio, Show, American, and closed with the name German Kino.

Garrick Theatre

631 North 2nd Street. Open: 1889; closed: 1931; seats: 1800 The Bijou Opera House/Bijou Theatre, owned by Jacob Litt, opened on August 17, 1889. Oscar Cobb designed the red brick Romanesque facade and the Moorish interior. There were eight priGerman Kino, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author). vate boxes, and each seat had a small, coin-operated peanut machine affixed to the backside as an added luxury. This was an opera Globe Theatre 1220 West Walnut Street. house where no opera ever played. Instead, the proOpen: 1907; closed: 1917; seats: 468 grams were blood-and-thunder, cliffhanger meloThe building stands vacant. dramas. The theatre was also called the Gayety, and beGrace Theatre 3303 West National Avenue. came the Garrick Theatre in 1930. It once stood Open: 1911; closed: 1957; seats: 644 where the Second Street entrance to the Shops At The Grace Theatre was designed by Henry HenGrand Avenue now stands, but was demolished. sel.

Garrick Theatre

612 North Plankinton Avenue. Open: 1899; closed: 1909; seats: 2000 The theatre opened as the Star designed by Kirchhoff & Rose. The theater was renamed the Gayety, and finally the Garrick Theatre. The building was demolished.

Granada Theatre 1125 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1968; seats: 900 The theatre opened as the Empire on Saturday,

Gayety Theatre (See Empress.) Gayety Theatre (See Garrick.) Gem Theatre (See Home.) Gem Theatre 923 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1911; seats: 188 This short-lived silent movie house opened as the Lyric Theatre.

Grace Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

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April 27, 1907, a neighborhood vaudeville house in this then south side Polish neighborhood, built for Lubliner and Trinz from Chicago. Six years later the theatre was converted to movies by building a metal projection booth on the small balcony. In 1910, the Modjeska Theatre opened directly across the street. In 1927, the theatre was renamed the Granada, and entirely redesigned and remodeled with a Spanish/ Moorish theme inside the auditorium with a Barton pipe organ. There were two sets of steep stairs to the balcony, one on each end of the small lobby. A twenty-five foot marquee covered the sidewalk. The Granada Theatre was the last neighborhood theater to have daily matinees and occasionally featured Polish language films on Monday and Tuesday. It was often the first neighborhood house to feature a film after its downtown run. The theatre was part of the Warner Brothers circuit, and famous for its air conditioning, often too cold. One summer it had a large cardboard penguin with the word cool covering most of its large vertical name sign. The last film featured was 2001: A Space Odyssey. The theatre was demolished.

Grand Cinemas 212 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1931; closed: 1995; seats: 2431 The Warner Theatre was built on the site of the 1911 Butterfly Theatre, which was demolished in February 1930. Considered the last of Milwaukee’s movie palaces, the Warner Theatre opened on May 1, 1931, with the movie Sit Tight starring Joe E. Brown. Making a personal appearance at the opening parade was Warner Bros. star Bebe Daniels along with marching bands. Designed by C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp, the theatre was contained within a twelve-story office building with a 58-foot high vertical sign. The lobby is a threestory high Art Deco masterpiece in towering etched mirrors. The auditorium was considered one of Rapp & Rapp’s finest French Renaissance designs for a mid-sized theatre. The Warner featured the third largest Kimball theatre organ ever built. In 1966, Marcus Theatres bought the Warner Theatre and renamed it the Centre. At this time the original

vertical sign was removed. The auditorium was split in two in 1973, retaining most of its decoration. In 1982, the theatre was renamed Grand Cinemas (in honor of the Grand Avenue Mall then opening across the street), but closed in 1995.

Grand Theatre

2917 North Holton Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1975; seats: 790 The Grand Theatre was a brick building with wooden floor and roof. In 1927, local architect A. L. Seidenschwartz was contracted to turn the then no longer competitive neighborhood cinema into an “atmospheric” theatre. The facade and auditorium were completely redesigned. A new concrete floor

Top: Grand Cinemas (Warner Theatre), Milwaukee, 2001; bottom: Grand Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (both photographs by author).

153 replaced the wood, and illuminated glass urns topped the new facade line along the side walls only inches from the wall with a line of blue horizon lights behind to cast upon the new dark blue plaster vault of a sky. There were electric “stars” in the ceiling. From the 1940s to the 1960s, the Grand Theatre had the same policy as the nearby Peerless Theatre: three changes during each week with a bargain night on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the 1940s, bargain night was all seats 14 cents, and in the 1950s, the price was 20 cents. In the 1940s, there were always two movies, a couple of cartoons, a newsreel and a serial. The theatre now serves as the Phillipian Church of God and Christ.

Grand Theatre (See Princess.) Greenfield Theatre (See Abby.) Happy Hour Theatre

1814 Muskego Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1924; seats: 590 The theatre has been demolished.

Hollywood Theatre (See Coronet.) Home Theatre

931 South 5th Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1938; seats: 320 The theatre opened as the Gem designed by Charles Lesser. Now demolished.

Home Theatre

2827 West Clybourn Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1913; seats: 250 This was the Trowbridge Theatre when it opened. Now demolished.

Ideal Theatre (See Cozy.) Ideal Theatre (See Star.) Idle Hour Theatre (See Alamo.) Imperial Theatre (See Academy of Music.)

Imperial Theatre 2674 North Richards Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1913; seats: 683 The Imperial Theatre opened as Armory Hall and was torn down. Imperial 5 Cents Theatre 626 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1908; seats: 175

Milwaukee

This was the Emporium Theatre when it opened. The building was torn down.

Imperial Theatre 720 North 2nd Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1924; seats: 460 The theatre opened as the Toy on the first floor of downtown’s Toy Building. The skeleton letter light bulb sign projected from the facade with the upper frame reading “Toy’s Chop Suey” and the lower frame reading “Toy Theatre” with lines at the bottom for the movie playing. One entered the theatre under a red tile loggia with upturned eaves projecting from the second story. The entire front of the building was covered with fired ceramic tiles. The design, reflective of China, featured winged dragon sculptures at the top of the building, Chinese characters down the sides of the facade, and Oriental lanterns decorating both the restaurant and the theatre. The theatre was also known as the Paradise and then closed as the Imperial Theatre. The theatre was razed after closing. Iola Electric Theater

1023 North 11th Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1908; seats: 175 The Iola Electric was a short-lived nickelodeon that was demolished.

Iris Theatre (See German Kino.) Iris Theatre (See Roosevelt.) Jackson Theatre

1322 North Jackson Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1956; seats: 834 The Jackson Theatre was demolished.

Juneau Theatre 609 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1965; seats: 1097 This then Polish neighborhood’s vaudeville house was a four-story building with four stores flanking the theatre’s entry. The marquee was triangular with three lines for listing the attractions with JUNEAU in large neon horizontal letters across the top. The theme of the decor was Italian Renaissance. The theatre had a balcony with four large boxes flanking the stage, a house orchestra, and a Wurlitzer theatre organ. By 1927, the Juneau Theatre needed to compete with nearby movie palaces such as the Modjeska and the Granada, so it was brought up-to-date by a new harbor scene mural over the stage. Saxe Amusement Enterprises controlled the movies in the early days, but in the 1940s and 1950s the Juneau was a Warner Bros. house. The theatre was gutted in 1984 for a conversion to condominiums, but what was started was never

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finished. A new owner of the building as of July 2005 reported starting renovations in the hopes of reopening the theatre.

ton Park Theatre in the 1960s, the theatre was demolished after it closed.

Legion Theatre Kosciuszko Theatre

1337 West Lincoln Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1943; seats: 735 The Kosciuszko Theatre was named for the Polish patriot and Revolutionary War hero. Located on Milwaukee’s south side, the theatre had a stage and presented vaudeville acts often performed in Polish as well as silent movies. This was a two-story neighborhood theatre of brown brick and limestone trim on the facade. There was an arch over the small, domed island ticket booth. There was a player piano to accompany the silent films, wooden seats, and little electric fans on the pilasters. Many of these older theatres closed in the summer. Lack of summer business contributed to the closing of the Kosciuszko, but it was primarily that the adjacent furniture store building needed a parking lot. The theatre was demolished in 1961.

Lake Theatre (See Bay.) Layton Park Theatre 2275 South Layton Blvd. Open: 1911; closed: 1971; seats: 600 The theatre opened as the Boulevard with a facade of brown brick and a white terra cotta arch three stories high on the four-story facade. Typical at the time, it was studded with light bulbs and there was a recessed entry with an island box office located in the center. A name sign in the same terra cotta almost the width of the building originally said “BOULEVARD.” In 1919, the theatre was taken over by Anton Washicheck who promptly renamed it the Layton and remodeled the facade including the 40-footwide name sign in terra cotta to carry the new name. The remodeling also removed the arched recess on the facade so that now there was a new flat front out to the sidewalk line that allowed space for a manager’s apartment and a private viewing room. By 1927, a Barton theater pipe organ was installed to replace the player piano, which had occupied the orchestra pit. Sound movies were installed a few years later. A converted streamlined railroad car appeared, in 1943, adjacent to the theater on the vacant lot to the north and took the role of a candy and popcorn store like the many stores that bordered show houses across the nation. By 1945, typical aluminum poster cases replaced the wooden originals along with rebuilding of the box office and marquee. The slogan was then painted above the four plate glass doors: “Milwaukee’s Coziest Theater.” Renamed the Lay-

734 East Wright Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1944; seats: 414 Opened as the Wright Theatre, and now serves as a community hall.

Lexington Theatre (See Franklin.) Liberty Theatre

2623 West Vliet Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1966; seats: 493 The theatre was demolished.

Lincoln Theatre

1104 West Lincoln Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1955; seats: 485 Milwaukee had many nickelodeon theatres when the Lincoln opened mostly in converted storefronts. This theatre was built to show movies. The facade was simple, the ceiling was pressed tin, there was a platform stage and a player piano accompanied the silents. An unusual feature of the Lincoln was that the auditorium was L-shaped with the small leg of the “L” at the right front. This addition was the result of an expansion by the owners, the Kantak Brothers, who occupied the adjacent seed store and confectionery that served the theater. The Lincoln Theatre, one of Milwaukee’s earliest silent movie houses survives today with its painted metal letters of the name on the front. It was for many years a photography studio.

Lisbon Theatre (See Royal.) Little Theatre (See Newsreel.) Locust Theatre

821 East Locust Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1919; seats: 358 Opened as the Pulaski Theatre designed by Robert Messmer.

Lorraine Theatre

1932 West Fond du Lac Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1923; seats: 480 The theatre opened as the Owl designed by Charles Lesser.

Lyceum Theatre (See Academy of Music.) Lyceum Theatre (See Roosevelt.) Lyric Theatre

3804 West Vliet Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1953; seats: 575 This Lyric Theatre was designed by J. Menge.

155 Lyric Theatre 311 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1908; closed: 1913; seats: 250 The Lyric Theatre was a silent movie theatre designed by Ferry and Clas. Lyric Theatre (See Gem.) Magnet Theatre 735 North 3rd Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1923; seats: 492 The theatre opened as the Vaudette, and is now demolished. Majestic Theatre

219 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1908; closed: 1932; seats: 1902 The Majestic Theater was a vaudeville house with its auditorium at a right angle behind the fourteenstory Majestic office building. The box office and lobby occupied the center bay of the office building behind which was the white marble foyer of the auditorium. Three levels of leather seats faced a spacious stage and six boxes with curving fronts were on each side of the stage. There were twenty dressing rooms served by a back stage elevator, and the cellar under the alley was used for keeping the animal acts. The theatre was designed by Kirchhoff and Rose. Movie palaces were coming upon the scene with their elaborate decors and stages suitable also for vaudeville. The Majestic struggled for two more years adding silent movies to their programs, but it was demolished to become a parking lot for the office building.

Mars Theatre 3240 North Green Bay Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1952; seats: 700 Opened as the Elite Theatre designed by Edward Kozick. The theatre was then renamed the Roxy, finally becoming the Mars Theatre.

Milwaukee

a long lease on the center bay of the Merrill office building to build a lobby and box office, and then purchased additional land on the north and on the south. Between these they built the auditorium and stagehouse portions of the theatre. There was a balcony, a pipe organ to accompany the silent movies between vaudeville shows, and in the 1920s, a twelvepiece house orchestra. The Merrill Theatre was torn down to build the 1930 Kresge office building as part of the Grand Avenue Mall.

Mid City Theatre (See Atlantic.) Midget Theatre (See Delta.) Miller Theatre (See Towne.) H. S. Miller Theatre

2200 North 12th Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1910; seats: 250 This short-lived, silent movie theatre has been demolished.

Milwaukee Theatre (See Apollo.) Miramar Theatre 2842 North Oakland Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1954; seats: 800 The Miramar Movie House was the original name of the theatre. It was renamed the Oakland Theatre in 1932, and motion pictures continued to be shown through the late forties. In July of 1954, Drama Incorporated, headed by Fred Miller, of the Miller Brewing Company, entered into an agreement to rent the Oakland Theatre for what would eventu-

Merrill Park Theatre

455 North 35th Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1930; seats: 450 The Merrill Park Theatre is now demolished.

Merrill Theatre 211 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1930; seats: 1298 The Merrill Theatre was basically a vaudeville house, like so many others in downtown Milwaukee built before the movie palaces. In 1915, when the “flickers” were starting to become a craze, the Ascher Brothers of Chicago were seeking a foothold in Milwaukee and obtained

Miramar Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

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ally become The Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The Milwaukee Journal on September 16, 1954, announced that “Milwaukee City Circle” was the new name selected through a “name-the-theatre” contest. However, the new name was never used. In December of 1954, Mr. Miller was killed in a small plane crash. The board of directors for Drama Inc. voted to rename the theatre, The Frederick C. Miller Memorial Theatre, which opened January 25, 1955. In 1969, The Milwaukee Repertory Theater moved to the Todd Wehr Theater in the Performing Arts Center. The theatre was renamed the J. Pellman Theatre, a venue for musicals and other productions as well as the site for boxing and wrestling matches throughout most of the 1970s. From the late 1970s until 1981 the theatre became the Metropole Nightclub, featuring numerous rock concerts. The Eastbrook Church purchased the building in 1983, which saved the building from demolition. The church repaired and remodeled the building, but in 1995 had grown large enough that it needed to move. Attempts were made to sell the property, but the theatre stood empty for three years. In October of 1998, William Stace of Walls Have Ears Studios, and his wife Pamela Brown Stace of Amethyst Productions purchased the building with the intent of housing both the new Walls Have Ears Recording Studio, as well as the theatre, which would become not only the home of Amethyst Productions, but a rental venue for the performing arts. (www.themiramartheatre.com)

Mirth Theatre

Modjeska Theatre 1134 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1923; seats: 900 The first Modjeska Theatre was a brick structure with an ornate wooden facade identical to the Princess Theater being constructed downtown. The Modjeska featured a skeleton vertical name sign that included the figure “5 cents” in a circle at the top lit in light bulbs, even though the price of admission was at times more than five cents. Saxe Amusement Enterprises bought and demolished this first Modjeska to build a movie palace at the same address by enlarging the lot. Modjeska Theatre 1134 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1924; open; seats: 2000 The Modjeska Theatre designed by C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp opened on August 2, 1924, with a performance on the theatre’s Barton pipe organ and a parade. The theatre memorialized a great stage actress, Madame Helena Modjeska, who was born in Poland. This was the first neighborhood movie palace of Rapp & Rapp’s four theatres in Milwaukee and the second largest theatre in Wisconsin (Wisconsin, 1924; Uptown, 1926; and Warner, 1931).At the top of the building was the Surf ballroom; there were five stores, second floor offices, and bowling alleys in the basement. With a large stage and orchestra pit, the theatre was equipped for vaudeville as well as movies. In 1927, the Modjeska became part of the Fox theatre chain, and Universal Artists house in the 1940s. Both the Modjeska Theatre and the Granada Theatre, across the street, showed daily matinees of Polish films. This was a largely Polish neighborhood at the time. The theatre closed on December 31, 1989.

2951 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1952; seats: 870 In the south Bay View area of Milwaukee, the Mirth Theatre began as a small frame structure, a simple neighborhood movie house. In 1925, the building was torn down and replaced with a large brick building. The original marquee was only a canopy with a single line of lettering saying: “This is a Warner Saxe Theatre” and a simple vertical name sign above outlined in light bulbs. The two aisles of the auditorium divided the wooden seats, which remained in place until they stopped showing movies in 1952. Without air conditioning and the Avalon Theatre only a few blocks north, the advent of television meant the end for the Mirth. Kinnickinnic Avenue was the main street of the old village of Bay View and parking was scarce. The Mirth was part of the Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corporation in later years. Modjeska Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

157 Local businessman Stewart Johnson, owner of Creative Services International, purchased the theatre in 1991 and showed second-run movies and presented live acts. In 2005, the Modjeska Youth Theater Company purchased the theatre as a local live acts venue. The box office and facade were largely restored with the 1940s fluorescent marquee. Milwaukee’s Common Council approved funds to restore West Mitchell Street and the Modjeska Theatre, which is now owned by the Mitchell Street Development Opportunities Corp. and the nonprofit Modjeska Theater Company. (www.modjeskatheater.com)

Mojuvate Theatre (See White House.) Mozart Theatre

1316 South 16th Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1952; seats: 433 The Mozart Theatre was a brick building with three aisles leading to the stage platform. There was no air conditioning. For years it showed last-run films, which included many “B” Westerns.

Milwaukee

street frontage. This was connected by a long walkway to the foyer at the back of the auditorium. In 1940, Milwaukee’s Poblocki sign company removed the original bronze marquee and replaced it with the 1940s popular aluminum triangle marquee with large attraction boards to better showcase the titles on the screen. The neon and lightbulb-lit vertical sign reading “Saxe’s NATIONAL” could be seen until the theatre was torn down.

New Star Theatre (See Empress.) Newsreel Theatre 632 North 3rd Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1955; seats: 1250 This opened as the Garden Theatre at 235 West Wisconsin Avenue, originally the Schlitz Palm Garden, the largest German beer hall downtown. The entrance was moved when the theatre was remodeled in 1940 and renamed the Little Theatre. That theatre closed in 1944, and was reopened in 1945 as the Newsreel Theatre (at the same address). In 1963, it was demolished to be replaced by the parking lot of a new bank on the corner.

Murray Theatre (See East.) Oakland Theatre (See Miramar.)

Mystic Theatre (See Cozy.)

Oasis Theatre

National Theatre (See Ace.) National Theatre (See Empress.) National Theatre

1610 West National Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1912; seats: 390 This short-lived, early silent movie theatre was demolished.

National Theatre 2616 West National Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1971; seats: 1388 The National Theatre was an “atmospheric” theatre designed by Gustave Dick and Alex Bauer inspired by the Spanish Baroque. Built for the Saxe brothers, this neighborhood house was a popular theatre especially when the house organist played for talent shows on its Barton theatre pipe organ. All of the five other neighborhood houses by Milwaukee architects Gustav Dick and Alex Bauer were designed for the local Saxe chain of theaters. The small box office and ticket lobby was placed at the front on the narrow

2626 West Center Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1975; seats: 860 This opened as the Savoy Theatre located at the busy intersections of 27th Street, Center Street, and Fond du Lac Avenue. The theatre became a very popular movie house, and was part of the Saxe circuit for many years. Listed as Saxe’s Savoy into the

Oasis Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

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1950s, the theatre changed its programs in the 1940s and 1950s twice a week. The Savoy also featured independent releases and British films. The theatre was remodeled in the 1960s, and renamed the Oasis Theatre. Kung Fu films became popular in the 1970s. .

Ogden Theatre

816 East Ogden Avenue. Open: 1926; closed: 1965; seats: 586 This theatre opened as the Studio, a storefront theatre on a single floor in this east side neighborhood. The theatre was later renamed the Ogden for the street it was on. “All Seats 10 Cents” read the advertisements for the theatre. The theatre was demolished.

Olympia Theatre (See Star.) Olympic Theatre 704 West Walnut Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1917; seats: 274 This theatre opened as the Casino and was renamed the Olympic Theatre. The theatre was demolished. Oriental Theatre

2230 North Farwell Avenue. Open: 1927; Open; Oriental Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author). seats: 2110/1100 When the Oriental Theatre opened its 1920s appearance to the present. on July 2, 1927, it was among the most exotic movie The Oriental Theatre, Milwaukee’s last surviving palaces to open in Milwaukee. The opening night movie palace, celebrated its 80th birthday Octofeature was Naughty but Nice, with Colleen Moore, ber 18, 2007, with a showing of the classic 1927 silent a stage show, and a performance on the Barton film Underworld, which was accompanied live by the organ. The theatre was designed by Dick and Bauer Alloy Orchestra. This film was directed by Josef von with an East Indian decor featuring animals from Sternberg and became the prototype for many of the lions and elephants to dragons and baboons. Six great Prohibition-era “gangster films.” gilded, larger-than-life seated Buddhas, three on each sidewall of the auditorium, sit in niches with multifoil arched tops. Each one has a light inside the Orpheum Theatre (See Empress.) turbaned head, which illuminates a red jewel diadem in the forehead and the slits of their downcast Orpheum Theatre (See Palace.) eyes in Nile green. (Milwaukee Sentinel, July 2, 1927.) The Saxe Amusement Enterprises operated the Orpheum Theatre 203 West Wisconsin AvOriental until December 1927 when they sold the enue. Open: 1907; closed: 1913; seats: 340 theatre to Fox Midwesco. In 1976, Landmark TheThe Saxe brothers painted a number of placards atres took over the theatre and featured a mix of clasfor a small nickelodeon at North 2nd Street and sic and foreign films. The large auditorium was diWest Wisconsin Avenue. When the owner of the vided into three smaller auditoriums in 1988, two theater could no longer pay his advertising bills, he of which are in the old seating space under the baloffered the theater to the Saxes to settle the account. cony. The center aisle of the original seating is preThe theater opened as the Theater Delight. served, and two new screening rooms are decorated to blend into the exotic decor. The theater retains

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Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee, 2002 (photograph by author).

Owl Theatre (See Lorraine.) Pabst Theatre

144 East Wells Street. Open: 1895; open; seats: 1750 The Pabst Theater was built by brewing magnate Captain Frederick Pabst and was designed by architect Otto Strack in the tradition of the great European opera houses. Its opulent Baroque interior includes an Austrian crystal chandelier, a staircase crafted from white Italian Carrara marble, and a proscenium arch, highlighted in gold leaf, framing the stage. A theater known as Das Neue Deutsche StadtTheater (The New German City Theater) built by Captain Pabst in 1890 burned down. The Pabst Theatre became the traditional home of symphony, opera, and German repertory. The new building had many innovations that were later copied by other theaters. State-of-the-art fireproofing measures included having a superstructure of cast iron and concrete and the traditional “fire curtain” (which can be lowered to separate the audience from the stage) was a unique fabrication of wire mesh designed to outlast any fire. Semi-can-

tilevered construction for the balcony and gallery eliminated view-blocking columns common to theaters of the day. A complete permanent steel counterweight system to fly scenery and draperies backstage was the first put into use in the city as was the all-electric lighting system in the United States. The names of notable artists were inscribed about the cornice of the drum-shaped auditorium like in the earlier theatre. The Pabst Theater was extensively renovated in 1928 by noted architects Dick and Bauer. With a full proscenium stage including an hydraulic orchestra pit, the theater is suitable for virtually all performing arts including theater, opera, dance, and music. The auditorium is drum shaped with two balconies. A crystal chandelier that weighs over two tons hangs over the auditorium. In 1989, the Pabst Theater was connected to the new $120 million Milwaukee Center, which includes the Milwaukee Center office tower, Wyndham Hotel, and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. A walk down the colonnade that links the theater to the center is like a walk back in time. As the ceiling becomes higher, the decorative columns change from modern to more ornate, and the lighting adjusts

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from modern to Austrian crystal fixtures at the entrance to the theater lobby. The latest renovations to the theater, begun in 2000, were designed to increase patron comfort and make the theater fully accessible to handicapped and elderly patrons. Two elevators were installed, accessing all five floors of the theater. The lobby was expanded to include Cudahy’s Irish Pub, which opened in September 2001 and offers pre-event and intermission cocktails. Today, the Pabst Theater is the centerpiece of Milwaukee’s downtown theater district(a magnificent example of architecture of another time and era that serves today’s audiences as it did at the turn of the twentieth century. The Pabst Theater has been designated a City of Milwaukee Landmark, a State of Wisconsin Historical Site, and was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1972. The Pabst is the fourth oldest continuous operating theater in the United States. A major renovation restoring the theater to its original beauty was completed in 2001. (www.pabsttheater.org)

Palace Theatre 535 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1974; seats: 2437 The theatre opened as the Orpheum built by the Orpheum vaudeville chain to compete with the Shuberts. The theatre was designed by local architects Charles Kirchhoff and Thomas Rose. A seven-story vertical sign read “RKO-Palace-Orpheum.” The stone lintel over the auditorium’s rear exit doors on Sixth Street was engraved “Hippodrome.” As vaudeville faded and movies became more popular, RKO installed a projection room at the top of the balcony. The original draperies were removed to allow the film to be projected on the newly installed “picture sheet” (screen), and a Wangerin pipe organ was installed to accompany the silent films. In 1931, the theatre converted to sound. In the 1940s the old vertical sign and marquee were replaced with a new three-level, “alumilighted” marquee, and a vertical name sign reading Palace with a triple row of chasers and an eight-foot-high, wrap around fluorescent attraction board. The theatre was often dark in the late 50s. Cinerama was featured in 1960, but did not draw in moviegoers. Marcus Theatres then bought the building and the adjacent hotel to build their own theatre. Palace Theatre (See Ace.) Paradise Theatre (See Imperial.) Paramount Theatre (See Tivoli.)

Paris Theatre

2202 West Center Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1930; seats: 520 The Paris Theatre was designed by Herman Schnetzky.

Park Theatre

725 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1954; seats: 405 Henry Lotter was the architect of the Park Theatre.

Parkway Theatre 3417 West Lisbon Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1986; seats: 994 This theatre opened as the Rock River. Renamed the Parkway Theatre, the marquee was lit with hundreds of lights and during the war had “Kiddie Matinees” on Saturdays. Along with other theatres, it urged everyone to buy Defense Bonds. The theatre now stands vacant. Pastime Theatre (See Abby.) Pastime Theatre (See Warren.) Pearl Theatre 1700 South 19th Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1957; seats: 660 The Pearl Theatre was designed by Herman Buemming. Peerless Theatre

424 East Center Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1958; seats: 450 The Peerless Theatre was one of Milwaukee’s smallest movie houses, starting with silent movies. In the 1940s and 1950s last run films were featured. The program changed three times a week: Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Tuesday and Wednesday were bargain nights with admission set at twenty cents. The theatre was torn down.

Peerless Theatre

917 Monroe Avenue. Open: 1907; closed: 1908; seats: 150 This short-lived nickelodeon is now demolished.

Penny Arcade 739 North 3rd Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1914; seats: 500 Opened as the Wonderland Scenic Theatre, and closed called the Penny Arcade. The theatre was demolished. Pix Theatre (See Aragon.) Plaza Theatre

3067 South 13th Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1959; seats: 1308 The local Saxe Amusement Enterprises chain of movie theatres opened the Plaza Theatre on the

161 south side of the city. This was a Polish neighborhood almost at that time on the southern end of Milwaukee. The two and one-half story building was made of Cream City brick (a nickname for Milwaukee’s distinctive cream colored bricks made from a local clay deposit that is now gone) with two small stores on the ground level, and had a vertical name sign reading “Saxe’s PLAZA.” The theatre had a Marr & Colton organ. The Plaza Theatre was torn down for a new supermarket and parking lot.

Pola Negri Theatre (See Delta.) Popularity Theatre (See Delta.) Princess Theatre 738 North Third Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1984; seats: 900 When a restaurant and saloon for Pabst brewery failed, the building was remodeled into the Grand Theatre. Opening on May 8, 1904, the theatre presented “high-class” vaudeville shows. There were four shows daily and admission was ten cents. The new Edison Kinetoscope movie projector had been purchased and used at the end of the daily family vaudeville programs. This was the year before the first movies-only theatre, the Comique, opened. In the summer of 1904, seating was increased to 900 by adding a balcony. The Grand Theatre closed for major remodeling in October 1909, now leased to the Saxe Brothers. A new proscenium, stage, and seats extended the building. There were two electric fountains in the lobby with a mosaic tile floor. One of the first electric ventilation systems in the city was installed in the theatre. Exits and entrances were independent of each other, which also was a first for the city. A Trip to Sudan and A Heroine from Majeking, illustrated song slides, and a five-piece house orchestra and Barton organ were part of the grand reopening on December 9, 1909. Now renamed Princess Theatre and called “The Coziest Little Theatre in the West.” Hundreds of flowers and palms filled the mirrored and draped interior. This “deluxe” movie theater was the first in the city to charge a ten-cent admission price. The theatre featured a skeleton vertical name sign with the figure “5 cents” in a circle at the top lit up at night. Simple box canopies were later added with double line attraction boards. An island box office at the sidewalk line was centered under the high arch and the alcove behind the box office featured posters of coming attractions as well as hundreds of light bulbs surrounding the trio of stained glass windows above the posters. In 1943, the Princess was owned by National The-

Milwaukee

atres in New York. In 1959, a local realty company purchased the theatre as part of a larger real estate deal. The theatre was then leased to Prudential Theatres. In January of 1960, the theatre began to feature adult films. More explicit adult films were shown in the 1970s. The Princess Theatre had operated continuously as a theatre for eighty years. The city demolished the theatre on August 31, 1984. Today a parking lot is on the site. (Larry Widen, “Milwaukee’s Princess Theater,” Chicago: Marquee, Journal of the Theatre Historical Society of America, Second Quarter, 1985.)

Princess Theatre 3531 West Villard Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1925; seats: 250 The theatre was demolished. Princess Theatre (See Cozy.) Pulaski Theatre (See Delta.) Pulaski Theatre (See Locust.) Queen Theatre (See Tivoli.) Radio Theatre (See German Kino.) Rainbow Theatre 2718 West Lisbon Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1965; seats: 603 The theatre was demolished. Regal Theatre

704 West Walnut Avenue. Open: 1917; closed: 1958; seats: 500 The theatre opened as the Rose, which closed in 1924. In 1939, the theatre was reopened, remodeled as the Regal to show sound movies. The theatre was demolished.

Regent Theater 4011 West North Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1929; seats: 878 The Regent Theater was an independent movie house that did not belong to a chain. This was a theatre building of brick and steel one story high. It closed in 1929, never converting to sound because it was too costly. When movie palaces began to open (the Venetian was just a few blocks away), the owners, the Fred Seegert family, decided to remodel the building into the “Regent Recreation Building,” which eliminated the theatre. Rex Theatre (See Badger.)

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Rialto Theatre 316 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1921; closed: 1925; seats: 834 Designed by Kirchhoff and Rose, the Rialto Theatre remained a silent movie theatre. The theatre was demolished after closing. Ritz Theatre (See Apollo.) Ritz Theatre (See Villa.)

cotta with American eagle motifs and two stores on either side of the theater’s entry. The theatre had an early style of stadium style seating into a balcony. The seats were upholstered and the aisles to the main floor were carpeted. Stadium seating allowed better sight lines for a larger audience. There was a stage for neighborhood vaudeville, an orchestra pit for ten musicians, and a player piano. The Riviera was the final theatre design of local architect Charles Lesser. In 1939, the Riviera held Talent Nights, popular with the neighborhood children as were the Polish language matinees for children. In the 1940s and early1950s, the theatre was part of Fox Wisconsin Theatres. The theater often had a higher admission than nearby movie houses for the same double bill. The Riviera was one of the first theaters on the near south side to close in the early 1950s.

Riverside Theatre 116 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1929; open; seats: 2557 When the Keith-Albee-Orpheum vaudeville circuit was looking for a larger venue to replace their 1908 Majestic Theatre, they built the Riverside within the new twelve-story Empire office building. The Riverside Theatre opened on April 29, 1929, with the movie The Big Noise starring Chester ConkRivoli Theatre 3506 West National Avenue. lin, seven vaudeville acts, and a performance of the Open: 1911; closed: 1929; seats: 462 Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. The theatre opened as the Silver City Gem deInspired by the French Baroque, Charles Kirchhoff signed by Charles Lesser. and Thomas Rose designed this opulent theatre with an orchestra level plus three boxes on each wall below the organ screens and a huge balcony reached by a Rock River Theatre (See Parkway Thealobby elevator. An eight-story double-sided sign lit tre.) with 3,500 yellow, orange, and red bulbs read from top to bottom RKO R-I-V-E-R-S-I-D-E. It was the Roosevelt Theatre 1402 West North Avlargest vertical sign in the state. enue. Open: 1911; closed: 1965; seats: 751 A mixture of vaudeville and films continued for This theatre opened as the Bell Theatre. It was years until Warner Bros. took over from RKO in the then renamed the Lyceum, the Iris, and closed as the mid–1930s. The theatre was closed off and on durRoosevelt Theatre. ing the Great Depression. It was the home of touring Big Bands in the 1940s and 1950s. Standard Theatres took control in 1948. For all of the 1950s and the early 1960s the Riverside was the flagship filmhouse of downtown Milwaukee showing first run blockbusters. In the 1960s United Artists took over the theater. The theater had a re-opening in 1984, after undergoing a major renovation, for concerts and Broadway touring shows. In 2006, the Riverside Theatre Foundation entered into an agreement with the Pabst Theater management team to operate the Riverside Theatre. (www.new Roosevelt Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author). riversidetheatre.com) Riviera Theatre 1005 West Lincoln Avenue. Open: 1920; closed: 1954; seats: 1200 The Riviera Theatre opened on January 28, 1920, in this south-side Polish neighborhood. The brown brick building was trimmed in white glazed terra

Rose Theatre (See Regal.) Roxy Theatre (See Mars.)

163 Royal Theatre (See Aetna.) Royal Theatre

830 South 6th Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1985; seats: 826 This theatre opened as the World. The building stands vacant.

Royal Theatre 2428 West Lisbon Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1920; seats: 500 Opened as the Lisbon Theatre, and closed as the Royal Theatre. A Barton theatre organ had been installed in the theatre. Now demolished. Savoy Theatre (See Oasis.) Saxe Theatre (See Empress.) Schultz Electric Theater 2005 West Vliet Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1907; seats: 175 A short-lived nickelodeon now gone. Sherman Theatre

4632 West Burleigh Street. Open: 1935; closed: 1977; seats: 995 The Sherman Theatre, on the north side of Mil-

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waukee, opened on Christmas day of 1935 with a double bill of She Married Her Boss and Diamond Jim with a Popeye cartoon. The Sherman was an example of the theatres at the time influenced by modernistic design. There were eight stores on the ground level and ten second-floor offices. Not much ornament was used except for a zigzag fluting that featured strips of red and blue neon tubing between the vertical flutes of the two and one-half story tower of the facade above the entry. There was a typical “Alumilighted” triangular marquee. The theatre had no stagehouse or balcony. Neon tubing was the only ornamentation in the auditorium of this Art Deco style design. The ticket lobby was decorated with cobalt blue, gray and pale yellow Vitrolite with some white metal trim on the rear of the island box office. A minor fire caused the Sherman to close. The Liberty Temple church then purchased the theatre but made alterations to the interior. The neglected building is now vacant.

Show (See German Kino.) Shubert Theatre (See Academy of Music.)

Sherman Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Silver City Gem Theatre (See Rivoli.) Star Theatre (See Garrick.) Star Theatre

1465 West Fond du Lac Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1914; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Trinz Electric Theatre, the second theater opened by Trinz in 1906. The theatre underwent several name changes: Fond du Lac Electric Theatre, Olympia, Ideal, and finally called the Star Theatre. These Electric theaters were the start of Trinz in the Milwaukee-Chicago theater business. He would later team up with Lubliner in Chicago and own over thirty theaters. This Trinz Electric Theatre was eventually demolished.

State Theatre 2616 West State Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1955; seats: 1200 The State was a single-story theatre with a small lobby and a four-aisle auditorium. There was never a stagehouse, so only a platform served below the screen on the back wall. A proscenium arch held a single line of draperies. The theatre was operated by the Fox-Wisconsin circuit in the 1940s. The theatre was converted into a nightclub in the early 1980s, but was forced to close because of neighborhood pressure in 1991. New renovation plans for the theater building propose it being used for a nightclub/restaurant/meeting hall. Strand Theatre

510 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1978; seats: 2000 The Strand Theatre was demolished.

Studio Theatre (See Ogden.) Syndicate Electric Theater Walnut Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1908; seats: 250 This was an early, short-lived nickelodeon.

2480 West

atorium as a railroad parlor car. The patrons sat on the observation platform and gazed at a sheet behind which a crude projecting machine was placed. The machine threw the reflections on the back of the sheet in those days, while a man with a hose stood by and dampened the sheet so that the pictures would show through. There was also a device operated by a lever, which caused the floor of the Theatorium to rock, making the patrons believe they were viewing the landscape motion pictures from the rear of a moving train. There were forty seats in this Hales Car, named after a railroad car that toured the country. (www.astortheater.org) Shows lasted ten minutes with Westerns being the favorite. The Theatorium at the time was the most popular place in town. The Theatorium was torn down to build the American Exchange Bank Building. Businesses in the building were also lost: Adeline’s Eat shop and Kalt’s restaurant, Leo Abraham’s cigar store, Solomon’s jewelry store and Charles Fox’s haberdashery. (“Theatorium, First Movie Theater in Milwaukee, Razed,” The Milwaukee Journal, February 4, 1923.)

Times Cinema

5906 West Vliet Street. Open: 1935; open; seats: 500/350 The Times opened on the site of a former car dealership in the Washington Heights area of Milwaukee. The original owner also operated the Tosa Theatre (now Rosebud Cinema) in Wauwatosa. The theatre’s auditorium was built into an existing garage building formally known as “The Vliet Street Garage.” The Times was Milwaukee’s first and only Translux Theatre (projecting the film from behind the screen). The projection booth was moved in 1957 to the back of the theatre when CinemaScope was introduced. The Translux rear-projection system utilized a mirror system that could not be used for Cin-

Telenews Theatre (See Esquire.)

Theater Delight (See Orpheum.)

Theatorium 184 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1923; seats: 242 One of the Saxe brothers, Thomas, conceived the idea of running a Hales Touring Car. He fitted up the The-

Times Theatre, Milwaukee, 2002 (photograph by author).

165 emaScope. The seating was also replaced at this time, now with 448 seats. The Times Cinema, now an art house theater, “will undergo major changes, including live music performances and an expanded concessions stand with wine and beer,” said the cinema’s new owner, Larry Widen. Widen purchased the business from long-time owners Eric and Sue Levin, and he will employ Eric Levin as the cinema’s general manager. (Tom Daykin, “Times Cinema Changing Hands; Theater’s New Owner to Add Live Music, Beer, Wine,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 2, 2007.) The first project will be an expanded concession stand, including a pizza oven and coolers for wine and specialty beers. New seats with cup holders will be installed. The aisles will be wider, and some of the front rows will be removed to make room for easy chairs and sofas, which will reduce the number of seats. Those changes will reduce the cinema’s seating capacity from around 440 to 350. A digital video projector will be installed that will allow the cinema to show documentaries and other limited-release items that film studios are making available only on DVDs. The Times, a single-screen theater known for showing independent films and the occasional classic movie, is “a real neighborhood gem,” Widen said.

Tivoli Theatre 3302 West North Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1952; seats: 500 The two-and-a half story red brick theatre opened as the Queen just a few doors east of the Comet Theatre, which opened the same year. This neighborhood theatre had a balcony with staircases on either side of the lobby. In later years the theatre was part of the Fox-Wisconsin Amusement Corporation, known as the Paramount Theatre, and renamed the Tivoli Theatre in the early 1920s. Tower Theatre

757 North 27th Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1975; seats: 1609 The Tower Theatre opened on May 1, 1926, the second of Saxe Amusement Enterprises neighborhood movie palaces as it was for the architects, Gustave Dick and Alex Bauer. There was a 50-foot-high tower above the two-story theatre and commercial building in a then major west side shopping district. The tower was topped with a six foot circular portion having smaller windows similar to those below, but it was illuminated in blue, and then topped with a small dome of copper above a collar also of copper, the whole surmounted by a flag pole. There was a four-story-high vertical name sign with neon letters. The stage was not very deep as the theatre was designed only for movies. There was a Barton theatre

Milwaukee

pipe organ, and a small orchestra in the pit in the early years, but they were only in use until sound movies became the norm. During the theatre’s final years, it resorted to showing X-rated films in order to stay in business. By 1975, attendance was so low that the theatre had to close. After closing, the theatre was converted into a community outreach health facility.

Towne Theatre 717 North 3rd Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1979; seats: 1700 The theatre opened as the Miller Theatre, a vaudeville house with three seating levels built by the Miller Brewery Company within and behind their nine-story hotel. The red brick building was trimmed in limestone. On either side of entrance, there were hand-painted billboards. Inside, on either side of the small lobby, were hand-painted murals. The Saxes hired Mr. Braun to manage the Miller Theatre, which Saxe Amusement Enterprises operated in conjunction with the Miller Brewing Company. For the next twelve years, Mr. Braun booked hundreds of singers, dancers, comedians, and other vaudeville performers for the Miller stage. (Larry Widen, “Ledgers, Photos Bring Back Vaudeville,” Journal Sentinel, May 23, 2006.) In 1946, new owners renamed the faded theater the Towne and remodeled the theatre to compete with the newer downtown movie palaces. The Towne started a single feature policy as opposed to the double feature policy of all the other downtown theaters, an “A” feature attraction with a “B” companion film. Most of the films shown at the Towne were United Artist releases, which at the time were often considered “B” films. In its last years, the theatre featured adult films. In 1977, it was announced that the new Federal building was to be built on the entire block that housed the Towne Theatre as well as five additional theatres: the Alhambra, the Esquire, the Magnet, the Atlantic, and the Empress. The Towne Theatre was torn down in 1979/80. Toy Theatre (See Imperial.) Trinz Electric Theatre (See Star.) Trinz Electric Theatre

1202 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1907; seats: 247 This short-lived nickelodeon was designed by Nicholas Dornbach.

Trowbridge Theatre (See Home.)

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Union Electric Theatre (See Badger.) Unique Electric Theatre 1012 West Mitchell Street. Open: 1907; closed: 1907; seats: 73 This theatre was one of the early very short-lived nickelodeons on Mitchell Street. Unique Theatre

2355 North 3rd Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1915; seats: 188 This early silent movie theatre is now demolished.

Unique Theatre (See Cozy.) Universal Theatre

1636 West Forest Home Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1917; seats: 371 The theatre opened as the Wagner designed by Herbst & Hufschmidt. Renamed the Universal, the theatre building today stands vacant.

Uptown Theatre 2323 North 49th Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1981; seats: 1818 The Uptown Theatre opened on September 3, 1927, with the movie The Poor Nut starring Jack Mulhall. On Milwaukee’s northwest side, the theatre was designed by Chicago architects C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp. It was equipped with a Barton theatre pipe organ. The beige brick and limestonetrimmed theatre building housed stores, one on either side of a narrow entryway. Moorish tile designs highlighted the lobby along with a fountain of a boy holding a copper umbrella. The foyer originally had a small candy stand. The shallow balcony held only ten rows. For years the Uptown Theatre operated as a second-run house, and when it closed United Artists abandoned the building. By the time of demolition, pigeons flew freely through the rotted-out roof of the stagehouse. The city demolished the Uptown to use the land for a new district police headquarters and communications center. Varsity Theatre

1326 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1938; closed: 1976; seats: 1114 An article in the September 1938 issue of the Architectural Record reported that the Varsity Theatre building was completely air conditioned. The vertical glass-block panels are to admit daylight. Housed in this windowless building were five stores and the theater on the ground floor with offices on the three upper floors. Above the island box office at the sidewalk line, was a typical Poblocki Sign Company “Alumilighted” triple level marquee. Skeleton neon letters at the top spelled VARSITY. The theatre had always been a block or two away from some Marquette University buildings.

After closing it became Holthusen Hall with the auditorium serving as a lecture hall with films programs and school offices housed in the upper floors. The University converted the first floor stores into their school bookstore. The marquee was removed from the building but little was done to modify the theatre.

Vaudette Theatre (See Magnet.) Vaudette Theatre (See Cozy.) Venetian Theatre

3629 West Center Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1954; seats: 1430 The Venetian Theatre was touted as Wisconsin’s first “atmospheric” theatre, that is, the auditorium gives one the appearance of an outdoor setting, perhaps a courtyard, with twinkling stars and moving clouds overhead. Urban Peacock and Armin Frank designed the theatre with an Italian Renaissance decor. Two staircases in the lobby led to a single balcony. The gala opening on March 18, 1927, featured Laura LaPlante in Butterflies in the Rain accompanied by the Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. Just a few years later the theatre was wired for sound movies. The Milwaukee Circuit of the Universal Chain Theatres Corporation opened this air-conditioned theatre. After the theatre closed, it housed the Venetian Sales Company, which used the auditorium for a warehouse and the lobby for a liquor store. When they closed, the dark brown brick facade was boarded up. The Venetian Theatre building was razed in the spring of 2007.

Venus Theatre

3329 North Green Bay Avenue. Open: 1918; closed: 1928; seats: 499 The Venus Theatre was designed by John Bruecker, and is now demolished.

Victoria Theatre

1037 West Winnebago Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1918; seats: 664 This silent movie house was demolished.

Villa Theater

3610 West Villard Avenue. Open: 1926; closed: 1986; seats: 840 The theatre opened as the Ritz with a Kilgen theatre organ. This was the only theatre in the village of North Milwaukee until it was annexed by Milwaukee. In the 1940s, it was operated by the Fox-Wisconsin circuit. Renamed the Villa in the 1960s, the theatre showed first-run films. An attempt was made to reopen the theatre in the early 1990s, but failed.

167

Milwaukee

Villa Theatre, Milwaukee, 2001 (photograph by author).

Violet Theatre

2450 West Vliet Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1956; seats: 546 The Violet Theatre was demolished.

Wagner Theatre (See Universal.) Warner Theatre (See Grand.) Warren Theatre

2614 West North Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1929; seats: 593 The theatre opened as the Pastime Theatre, and is now demolished.

Washington Theatre 3516 West Lisbon Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1923; seats: 404 The theatre was torn down. Wauwatosa Theatre Delight (See Cozy.)

West Side Turn Hall (See Columbia.)

White House Theatre 1002 Madison Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1920; seats: 450 Opened as the Mojuvate theatre. A listing for the Mojuvate was originally found in an old Polish language newspaper. Now demolished. White House Theatre (See Atlantic.) Wisconsin Theatre 528 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1924; closed: 1986; seats: 3275 Saxe’s Wisconsin was the largest indoor theater ever built in Wisconsin. The movie palace was the flagship of their chain of twenty-eight theatres. The opening movie on March 28, 1924, was Why Men Leave Home starring Lewis Stone. There were performances by the Lyric Choir of Milwaukee with an orchestra, and a parade from the Pfister Hotel. C. W. Rapp and George L. Rapp of Chicago designed the Wisconsin Theatre, the first of four theatres in Milwaukee. The seventy-five foot vertical sign could be seen for miles. (The Milwaukee Journal, March 29, 1924.) In addition to their signature sunburst motif, we

Mineral Point

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find some of the Rapp & Rapp’s favorite features, such as a recessed orchestra pit that not only extended out toward the audience with their signature curve, but it also extended inward beyond the line of the proscenium arch to the concave front line of the stage. This not only allowed more room for the orchestra, but it also allowed for a Barton theatre pipe organ with two organ consoles to accompany the silent films. A feature that allowed so many seats on only a quarter of a city block was the addition of a mezzanine under the balcony. The Rapps were also responsible for a large Roof Garden dance hall on the roof of the building. Nearly a thousand people could dance up there in open-air refreshment in the summer before air conditioning. The bandstand on the roof also followed the French Baroque style used throughout the theatre. The large neon sign on the roof was visible from the street spelling out “Roof Dancing.” In 1963, this enormous theater was split horizontally into Wisconsin Cinemas I & II in order to stay in business, the first theatre in the state to be twinned. A wall was dropped down to the balcony rail and the balcony became Cinema II. The mezzanine was closed off for good and the orchestra floor became Cinema I, without the orchestra and pipe organ. A new stainless steel concession stand was added in the lobby. The theatre was demolished in 1986.

Wonderland Scenic Theatre (See Penny Arcade.)

World Theatre (See Royal.) Wright Theatre (See Legion.)

blue starry sky. The theatre had a Kilgen organ. Distinctive to the theatre were a fountain shaped like a fish pool and a patterned ceramic tile floor. In 1938, the Zenith became part of Fox-Wisconsin. After closing, the theatre was converted into a church.

— MINERAL POINT — Iowa County. One of the oldest communities in Wisconsin, “Wisconsin” began in Mineral Point, with the inauguration of Henry Dodge as the first Governor of the Wisconsin Territory. In its early days it was a lead mining town founded by Cornish miners. (www.mineralpoint.com)

Mineral Point Opera House

139 High Street. Open: 1915; open; seats: 418 The Opera House was designed by Madison architects Claude and Starck, and dedicated in February 1915 as a vaudeville and performing arts house. Grand opera, live drama, and symphonic music were presented in its early days. Originally there were 700 seats on the main floor, in the balcony, and two boxes. During the 1920s, when silent movies became popular, interest in stage productions faded and the Opera House became primarily a movie theatre. The first phase of the restoration project was completed in 2003 with plans continuing to restore the Mineral Point Opera House to its original grandeur. The magnificent auditorium with full proscenium and balcony with 216 seats provides unobstructed views of the stage from every one of the seats. Today the theatre continues to provide the area with daily movie presentations, a place for live per-

Zenith Theatre

2498 North Hopkins Street. Open: 1927; closed: 1954; seats: 1363 The Zenith Theatre was an atmospheric theatre in this north side German business district, one of six such theatres in Milwaukee. Built by the Maertz family, this was a movie house with a bowling alley in the basement (as had the Milwaukee and the Oriental) and two storefronts. The Zenith opened on November 29, 1927, with the film Broadway Madness, starring Marguerite DeLaMotte and Donald Keith and comedy shorts, newsreels, and a stage presentation. Designed in a Spanish style, the auditorium walls depicted the countryside while the ceiling became a

Mineral Point Opera House, Mineral Point, 2001 (courtesy Ralph Schmidt).

169 formances by the Shake Rag Players, a local theatre group. The Mineral Point Film Society brings significant world cinema to Mineral Point with monthly screenings. Conferences and meetings are also held at the Opera House.

— MINOCQUA — Oneida County. Minocqua is located in northwestern Wisconsin. The town’s name was derived from the Ojibwe word “Ninocqua,” meaning “noon-day rest.” It is home to one of the largest concentrations of fresh water bodies in the world. In 1887 when the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Companies forged their way to the northern-most regions of the state, Minocqua became a major logging town. Businesses prospered and Front Street was established as the main street of town in the early 1900s. But on May 31, 1912, a devastating fire leveled most of them. Fourteen buildings burned to the ground, including the Lakeside Hotel, a general store, a meat market, a restaurant and the Schlitz Opera House. Some of the business owners rebuilt at their former sites, but most of the regrowth was on Oneida Street, the main street of town today. (www.minocqua.org)

Aqua Theatre

Front Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1964; seats: 492 In the summer of 1937, Ray Quady and the Merrill Amusement Company built the larger Aqua Theatre just east of the Isle Theatre. This new theatre had a larger screen and a better sound system. The Aqua Theatre served Minocqua for many years.

Minocqua

Isle Theatre

Front and Flambeau Streets. Open: 1927; closed: 1938; seats: 350 The Isle Theatre opened in June 1927 built by the Merrill Amusement Company and managed by Ray Quade, who lived in an apartment in the south end of that building. The theatre was in the northern portion of the brick building, which still stands on the southeast corner. The Isle was closed in the fall of 1937, reopened for the summer of 1938 and then closed permanently in the fall of that year.

Star Theatre

Front Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1921; seats: 150 After the Opera House burned in the 1912 fire, Minocqua was without a large hall for social gatherings and entertainment. This early theatre was part of the new amusement hall built by Amey Nice and completed in August 1913. The hall was on the second floor of the building, and was used for dances, plays, concerts, movies (in the Star Theatre), and vaudeville entertainment in Minocqua until the early 1920s. (Daniel D. Scrobell. Early Times, The Early History of the Minocqua Area as Seen Through the Pages of the Minocqua Times Newspaper. 1988. pp. 252–253.)

Victor Theatre

Oneida Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1928; seats: 200 In the spring of 1919, David L. Jenkinson tore down the former Bassett garage on the west side of Oneida Street and built a double building. The south half of the building became the Victor Theatre, which opened in February 1920. Initially, the theatre had only a level floor, but in

Aqua Theatre, Minocqua, 1949 (courtesy Minocqua Historical Society).

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Mondovi

Victor Theatre, Minocqua, Early (courtesy Minocqua Historical Society).

the spring of 1921 an elevated or sloping floor was built. In 1925, Mr. Jenkinson installed a Marcola piano and pipe organ with orchestra attachments for a fuller musical accompaniment to the silent movies being shown. The organ produced an orchestra effect with the single operator controlling not only the piano and organ music, but also attachments, which produced flute, pipe, cello, voice, melodeon, and harp music. This theatre remained a silent movie house, closing in January 1928 after the opening of the Isle Theatre. The building was demolished.

— MONDOVI —

Mondovi Theatre, Mondovi, 1972 (courtesy Mondovi Area Historical Society).

Buffalo County. Known as “Pancake Valley” when Harvey R. Farrington staked out the first land claims, and then this area became known as “Farringtons.” However, when the village was platted it became known as Mondovi. This new name was selected from a site where a Napoleonic battle took place in Italy against the Sardinians in 1796. (www.mondovicom/history)

Mondovi Theatre

112 East Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1972; seats: 400 Joe and Zeno Canar showed movies in the Opera House, which was renamed the Grand Theatre in 1929. The theatre was remodeled in the 1940s, and renamed the Mondovi. After closing, the theatre remained unoccupied until it was sold in 1975. The building was razed for a parking lot.

171 Star Theatre 121 North Eau Claire Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1928; seats: 250 Clarence Flemming and his father operated the first motion picture show in Mondovi upstairs in the old Willie Canar building. After some time they moved the show into an old building, remodeled it into a theatre, and called it “The Star.” Soon after the theatre began there, Clarence Flemming had his cousin Bessie Young come and play the piano and sing at shows. In those days the movies were all silent so someone would sit in a secluded position in the theatre and make the various noises, such as thunder, rain on a roof, or horses running. This job was done at times by Hartwell Halverson. After the theatre closed, the building was remodeled and used for the Post Office until 1935 when it was moved into a new building. The theatre building is still standing.

— MONROE — Green County. Monroe is the county seat and the largest city in Green County. The area is known for the production of fine cheeses with the title of “Swiss Cheese Capital of the U.S.A.” Monroe became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2005.

Monroe

Monroe’s central business district is an example of a New England square transplanted to 19th century Wisconsin. The center of the business district is Courthouse Square with the Green County Courthouse. The entire central business district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. (www.wicip.uwplatt.edu/green/ci/monroe/ about;history.htm)

Chalet Theatre 1118 17th Street. Open: 1936; closed: 1955; seats: 620 Offices are now on site. Goetz Theatre 1704 11th Street. Open: 1931; open; seats: 850 Light terra cotta, used to form columns and for the border, forms an attractive contrast to the light brown facebrick on the exterior of the Goetz Theater, which opened September 2, 1931, with Marie Dressler and Polly Moran in Politics. A Spanish effect is carried out by the unusual top line of the front wall and by the balconies under the front windows. The elaborate canopy has 2000 electric bulbs illuminated, and a high columnar neon tube sign reading “Goetz” at the Courthouse Square corner of the building in addition to 500 lamps. The marquee read “This Theatre Is Equipped With Western Electric Talkies.” Inside, a blue sky covers the entire room from which, at times, tiny stars shine through and fleecy clouds go floating by. Everything in the auditorium focuses on the 29-foot broad stage. Just under the stage in the center is the keyboard of the 6-stop Barton organ. Uniformed ushers were on hand to seat guests. Long an ambition of the Goetz brothers was to bring a moving-talking picture playhouse to their town. A complete two-story block was built replacing another historical block. Large, stylized letters spelling the name of the theatre sit on the lights that

Left: Chalet Theatre, Monroe, early 1950s (courtesy Green County Historical Society). Right: Chalet Theatre, Monroe, 2001 (photograph by author).

Monroe

172

Top: Goetz Theatre, Monroe, 2001; above left: Goetz Theatre, Corner Sign, Monroe, 2001; right, top: Goetz Theatre, Lobby Entrance, Monroe, 2001; right, bottom: Goetz Theatre, Lobby, Monroe, 2001 (all photographs by author).

line the top of the square sign. A Swiss-style roof was added over the front doors. Three screens now present first-run films. In 1981, a 145-seat theatre was added and in 1994, an 88-seat theatre. Both theatres were added in the office building next door.

173

Montello / Montfort / Montreal

Baraboo Orchestra in 1908. (Mary Ellen Pourchot, “Ghosts lurk in shadows of 112-year-old theater,” Milwaukee Sentinel, December 10, 1990.) The Montello Theatre is a narrow frame building with a false front and (pseudo) columns framing the entrance. On the sides of the auditorium are tall blocked-off window openings. The floor was pitched, and a big screen was installed. The talkies arrived in the 1920s. Paul and Donna Sveum purchased the theatre building in 1984 and remodeled the theatre. The projector equipment is now automated and the aisles are carpeted with a fireplace on the lower level. “Every small town had its theater. But one by one the little theaters closed. In Marquette County, only the Montello Theatre remains open.” (Erika Reckling, “Theatres Butter Top Movies with Community Flavor; Montello Movies Play in Hometown Style,” News Republic/Daily Register, August 3, 1996.) The Montello Theatre is now owned by Dave and Dawn AnderGoetz Junior Theatre, Monroe, 1930s (courtesy Duke Goetz). son. They installed a surroundsound speaker system and a new Monroe Theatre 1610 11th Street. Open: projector. Affordable prices and first-run and family films are featured at the theatre. 1918; closed: 1931; seats: 500 This first theatre in town, built by the Goetz brothers, remained a silent movie theatre.

Goetz Junior Theatre Corner 11th and 17th Streets. Open: 1936; closed: 1944; seats: 275 This small theatre advertised popular prices and Mirrophonic sound. The Goetz Junior was demolished.

— MONTFORT — — MONTELLO — Marquette County. Located in the heart of central Wisconsin near the Wisconsin Dells, Montello is the county seat and is known for its granite quarries. The Montello Granite Company’s quarry opened about 1880, and operated until the 1960s. Tests have proven that for durability and strength there are few granites anywhere that equal Montello granite. (www.montellowi.com)

Montello Theatre 30 East Montello Street. Open: 1877; open; seats: 200 The theatre is on the main street of town across the street from a scenic waterfall, which was built into an old quarry. This was the Dodge Opera House with a bowling alley in the basement and a barn out back that accommodated patrons’ horses. It served as a community center. There were traveling medicine shows, dances, roller skating on the once flat hardwood floor, graduations, and a performance of the

Grant County. In the southwest corner of the state, Montfort has a lead mining history then started afresh as a farming community after the mines were exhausted.(www.grantcounty.org/ci/montfort/)

Fort Theatre

105 South Fountain Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1961; seats: 350 The theatre building is still standing as Montfort’s Post Office.

— MONTREAL — Iron County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Montreal was a one-industry community that mined iron ore. Much of the town was owned by the Montreal Mining Company. (www.montrealwisconsin.com)

Hamilton Club

Montreal Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1955; seats: 250

Mosinee / Mt. Horeb / Mukwonago

174

The building, which still stands, was the recreation center for the town that included bowling alleys, pinball machines, a pool, and a theatre.

— MOSINEE — Marathon County. Mosinee is located in north-central Wisconsin.

Mosinee Theatre 411 Main Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1986; seats: 443 The Mosinee Theatre closed in June 1986 and was torn down a year later.

Strand Theatre, Mt. Horeb, 1957 (courtesy Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society).

— MT. HOREB — Dane County. In south-central Wisconsin, Mt. Horeb proclaims itself the “Troll Capital” with its abundant Norwegian hospitality. (www.trollway. com)

Mt. Horeb Opera House

109–117 East Main Street. Open: 1895; closed: 1922; seats: 414 Designed by Gordon and Paunack, the massive, three-story, brick Mt. Horeb Opera House dominates downtown Mt. Horeb. The corner tower is a trademark feature of its Queen Anne Style. Other noteworthy details include the arcaded storefront, and a series of brick arches. Operating as a community center, the opera house presented performances by theatrical troupes, dances, political rallies, minstrel shows, basketball games, and after the local high school burned in 1917, some of the classes met here while the new high school was built. Silent movies were shown after 1907, but by 1922, competition from other buildings led to the closing of the Opera House as a center for public events. The Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Parkway Theatre Main Street. Open: 1924; closed: 1949; seats: 350 The outer structure of the building still stands after a fire. Strand Theater

132 East Main Street. Open: 1929; closed: 1969; seats: 350 The Strand offered area residents the latest in Hollywood fare advertising itself as “In the Heart of America’s Dairyland.” It began in 1922, when the

commercial building (now occupied by Isaac’s Soaps and Antiques) began construction to house the Strand Theatre which would enrich local life for nearly fifty years. The second story of the building still displays the Mediterranean Revival style. Construction of the theater was started for Fred Luder, Jr., but was discontinued when he died in 1924. In 1928, Joseph Buechner bought the property and completed the theater, which opened on March 9, 1929. The theater was located on the ground floor with a ballroom and apartment upstairs. Mr. Buechner and his wife operated the theatre but it changed hands several times during the Great Depression. Then in 1940, Floyd Albert bought the property and operated the theater until it closed forever. The advent of television and easier access to movie theaters in Madison spelled the end of the theatre. “With the proliferation of movie theaters in Madison, it looks like a local Mount Horeb movie theater is probably a thing of the past. The movie theater played a role in establishing the community’s sense of place.” (Neil Bartlett. Strand Movie Theater Brought Hollywood to Mount Horeb. Mount Horeb Historical Society. 2005.)

— MUKWONAGO — Waukesha County. The village of Mukwonago, first settled by Pottawatomie Indians in the 1700s, became the first platted village of what is now southwest Waukesha County. Mukwonago is known for its fresh water springs fed by the Mukwonago River and the waters of Spirit Lake. Translated, the village name is “Place of the Bear.” (www.villageof mukwonago.com)

175 Hotel Theatre 221 North Rochester Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1927 John Nowatske opened an amusement hall when he converted a portion of the Dillenbeck Hotel into a combination amusement hall and movie house named the Hotel Theatre. A movie theatre attached to a hotel was a unique combination since most early movies were shown by traveling showmen at village fairs or picnics. In addition to movies, live plays and concerts were held on the theatre’s stage. The theatre portion of the Dillenbeck Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1927. Confetti used at the New Year’s Eve party lodged in the registers and caught fire while the building was being heated for the show the next day. (Historical and Architectural Resources Survey: Village of Mukwonago. July 15, 2001.)

Muscoda / Necedah

the film Dodge City Trail was on screen. The fire had started in the projection booth. This first Muscoda Theatre had to be torn down.

Muscoda Theatre

100 Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 1975; seats: 300 The second Muscoda Theatre opened in September of 1947. After closing, the theatre was and is used for special events. The marquee is still on the building.

Vista Theatre 222 North Rochester Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1957; seats: 460 A new structure of brick and tile was built on the site of the Hotel Theatre that had burned down two years earlier. A contest was held to name the new show house and the winning name was “Vista.” In 1928, the frame portion of the old hotel was purchased by Joe Anich and later sold to Mike Anich. After movies no longer became profitable, the theatre closed to be used Muscoda Theatre, Muscoda, 2001 (photograph by author). for a time by Walter Nowatske as an auction barn. Dick Greenwald purchased the building in November of 1967. (D. E. Wright. Chronicle of Mukwonago. 1996.) ECEDAH

—N

— MUSCODA — Grant County. This community, once known as English Prairie, is a tale of two communities changed by the times. Once thought to be a major Wisconsin River port for the lead mining industry in the hills to the south, Muscoda changed its focus. With the introduction of the railroad the community slowly moved. The main street that once ran parallel to the banks of the river turned to its present north and south. Muscoda, meaning “Prairie of Flowers” is located in the heart of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. (www.muscoda.com)

Muscoda Theatre

Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1937; seats: 300 On April 22, 1937, a fire gutted the building while

—

Juneau County. The village of Necedah is located near Petenwell Lake, Castle Rock Lake, and the Wisconsin and Yellow Rivers. The Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and Buckhorn State Park are close by. Necedah is the home to the annual “Whooping Crane Festival,” which brings people from all over the world to the small village for a chance to get a look at the endangered species. (www.juneaucounty.com) “Another destructive fire visited Necedah Friday night, October 7, which totally destroyed the Opera House, Burke Building, and the Babcock building.” The fire was first discovered about 10:30 in the rear of the Burke building. In a few minutes the building was a seething furnace, the terrific heat breaking the glass front of the Rattunde garage, the Village Hall, the Republican building and the Godfrey building. The Opera House on the south quickly caught. The wind however, was favorable and the fire was kept confined to the three frame buildings.

176

Neenah

“The Opera House’s loss on building and contents, $9,000 with $5,100 insurance.” (“Necedah Visited by Another Bad Fire,” Necedah Republican and Friendship Reporter, October 20, 1921.) Fires in 1886 and 1915 had not damaged the Opera House.

Grand Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1933; seats: 350 The theatre never converted to sound and showed silent movies. The Grand Theatre suffered some loss in the Fire of 1921 as reported in the Necedah Republican. “Loss of motion picture machine, curtains, electric fan of $400 with no insurance.”

— NEENAH — Winnebago County. Situated on Lake Winnebago, Neenah was named after a Native American word meaning water, and the city draws much from its past as a papermaking town. The village at the mouth of the Fox River was settled in the early 19th century, but only began to flourish after the Civil War when milling and pulping took hold in the region, led by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. (www.ci.neenah.wi.us/heritage.html)

Doty Theatre, Neenah, 1915 (courtesy Neenah Public Library).

Doty Theatre

302 North Commercial Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1929; seats: 500 This was a John Herziger–owned moving-picture theatre that opened in June 1912. Admission was five cents. The Doty Theatre had a Bartola, a 1911 invention of Dan Barton of Oshkosh installed in March 1915. Forerunner of the theater organ, the Bartola was actually an upright piano which had added to it a limited-range second keyboard controlling several sets of organ pipes in an adjacent cabinet. (Sally Nelson, “Doty Days Historical Society to Recreate Golden Era,” Twin City News-Record, April 10, 1985.) Saxe Amusement Enterprises of Milwaukee bought the Doty Theatre from J. Herziger in 1926. “The Doty” is inscribed in stone at the top of the building so today it is The Doty Tavern.

its exterior suggesting a small arcade silent movie house. Both the Mer Mac and Idle Hour theatres were essentially put out of business when John Herziger leased the Neenah Theatre for his 1919 presentation of Birth of a Nation.

Neenah Theatre 114 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1902; closed: 1995; seats: 800

Idle Hour Theatre

108 West Wisconsin Street. This nickelodeon could seat 150 and is still standing.

Mer Mac Theatre

112 West Wisconsin Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1920s; seats: 200 The building is still standing with

Neenah Theatre, Neenah, 1994 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

177 The Neenah Theatre was designed by Chicago architect Sidney Lovell after the townspeople raised money for the project. The Neenah Men’s Club took ownership of the theatre in 1909, occupying the ballroom and dining hall portion of the building. John Herziger held the lease to the theatre and in 1919 presented Birth of a Nation to the town. In an effort to uphold a sense of decency, the Neenah Men’s Club terminated the lease held by the local exhibitor ( John Herziger) when Clara Bow hit the screen with her racy suggestions. In the 1920s Midwesco operated the theatre, which was renamed the Embassy Theatre in 1930 and open only on weekends. During the Great Depression, the theatre was dark; between 1929 and 1932, the theatre opened and closed twice. When Marcus Theatres acquired the lease in 1941, they renovated the theatre to allow for movies to be shown and renamed it the Neenah Theatre. One reporter declared it “the last word in movie playhouses with love seats on the aisles and the State’s first dairy bar.” There was even murals with grazing Holsteins. ( John Gurda, “Marcus at 70,” Box Office, December 2005.) It closed as the Neenah Cinema when all admissions were $1.50, and was demolished in 1998.

— NEILLSVILLE — Clark County. In west-central Wisconsin, Neillsville is the county seat and situated near the junction of O’Neills Creek with the Black River. The village was laid out and platted for James O’Neill and named in his honor. Twenty-one buildings in Neillsville historic downtown are on the State and National Historic Registers. (neillsvilleonline.net)

Neillsville / Nekoosa

Majestic Theatre

Hewett Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1920; seats: 150 The Majestic Theatre was a small silent movie house.

— NEKOOSA — Wood County. The five rapids, covering a distance of about three miles in this area, were referred to as Nekoosa (swift water) by the Chippewa Indians, who made their campground on high Swallow Rock overlooking the rapids. Wakeley’s tavern served as a resting place for the river traveler and lumber raftsman. Wakeley’s was the nucleus for the development of a settlement named Point Basse (low point); the name was later changed to Nekoosa. (www.nekoosa.org) The settlement became a key town during the colorful era when lumber was rafted down the river from the pineries of the North to Mississippi River markets. Daniel Whitney built the first sawmill on the Wisconsin River here at Whitney’s Rapids in 1831 making Nekoosa the birthplace of Wood County. (www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=1109)

Rialto Theatre 313 Market Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1965; seats: 350 The Rialto Theatre was renovated in 1938–1939 with a new interior, air conditioning, and a new

Adler Theater

150 South Hewett Street. Open: 1921; closed: 1985; seats: 400 Trag’s Theatre opened on November 10, 1921. William E. Tragsdorf bought the lot in April to build the theatre. When it was sold to Mr. J. P. Adler of Marshfield on July 22, 1929, the theatre was renamed the Adler. After closing the theatre was converted into a video store and was eventually torn down.

Armory Fourth Street. Open: 1892; closed: 1954; seats: 502 The Armory/Opera House was started in 1892 on the site of the Fourth Street Theatre. The Armory was not only used for the company of militia, but a theatre and hall for dances. The 1897 Jail Museum in town has the big “1892” off the side of the building which was removed before it was torn down. (www.wvls.lib.wi.us/clarkcounty/pinevalley/index. htm)

Rialto Theatre, Nekoosa, 1939 (courtesy Charles & JoAnn Lester Library).

178

Nelson / — / New Lisbon

marquee. The theatre was the showplace for many fine films and brought many enjoyable hours of entertainment. With the age of television, the town saw the passing of this family movie house.

— NELSON — Buffalo County. Nelson connects Wisconsin to Minnesota by the interstate bridge over the Mississippi River. Next to the village is an area, known as Tiffany Bottoms, that is three miles wide and ten miles long — of virgin forest and water, practically untouched by civilization. (www.mississippi-riv er.org/nelson.html)

and remained a silent movie house. Currently, the building is home to the “Elite Bar & Grill” advertising the best entertainment in the Tri-County Area with live music, two banquet halls, and a full menu.

Towne Theatre 2120 Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1970; seats: 400 Opened as the Majestic Theatre, and renamed the Towne in 1939. The theatre building is now used for retail.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1931; seats: 175 Silent movies were among the entertainments of the Opera House.

— NEW GLARUS — Green County. In southern Wisconsin, New Glarus is known as Towne Theatre, New Holstein, 1939 (courtesy Laurel Sherry). the “Little Switzerland in Wisconsin.” The town was settled by immigrants from Glarus, Switzerland. (www.swiss EW ISBON town.org) Juneau County. According to Indian folklore, the area now known as New Lisbon was used as a winNew Glarus Theatre 107 Second Street. ter location for hunting and trapping. During its Open: 1950; closed: 1965; seats: 240 earlier days, the city was a bustling center for railOwners Fred and Doris Lienhardt closed down road activity providing service for industries as well the theatre with the showing of Dr. Zhivago. It now as passenger service. (www.newlisbon.net) serves New Glarus as the Small World Child Care Center. Fox Theatre Bridge Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1940; seats: 185 The theatre was located on the second floor of the EW OLSTEIN Opera House.

—N

—N

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Calumet County. The village derives its name from the early settlers that came from the SchleswigHolstein area of Germany. Situated on the line of the Wisconsin Central railroad in the southeastern part of Calumet County, New Holstein was called “the garden spot of Wisconsin” at the turn of the century. (www.ci.new-holstein.wi.us/)

Elite Theatre

L

2016 Calumet Drive. Open: 1900s; closed: 1930; seats: 300 The theatre building still stands without a marquee. The Elite Theatre never converted to sound

Gem Theatre

Bridge Street. Open: 1904; closed: 1929; seats: 200 The building is still standing. The Gem Theatre never converted to sound.

Home Theatre Adam Street. Open: 1925; closed: 1963; seats: 225 The theatre was torn down.

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— NEW LONDON — Waupaca/Outagamie Counties. New London lies on both sides of the Wolf River at the mouth of the Embarrass River. Its eastern area extends into Outagamie County. The name of “Embarrass” at first took the lead for the name of the settlement. “Wolf City” was also suggested. Some of the gathering proposed the name Tafton in honor of the first settler, Lucius Taft. The place was known for over four years as Taft’s Landing. Another early settler, the Rev. Reeder Smith, suggested New London after his birthplace in Connecticut. (Wisconsin County Histories, Waupaca County. ed. John M. Ware, 1917) The Grand Opera House of New London was erected by J. C. Hickey and George E. Lutsey in 1892. Two years before, Mr. Lutsey had built the Elwood Hotel, thus continuing the long careers of his parents in that line. Both men operated the Opera House until the spring of 1916, when Mr. Lutsey became its sole proprietor.

New London / New Richmond

Mermac Theatre 203 South Pearl Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1958; seats: 250 The Mermac Theatre closed on July 8, 1958, and was demolished.

— NEW RICHMOND — St. Croix County. New Richmond, known as “The City Beautiful” is located approximately forty miles east of the St. Paul/Minneapolis Metro Area. (www. ci.new-richmond.wi.us/)

Old Gem Theatre

116 South Knowles Avenue. Open: 1912; open; seats: 500/216

Grand Theatre

319 West North Water Street. Open: 1895; open; seats: 619 Opening night’s play Lost Paradise on the stage of the Grand Opera House was on February 19, 1895. When it opened it was a vaudeville stage theatre with a balcony and later converted to a movie theatre. By 1999, the building had undergone extensive renovation including the exterior being restored to its original appearance. Rogers Cinema had purchased the theatre and with help from the Friends of the Grand saved the building. The Grand Theatre was converted into a four-plex; both the sound and projection systems were updated.

Gem Theatre, New Richmond, 2007 (collection of author).

Grand Theatre, New London, 1989 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

The Gem Theatre was built for presenting both vaudeville acts and moving pictures in downtown New Richmond, and opened September of 1912. The theatre was the region’s first movie house for silent films through 1927 when talkies were introduced. It was purchased by the Heywood family in 1927, and extensively remodeled in the 1930s. A wide screen and stateof-the-art sound equipment was added in the 1950s. The Gem Theatre played host to an historic visit from presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in 1960. Movies stopped in 1989. The Stagedoor Players, a theater group, extensively renovated and renamed the building in the fall of 1990 performing their first production, Wizard of Oz, in April, 1991. The theatre again changed hands, and in 2002 was renamed the Old Gem Theatre in honor of the building’s historic and cultural significance to the city and

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the St. Croix River Valley communities. The theatre presents live performances of music, professional theater, and theater for youth. (www.oldgemthea ter.com)

— NIAGARA — Marinette County. “The City of Scenic Beauty.” Originally named in 1900 in the language of the Iroquois tribe, Niagara means “thundering waters.” This was a small Kimberly-Clark Corporation papermill village. Niagara is within the Iron Mountain/Kingsford, Michigan urban area. (www.niag arawisconsin.com)

Club House

Main Street. Open: 1933; closed: 1938; seats: 350 This was built as a recreation center and in the early years silent movies and early talkies were shown in the Club House. The building is now used as a training center for a paper company.

four years saw a very robust business. But that began to change with the onset of television in the mid– 1950s. As movie attendance dwindled, Mr. Merritt began to sell black and white television sets in his theatre lobby. Then the theatre showed movies only Friday through Sunday. Our Theatre closed on July 5, 1964, with Man’s Favorite Sport? with Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss. (Donald C. Raboin, Our Theatre 1949 to 1964. Niagara Area Historical Society, 2005.)

— NORTH FOND

DU

LAC —

Fond du Lac County

Rex Theatre 731 Minnesota Avenue. Open: 1921; closed: 1935; seats: 400 The theatre opened as the Auditorium in the early 1900s; the town’s social and entertainment center. In 1921, it was remodeled into a theatre called the Rex. The theatre caught fire in 1935 and burned down.

Our Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1949; closed: 1964; seats: 500 Our Theatre opened on March 12, 1949, with the movie Coroner Creek starring Randolph Scott and Marguerite Chapman along with a short entitled Nation on Skis and a Merrie Melody cartoon. The entire opening program was in color. There was such an excitement when the first theatre in town was opened. People lined the street for more than a block waiting to purchase their tickets. Admission was twenty-five cents, and popcorn was ten cents a box. Advertised as “Northern Wisconsin’s Finest NonMetropolitan Theatre.” The front of the building is faced with red brick on which has been constructed a metal marquee with a modernistic blue and white sign spelling out the word “Our.” Red and green neon lighting adds to the effectiveness of the sign. The auditorium proper has the very latest in sloped floors and staggered, cushioned flip-up seats to give the audience the best possible view of the screen. There is a small stage. The second floor of the theatre contained a large fire-protected room for three projection machines, a “cry” room, and a private viewing room. This was available by reservation only, where private parties of as many as five persons could watch the show while seated in over-stuffed lounge chairs. (“Opening of Niagara’s New Theater to Be Saturday,” The Iron Mountain News, March 11, 1929.) Floyd Merritt along with his wife, Vi, opened the theatre. Mr. Merritt said there would be four changes of pictures a week. Double features were presented Thursday and Friday. Saturday matinees with the serials were very popular. The first three or

— OCONOMOWOC — Waukesha County. The first white man, Charles Sheldon, to come into the area found that the Potowatomi Indians had already laid the foundation of what they called Coo-No-Mo-Wauk (where the waters meet, or river of lakes), which in time would become Oconomowoc. In the 1870s, Oconomowoc had earned the reputation of “Newport of the West.” This era continued into the 1930s when families of wealth from Chicago, St. Louis, and Milwaukee crowded its lakeshores with palatial country mansions. (www.ci.oconomo woc.wi.us/)

Crystal Theatre

156 East Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1916; closed: 1933; seats: 334 The Crystal Theatre opened on September 15, 1916. The theatre remained a silent movie house and did not convert to sound. The last published advertisement for the Crystal was in the December 3, 1920, Oconomowoc Enterprise. The building is still standing and now houses law offices.

LaBelle Theatre

167 East Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1934; closed: 1979; seats: 636 The theatre closed August 30, 1979, and is still standing as a “mini-mall.”

Strand Theatre

144 East Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1921; closed: 1954; seats: 528

181 The theatre opened April 22, 1921, and is now demolished.

— OCONTO — Oconto County. Oconto is home to Copper Culture State Park, which dates to 5000–6000 B.C., and is the burial ground of the Copper Culture Indians. This burial ground is considered to be the oldest cemetery in Wisconsin and one of the oldest in the nation.

Badger Theatre 1128 Main Street. Open: 1942; closed: 1961; seats: 700 The Perrizo family built the Badger Theatre when they felt the town needed another larger movie theatre and when it opened closed down all three of their other showhouses. But like other theatres across the country, it succumbed to the new invention of television. After closing, the theatre was converted into the Badger Bowling Lanes and is now the Oconto Bowling Center.

Oconto

A year after the Star Electric Theatre opened Otto Hass, Ida Eisenbach, and Reinhold Hass established a nickelodeon in the Kimball Building on Superior Avenue. That building was eventually torn down and a brick building was erected. The Bijou Theatre, with its arch of light bulbs over the doorway, was moved to Main Street in 1915, but closed when fire gutted the building. (Kay Stewart. Historic Oconto.)

Gem Theatre

900 Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1946; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Elite in the last store of the Luckenbach Block on East Main Street after being burned out across the street. The Elite Theatre was operated by Frank Knapp. It was necessary when one reel was completed that it had to be rewound before the second reel could begin, so there was always an intermission. During that intermission, Mrs. Anthony Martineau often led the singing of war songs popular during World War I. Irene DeBeck played the piano. The theatre was renamed the Grand run by Len Lord, and in the 1930s, it became the Gem Theatre. At one time the theatre boasted a three-piece orchestra. The theatre was torn down after closing. (Bernice Blank, “Movie Theaters Once Thrived in Oconto County Communities,” Eagle-Star.)

Top: Badger Theatre, Oconto, 1941 (courtesy Dick Doeren and Joe Perrizo). Bottom: Badger Theatre, Oconto, 2001 (photograph by author).

Bijou Theatre

Superior Avenue. Open: 1907; closed: 1920s; seats: 300

Gem Theatre, Oconto, 1940 (courtesy Dick Doeren and Joe Perrizo).

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Oconto Theatre

1020 Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1960; seats: 500 The theatre opened as the Princess Theatre and was built on the site of the Bijou Theatre by Francis Sharp, whose family published the Inquirer. The new building was built of cement block with thick concrete floors and a projection room on the second floor with double cement walls. In 1937, a new owner renamed the theatre the Oconto and gave it a facelift by adding a more glamorous marquee and sign and a shining glass front. During the 1930s Oconto’s stage was used for cooking shows and the appearance of Gene Autry. Irving Vincent sold his two Oconto theatres (the Gem and Oconto Theatres) in 1939 to Charles and Libbie Perrizo, who were originally from Minnesota and had owned many theatres.

— OCONTO FALLS — Oconto County. Located in the Fox Valley metropolitan area, Oconto Falls, on the banks of the Oconto River at the falls of the river, is about fifteen miles upstream from the bay of Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin. The City takes its name from the river, which means “place of the pickerel” in the Menominee dialect. In fact, it is reported that early settlers called the river the Pickerel River. (www.ci.ocontofalls.wi.us/)

Grand Theatre 110 North Main Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1976; seats: 310 The building was a furniture store owned by James F. O’Neil with the upstairs being used as an Opera House and gymnasium. Wilfrid and Marguerite Vincent purchased the building in 1923 as silent films were hitting their heyday. Emil Plain leased the theatre for five years and in 1934, Wilfrid moved back in and then sold the Grand Theatre to his son, Irving and wife, Magdalen Vincent. Magdalen operated the theatre until it closed in December 1976 with the appropriately titled Silent Movie. On January 25, 1977, the building was sold and converted into a Gambles Store. (Source: Phil Vincent.)

— OMRO — Winnebago County. In the Fox River Valley, the village of Omro is situated on the Fox River in central Wisconsin.

Omro Theatre

205 South Webster Avenue. Open: 1938; closed: 1965; seats: 400 In 1966, the theatre was converted into Omro’s City Hall.

Top: Oconto Theatre, Oconto, 1940 (courtesy Dick Doeren and Joe Perrizo). Bottom: Oconto Theatre, Oconto, 2001 (photograph by author).

Star Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1909; seats: 200 The history of picture shows in Oconto began here. A Mr. Rader established a nickelodeon in the former Royce Store building on the north side of Main Street two doors west of the Pierce Hotel. In 1908, Mabel Hall purchased the nickelodeon and ran a very successful show house. (Source: Reinhold Hass Interview of February 1948.)

Omro Theatre, Omro, 1939 (collection of author).

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— ONALASKA — La Crosse County. Onalaska is in southwestern Wisconsin, built on a ridge overlooking Lake Onalaska and the Black River, the Mississippi River and the Minnesota bluffs are three miles away. (www.cityofonalaska.com)

Crystal Theatre 302 Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1936; seats: 350 There is a plaque on the building that is now Colvin Dentistry that recalls the history of the theatre. The Crystal Theatre was built at the corner of Third and Main Streets after a fire destroyed the large Thompson & Bailey Store at about the turn of the century. The theatre was operated by Eugene S. Johnson and his son-in-law, James G. Showers. J. Edgar Brudos purchased the theatre building and converted it into a dairy. Michael and Elaine Colvin are the present owners. (From Sawmills to Sunfish: A History of Onalaska, Wisconsin.)

— ORFORDVILLE — Rock County. Orfordville is located in southwestern Wisconsin named by the first postmaster for his hometown of Orfordville, New Hampshire. Many early settlers were Scandinavian. The village celebrated its one hundred years of incorporation in 2000. (www.orfordville.org)

Star Opera House 204 West Brodhead Street. The Orfordville Journal reported (March 19, 1974) that the last remaining recognizable part of the original Star Opera House, built in 1894, was donated to the Rock County Historical Society. The window frame with the six-pointed star on the lintel was discovered by Mr. Gene Woodard when dismantling the building next to his store. One of the last owners, Albert Gilbertson, cut the building in two to make two homes. The original opera house had been used as a tavern, a dance hall, a movie house, a village meeting place, and an egg produce collection point. The vote to incorporate as a village took place here in 1900. (Currently the corner that is occupied by Donna’s Gas & Grocery.) Triangle Theatre Brodhead Street. Open: 1924; closed: 1937; seats: 200 The Triangle opened on December 8, 1924, named by Mrs. Arthur Larson of Hanover, the first prize winner in a contest sponsored by the Orfordville Journal. Also called Triangle Hall, which was formally opened on Monday night with an old-time dance with Smiley’s orchestra furnishing the music.

Onalaska / Orfordville / Osceola

(“Opening Night for Triangle Hall,” Orfordville Journal, December 10, 1924.) People were present from Beloit, Janesville, Footville, Brodhead, and Albany to see this modern place of entertainment. The moving picture machine was in its own separate room. In 1931 new seats were installed as well as a heating system and Vitaphone. A January 1938 New Year’s ad in the Orfordville Journal for season’s greetings from the “Triangle Tavern” and the appearance of advertising for movies in the neighboring town (Evansville) indicated there was no longer a movie theatre in Orfordville. The building was eventually torn down.

— OSCEOLA — Polk County. Osceola is located less than an hour from the Twin Cities in the Saint Croix River Valley. Its downtown, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and surrounding neighborhoods provide outstanding examples of late 19th and early 20th century architecture. Osceola became a Wisconsin Main Street Community in 1997. (www.vil.osceola.wi.us/)

Gem Theatre

206 Cascade Street. Open: 1917; closed: 1929; seats: 250 This theatre opened as the Lyric Theatre located at the corner of Chieftain Street and Second Avenue. This first theatre in town was only open on Saturdays. Mr. H. E. Burnett operated the theatre and then sold it to O. H. Steindorf of Amery in November 1917. In 1927, Mr. Steindorf moved the theatre to Cascade Street and renamed it the Gem Theatre. Eleanor Entner Rogers played the piano for the silent pictures. In the summer of 1929 Mr. O. J. Schutz from Minnesota purchased the Gem, but it burned to the ground that same year. Mr. Schutz had enlarged the projection booth to make room for two machines allowing the films to run continuously. (Osceola Sun, August 8, 1929.)

Opera House The Opera House began as a wooden structure built in 1885 remembered as the Opera Hall-Roller Rink in the village. Once the roller-skating fad passed the building stood idle until purchased by the Modern Woodmen for their meetings. During the next sixty years the building provided space for assemblies, conventions, and traveling shows; for dances, basketball games; and for high school commencements. Before the first movie theatre appeared in Osceola, lantern slide shows were held at the Opera House.

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Spanish Garden Theatre 116 Cascade Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1958; seats: 381 The fall of 1931 saw the opening of the Spanish Garden Theatre. It was a movie theatre that reflected all the glamour, the excitement and the razzle-dazzle of the film industry of the early 1930s. The interior of the lobby was done in hammered gold to create the effect of colored stone. The floor was green tile intersected with mottled green blocks. Water flowed from the mouth off a lion’s head and played softly on moss-covered stone in a rustic water font that lay just outside the hammered gold double doors that led to the theatre. When the houselights were lowered, the hundreds of little lights in the domed ceiling made it appear as if it were the night sky lit by twinkling stars. The six-foot horn suspended behind the screen and amplifier was the newest idea in sound in 1930. Theatregoers were led to their seats by ushers dressed in Spanish costumes. As was the custom, the ticket booth was flush with the sidewalk and the canopy was illuminated with twenty-seven bulbs. The Spanish Garden had been built specifically for sound pictures. In March of 1935, Heywood Amusement Company of New Richmond leased the theatre from the Osceola Theatre Group. Star Theatre On January 15, 1942, the Spanish Garden Theatre was leased (later purchased) by Emil A. Nelson of Duluth, who renamed it the Star Theatre. The Spanish theme was eliminated. A neon star that was eight feet point to point sat above the canopy that was outlined in miniature floodlights. Improvements were made in projection and sound equipment. The June 23, 1952, storm with high winds caused the entire retaining wall to collapse sending a del-

uge of water against the rear of the theatre door. Three feet of muddy water filled the theatre causing a great deal of damage to the theatre furnishings and piano. The Star showed its first CinemaScope picture, River of No Return on June 2, 1955. (Osceola Sesquicentennial Edition. Osceola Historical Society.) After closing, the theatre was remodeled and used for retail.

— OSHKOSH — Winnebago County. Oshkosh is located in the heart of the Fox River Valley on the western shore of Lake Winnebago. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Oshkosh was second only to Milwaukee in population in the State. It is the largest city in the Fox River Valley. (www.ci.osh kosh.wi.us/)

Bijou Theatre (See Majestic.) Oshkosh had its share of early theatres that showed silent movies: The Colonial Theatre at 153 Main Street from 1912 to 1919 with 200 seats. The Family Theatre at 904 Oregon Street from 1916 to 1918 with 150 seats.

Fay Theatre (See Mode.) Fisher Theatre (See Plaza.)

Grand Opera House 100 High Avenue. Open: 1883; open; seats: 1224/668 The Grand Opera House first opened its doors on August 9, 1883, presenting the opera, The Bohemian Girl. Designed by local architect William Waters in the style of a late 19th century European Opera House, it was complete with lavish decor in the auditorium, which contained a balcony and large stage. The seats were velvet, the fireplaces were marble, and there was a ceiling of cherubs. Over 1200 people could be accommodated with additional chairs and “jump seats” which folded out from the walls. Noted for its excellent acoustics, in addition to operas, the Opera House presented Broadway musicals and vaudeville acts; performers such as John Phillip Sousa, Mark Star Theatre, Osceola, 1999 (courtesy Theatre Historical Soci- Twain and Sarah Bernhardt graced its ety of America). stage in the early years.

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Oshkosh

Grand Opera House, Oshkosh, 2007 (courtesy Dr. John Schellkopf ).

In 1920, the theatre closed for a number of months while it was remodeled and modernized. It reopened as the Granada Theatre. By 1948, now known as the Civic, motion pictures replaced live performances, and the theatre began showing second-run movies. Over the years, alterations to both the façade and the interior destroyed or covered up historic details. In 1950, the theater’s new owners moved the entrance from the original grand entrance at the front of the building on High Avenue, to a newly-constructed entrance on the corner, with a new, plain triangular marquee. Furthermore, at this time, part of the stage was removed for the addition of more seats. The movie theater was called the Grand. By the 1970s, it was operating as a venue for adult films. There have been many unexplained phenomena in the Grand Opera House even during the renovation work in the 1980s. Reports claim that the main ghost here is the spirit of a man named Percy Keene, a former stage manager of the theater from 1895 until his death in 1967. In 1977, a film crew reported that they saw a man standing in the balcony looking down at them with a friendly smile. The apparition matched the appearance of Percy Keene from his haircut to his small, round glasses. Percy is said to be still watching over his beloved theater having also been seen looking out of one of the theatre’s windows. (www. grandoperahouse.org) In November of 1980, Oshkosh voters answered

yes to a referendum: “Should the City of Oshkosh acquire, restore and engage in the operation of the Grand Opera House?” Work on the building’s renovation began in late 1982, and after nearly four years, the Grand Opera House was rededicated on September 27, 1986. Today, the restored Victorian theater is noted for its fine performance series of both local and international productions, and serves the community in a similar capacity for which it was originally intended. The Grand Opera House was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Lyric Theatre

132 Main Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1920s; seats: 150 The Lyric Theatre was a silent movie theatre that did not convert to sound.

Majestic Theatre 439 North Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1928; seats: 300 This first theatre in Oshkosh just down the street from the Oshkosh Theatre opened as the Bijou Theatre, and then became the Majestic Theatre in 1912. The building is currently used for retail. Mode Theatre 1123 Oregon Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1958; seats: 489 The theatre opened as the Fay, showing silent

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movies until 1918. It was not used as a theatre until 1940 when it reopened renamed the Mode Theatre. The building is still standing.

New Peoples Theatre (See Time.) Orpheum Theatre (See Oshkosh.) Oshkosh Theatre 427 North Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1948; seats: 1368 First named the Orpheum, the theatre was renamed in the late 1920s to the Oshkosh. Former patrons say it was the fanciest of them all. The theatre building was converted into a retail store, and currently is a “True Value Hardware” store.

Raulf Theatre (See Plaza.) Rex Theatre (See Time.) Royal Theatre

183 Main Street. Open: 1912; closed: 1915; seats: 100 The Royal was a small, short-lived silent movie house.

Star Theatre 1124 Oregon Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1955; seats: 250 If you had missed a movie you wanted to see when it played one of the downtown theaters, (the Oshkosh Theatre, the Time Theatre, or the Strand Theatre) there was always a final opportunity when the film came to the Star Theatre as a second-run feature. It was a great place to see favorite movies a second time. This was a neighborhood theatre affectionately known as “The Crackerbox” featuring Westerns, mystery, dramas, and serials. A fire broke out in the projection room on January 30, 1926, but there was no panic and no one was hurt. After extensive repairs, remodeling, and fireproofing the projection room, the Star reopened in March of 1926. Little remains to suggest that the old red brick building was for many years a movie theatre except for a small star painted above the front doors and a large, weather-worn sign on the north wall near the sidewalk. The building has been vacant and is being Oshkosh Theatre, Oshkosh, 1946 (courtesy Theatre Historical renovated by a local preservationist. Society of America). (“The Paper,” May 10, 1968.) Palace Theatre (See Time.)

Strand Theatre (See Plaza.)

Plaza Theatre

Superba Theatre (See Time.)

530 North Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1979; seats: 1165 The theatre opened as the Fisher, and was renamed the Strand in 1930. In 1941, the Strand Theatre offered air conditioning and “Foto Pay-Day” every Friday. “Every adult attending the theatre may select a pay envelope containing a sum of Money. Your own choice of envelopes! NO Blanks! Big Pay This Week $650.00.” In 1953, the theatre was renamed again to the Raulf. In 1968 it became the Plaza Theatre. This popular movie theatre was the largest in Oshkosh. The building is still standing as apartments. (Clarence Jungwirth. A History of the City of Oshkosh. Vol. 3, The Early Years. 1994.)

Time Theatre 445 North Main Street. Open: 1910; open; seats: 450 This theatre has been through numerous name changes. It opened as the Superba showing silent movies. In 1912, the theatre became the Rex; in 1914, it was called the New Peoples. Again renamed the Rex Theatre in 1916 until 1919 when it was renamed the Palace Theatre. In 1920 it was again called the Rex Theatre and closed in June 1939. In July 1939, the theatre reopened as the Time with the film, Stagecoach. The front of the building had been remodeled. Air conditioning and new sound equipment had been installed. The Time

187

Osseo / Owen / Palmyra

Time Community Theatre, Oshkosh, 2007 (courtesy Dr. John Schellkopf ).

Theatre closed in 1992. It was the Rebel Alliance Theatre when it reopened. The Community Theater Group, Inc. was formed to raise funds with music performances to begin the resurrection of the Time Theatre. Their goal is to develop the theatre into a multi-purpose community-friendly theater for the performing arts hosting music and theatre groups. The Time Community Theater will make a significant contribution to the revival of downtown Oshkosh. (www.timecommu nitytheater.com)

— OSSEO — Trempealeau County. Osseo was settled by Richland County farmers who had heard that a railroad was to pass here. Although the railroad never arrived, Osseo became a trading center for the Norwegians who settled the surrounding villages. (www.cityofosseo.com)

Fox Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1950; seats: 200 The theatre building was demolished.

— OWEN — Clark County. In northwestern Wisconsin, the town is named for the Owen family, who founded it. (www.clark-cty-wi.org)

Owen Theatre 227 Central Street. Open: 1919; closed: 1986; seats: 350 A silent movie theatre/vaudeville house called the Idle Hour Theatre when it opened, the theatre had seven owners/managers from the time it opened: H. E. Spaulding built the theatre (after his previous theatre at this location burned); in 1926, J. J. Schultz; in 1929, Ben Krom; in 1938, George Krom; in 1946, Paul Stasek and Leonard Hamm; in 1949, Virgil and Clarence Callahan; in 1950, Robert and Pauline Habighorst. (Owen Jubilee booklet. 1975.) Remodeled and renamed the Owen Theatre in 1937, the building still stands. From 1981 to December of 1986, the theatre was managed by Phillip and Judy Volrath.

— PALMYRA — Jefferson County. Palmyra is located in the Kettle Moraine State Forest along the Sceppernong River. (www.palmyrawisconsin.com)

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Myra Theatre

3rd and Main Streets. Open: 1920s; closed: 1955; seats: 500 The theatre opened as the Butterfly and was renamed the Myra Theatre in 1948. The original entrance was in the rear of the building. When the theatre became the Myra the entrance was moved to the front of the building, which was the screen side of the theatre. The theatre stood vacant for forty-five years and then the building was converted into a restaurant. The theatre building is now vacant again.

Park Theatre

199 North Second Avenue. Open: 1948; open; seats: 500 The Park Theatre has an Art Deco–style interior and has been restored by the current owner after having been closed for some years in the mid–1990s. The Park remains a single-screen auditorium. At the start of the holiday season, the theatre presents free movies and treats for children. (One Hundred Years on the Flambeau. Park Falls Centennial Book.)

Scherer Opera Hall 3rd and Main Streets. Open: 1910; closed: 1939; seats: 400 The building was also used by the town as a gymnasium. The floor was not slanted.

— PARDEEVILLE — Columbia County. Pardeeville is located at the headwaters of the Fox River, on Park Lake in south-central Wisconsin. (www.pardeeville.com)

Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1919; seats: 200 The theatre presented silent movies only.

Park Theatre, Park Falls, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Liberty Theatre 119 North Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1932; seats: 300 An early silent movie house that was converted into the Angie W. Cox Public Library.

Rex Theatre 150 North Second Avenue. Open: 1918; closed: 1958; seats: 500 The building is still standing.

Pardee Theatre Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1952; seats: 250 The theatre opened as the Music Hall and was renamed the Lovell in the early 1930s when it was purchased by Mr. Barney Lovell. When Mr. Lovell died, the theatre once again switched ownership to the Pardee family in 1947, becoming the Pardee Theatre. The building was demolished in 1960.

— PARK FALLS — Price County. Located in north-central Wisconsin in the Chequamegon National Forest, Park Falls is divided by the North Fork of the Flambeau River. (www.cityofparkfalls.com)

Rex Theatre, Park Falls, 1928 (courtesy Price County Historical Society).

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Patch Grove / Pepin

— PEPIN — Pepin County. The village and Lake Pepin take their name from the Pepin brothers, two of the first French trappers in the area. On the Mississippi River, the village was initially known as a steamboat boomtown. This was the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her first book, Little House in the Big Woods is about her childhood years in the “Big Woods” of Wisconsin. (www.mississippi-river.org/ pepin.html) The Opera House was a large building that stood on the corner of Second and Lake Streets in the first years of the twentieth century. A large hall in that building was used for performances and movies until the building burned in the early 1940s. During the 1940s movies were shown in the summer on the side of the Ferguson barn, which stood at the Lake street end of the alley between First and Second Streets. The audience sat on blankets on the slope where the Opera House had been, and the Bank of Alma now stands.

Time Theatre Rex Theatre, Park Falls, 1937 (courtesy Price County Historical Society).

Savoy Theatre 114 South Fourth Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1928; seats: 250 The building stands with a business at the street level and apartments on the second floor where the Savoy Theatre was actually located.

— PATCH GROVE — Grant County. The village, named after early settler, Henry Patch, is in the southwest corner of the state known as the TriState area of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Patch Grove is a Mississippi River community. (www.grantcounty.org/ci/patchgrove/)

411 Second Street. Open: 1948; closed: 1988; seats: 370 Jack Rettinger of Rochester built the Time Theater. Salvaged materials were used in its construction because after World War II building materials were in short supply. Jack Rettinger’s wife was from Pepin, a sister to Merle Ingalls who, with her husband Douglas, bought the theater and operated the theatre for many years. They, along with Douglas Ingalls’ elderly father, Mont Ingalls, moved into an apartment at the theater in the early 1950s. The apartment was upstairs and included the projection booth. A room behind the screen was for Mont Ingalls. Business was good at the theater through the 1960s. The Ingalls obtained first-rate films, and townspeople were happy to support their theatre. By

Opera House East Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1930; seats: 200 Silent moving pictures were shown as part of the entertainment at the Opera House. The theatre was never equipped to show sound pictures. The Opera House has been torn down.

Time Theatre, Pepin, 1950s (courtesy Don Ingalls).

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the time the family sold the theater in the mid 1970s, the local movie business had declined. By the early 1980s, the theater had closed. Through the 1980s the Time Theatre began to deteriorate, especially when roof repairs were not made. The Time was briefly reopened by another new owner in the early 1990s, but closed again after two seasons. Bill and Sally Rogers bought the theater in 1995 and began the Lake Pepin Players, a live professional theater company. Renamed the Allen-Hovde Theatre, it reopened on June 2, 1995, with a production of First Night. A crowd had waited at the door for the theater to open, with the line extending around the corner. The Lake Pepin Players put on special Laura Ingalls Wilder presentations at the theater during Laura Ingalls Wilder Days. The theatre was also used by the community for school plays and local talent shows. The Lake Pepin Players operated for ten years, but were always challenged by the high costs of production and roof repairs. The theatre, with its illustrious history, was demolished in 2007. (Kitty Latane, “Pepin Theatre Demolished,” Leader-Telegram.)

dusty water” or “lake of shells” in Potawatomi. Pewaukee became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1996. (www.cityofpewaukee.us/) The advent of motion pictures as a form of entertainment was welcomed in the village. Movies were first shown in the summer of 1912 in the open-air pavilion called the Wayside Gardens on the northwest corner of Wisconsin and Park Avenue.

Lake Theatre

121 Park Avenue. Open: 1948; closed: 1977; seats: 480 Herman Salen of Waukesha arranged for the construction of the Lake Theatre. During its early years, free dishes were offered on certain nights to attract patrons. The theatre was closed in March of 1977. Today, the theatre serves as the “Park Avenue Pizza Company” restaurant.

Owl Theatre

119 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1928; seats: 100 Alvin T. Larson constructed this first movie theatre in Pewaukee. It was named the Owl Theatre in

— PESHTIGO — Marinette County. The same day as the Great Chicago Fire of October 8, 1871, the worst recorded forest fire in North American history raged through this lumber town, north of Green Bay on Lake Superior continuing through northeastern Wisconsin and upper Michigan. A summer’s drought, a windy day, and possibly a tornado combined to create a firestorm. The fire destroyed miles of timber and farmland, and killed hundreds of people. (www.peshtigochamber.com)

Bijou Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1928; seats: 200 The Bijou Theatre was opened on June 9, 1910, by Mr. Smith and Mr. Walker. This theatre remained a silent movie house. The building was torn down in the late 1990s.

Lyric Theatre Main Street. Open: 1934; closed: 1960; seats: 300 The owners advertised in the Marinette EagleStar. The Lyric Theatre was torn down in 1997.

— PEWAUKEE — Waukesha County. The city’s name comes from “Pee-wauk-ee-wee-nick,” meaning either “the

Top: Lake Theatre, Pewaukee, 1952. Bottom: Owl Theatre, Pewaukee, 1915 (both photographs courtesy Pewaukee Area Historical Society).

191 a contest won by Mrs. Catherine Welton, wife of Dr. Michael Welton, then the dentist in town. A covered archway studded with electric lights led to the ticket office between two entrances. Above the arch was a sign, “Mutual Movies,” with a clock at each end indicating show time. “Mutual Movies make time fly” was the slogan of the pioneer leader in motion pictures. Birth of a Nation was seen here as was the popular Saturday afternoon serials Perils of Pauline. Local pianists accompanied the romantic or fast-moving scenes of danger with appropriate music. Movie favorites of the day were Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Lillian Gish, and Charlie Chaplin. Attendance at the movies began to decline when radio stole the interest. (A History of the Settlement and Progress of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Published in honor of The Nation’s Bicentennial and the 100th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Village, 1836–1976.)

— PHELPS — Vilas County. Phelps is situated on the northeast shore of Big Twin Lake. The village was first named Hackley after the Hackley-Phelps-Bonnell Company, who founded the village with operations in lumbering and logging. The Company established a mill and chemical plants and after the village had been well established, its name was changed to Phelps. (www.phelpswi.org)

Phelps / Phillips

Northern Lakes Theatre

State Highway 17. Open: 1926; closed: 1965; seats: 350 The same year the Michigan-Wisconsin Power Company brought its lines into Phelps, C. M. Christiansen, Homer Galpin, and Charles McCullough, members of the Eagle River Fishing and Shooting Club built the Northern Lakes Theatre. The acoustics for talking pictures were reported to be very good. Walter Ashton leased the building for two years in the 1930s. He discovered the whole back end of the building had settled into the swamp it was built on when the film kept projecting on the ceiling. The theatre walls featured circus scenes by local painter, Eric Lundquist. A heavy maroon curtain hung in front of the movie screen and chandeliers hung from the ceilings. When the theater no longer operated because of the advent of television and thinning crowds at the movies, Harry Lukins, who had purchased the theatre in 1957, opened a tackle shop.

— PHILLIPS — Price County. Phillips was a thriving sawmill city that stretched along the west bank of Elk Lake and the Elk River until the summer of 1894. Intense heat and continued drought contributed to a fire that started burning west of Phillips and destroyed nearly the entire town. (www.phillipswisconsin. net/history.htm)

Norwood Theatre, Phillips, 1937 (courtesy Cathy Mess).

Plainfield / Platteville

192 Plainfield Theatre South Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1965; seats: 300 The Opera House was converted into the Strand Theatre in 1932. Renamed again in 1937, the theatre became the Plainfield. The floor has been leveled and there is no longer a marquee on the building which is now used for special events.

Norwood Theatre, Marquee, Phillips, 1937 (courtesy Cathy Mess).

— PLATTEVILLE —

205 North Lake Avenue. Open: 1937; open; seats: 450 The Northern Lakes Garage building was remodeled in 1937 by Nick Gengs, his son, and George Batha to become a theatre. Miner Amusement Company bought the building from them, and opened the Norwood Theatre the next year. The theatre became Cinema North in the 1990s.

Grant County. In southwestern Wisconsin, Platteville began as Platte River Diggings. It is said that the Native Americans smelted lead and put it into “platts” or bowl-shaped masses. The world’s largest “M” is located east of town, constructed of limestone, to represent the first Mining School in the United States. In 1999, Platteville became a Wisconsin Main Street community. (www. platteville.wi.us/)

Duroy Theatre

Avalon Theatre

Cinema North

Lake Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1937; seats: 300 This was the Idle Hour Theatre, the first theatre to open in Phillips. In 1932, the theatre was renamed the Gem Theatre. When the theatre was taken over by Miner Amusement Company in 1937, it was called the Duroy.

Garden Theatre Lake Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1928; seats: 450 The Garden Theatre remained a silent movie theatre and never converted to sound.

96 East Main Street. Open: 1930; open; seats: 585 The Avalon Theatre was opened by the Tracy family, a single-screen movie house continuing to show films until closing in 1990. Acquired and restored by Building Platteville, Inc., the theatre reopened in 1994, as a three-screen, first-run movie house. It is now part of State Theatres LLC offering popcorn and a cold soda with free same day refills.

— PLAINFIELD — Waushara County. Early in Plainfield’s history, the settlement was called Norwich, but when the post office was established and it became necessary to choose a name, Plainfield was decided on at the suggestion of Elijah C. Waterman, the postmaster, from Plainfield, VerAvalon Theatre, Platteville, 2001 (photograph by author). mont, in honor of his earlier home. (From the Portrait and Biographical Gem Theatre 90 East Main Street. Open: Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara 1920s; closed: 1960s; seats: 350 Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Company, The Gem Theatre was demolished. 1890.)

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Plum City / Plymouth

— PLUM CITY — Pierce County. Plum City, located in the southeast corner of Pierce County, was named by the Moser family who arrived in 1856. The profusion of wild plum trees, a small stream running through the valley, and a natural spring attracted a variety of settlers, including: American Indians, English, French, Swedes, Swiss, Irish, Germans, and Norwegians. During the summer of 2007, Plum City celebrated its 150-year anniversary. (www.piercecountywi.com/ plumcity.html)

Community Building Main Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1954; seats: 200 Information from the Plum City Centennial publication reports that the building was also known as the Theatre Building. Many local residents remember going to movies there and getting in for a nickel. The building was torn down.

Gem Theatre, Platteville, 1930s (courtesy Kerrmann Library, University of Wisconsin).

— PLYMOUTH — Sheboygan County. Located along the Mullet River, Plymouth is also known as “Hub City” because of its location between the cities of Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, and Green Bay. (www.plymouthgov. com)

Majestic Theatre, Plymouth, 1951 (courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center).

Majestic Theatre

408 East Mill Street. Open: 1924; closed: 1955; seats: 286 The Majestic Theatre was owned and operated by generations of the Brown family. From the 1940s until the time it closed, the theatre was open only four days a week. The building was converted into apartments.

Plymouth Theatre

411 East Mill Street. Open: 1935; closed: 1960; seats: 500 The Plymouth Theatre opened with the film Oh Wilderness in late 1935. The theatre was converted by the Brown family from a building that

Plymouth Theatre, Plymouth 1936 (courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center).

Port Washington / Port Wing / Portage

194

had previously been a Ford garage. The building is currently being remodeled to house offices with apartments upstairs while retaining some of the look of its previous life.

Princess Theatre

135 East Mill Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1929; seats: 400 The Princess remained a silent movie theatre; the building now houses apartments.

— PORT WASHINGTON — Ozaukee County. Port Washington is surrounded by seven hills on the shores of Lake Michigan, thirty miles north of Milwaukee. The county seat of Ozaukee County, the village is built in a recess formed by nature in the shape of the letter “U.” (www.ci.port-washington.wi.us/)

Grand Theatre Grand Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1949; seats: 496 A front page article in the January 17, 1923, Port Washington Herald contained the following inventory of the city, which included “a modern movie house and an opera house.” The Grand was torn down. Ozaukee Theatre 116 West Grand Avenue. Open: 1926; closed: 1957; seats: 556 The Ozaukee Theatre opened in the half-block long Hoffman Adam Building in the town’s historic Old Town district across the street from the Grand Theatre. Both vaudeville acts and silent movies were presented. A year after opening a Barton theatre organ was installed in the theatre. Built in the Mediterranean style popular in the 1920s, this building is the last remaining structure representing the early vaudeville/movie theater houses. Purchased in 1961, attorneys Gerold and Huiras remodeled the building into offices for their law firm. Today the building houses a coffee house. Port Washington Opera House

100 West Grand Avenue. The predecessor of the Port Washington Municipal Building that now occupies this site was a frame construction Italianate style concert hall with a seating capacity of 800 built by the Port Washington Gesang Verein (singing society), a German-American social organization that put an emphasis on music and group singing. Subsequently, this building served as the Port Washington Opera House and still later as the Port Washington City Hall, which, among other things, housed the city offices and the local library. The

building was demolished when the present Municipal Building was built in 1958.

— PORT WING — Bayfield County. Located on Lake Superior’s South Shore, Port Wing was originally settled by immigrants from Scandinavia.

Opera House Main Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1956; seats: 200 When movies were shown here they were operated by the Brunell Amusement Company from 1946 to 1956, when the Opera House was known as the Brunell Port Theatre.

— PORTAGE — Columbia County. The county seat, Portage is situated on high ground overlooking the Fox River marsh and the islands and sloughs of the Wisconsin River. Portage became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2003. John Dullaghan erected a magnificent building on the north side of Cook Street. The “entire upper part” would be a new Opera House. There was a stage, four dressing rooms, a proscenium thirty feet wide, a drop curtain with a bird’s-eye view of Constantinople, and seating for 700. “It was reached by a double staircase leading off from the main entrance on either side.” Dullaghan’s Opera House was opened on September 15, 1879, with a grand ball. ( The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880. Chapter X.)

Home Theatre 114 East Cook Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1960s; seats: 400 The formal reopening of the new modernized Home Theatre was on April 11, 1950. Mr. F. J. McWilliams supervised the renovations. This theatre has been torn down. (See photograph on page 195.) Portage Theatre 322 West Wisconsin Street. Open: 1927; open; seats: 750/862 Built by the Fischer-Paramount Theatre Company, the Fischer Portage Theatre opened on May 5, 1927. It was built in tandem with the Raulf Hotel (still standing today in its original location). Frank W. Fischer was the managing director. When the Portage opened it was a silent movie house showing films on a single screen. In 1927, a Barton organ was installed.

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Portage

Top: Home Theatre, Portage, 1935; bottom: Portage Theatre, Portage, Early (both photographs courtesy Portage Public Library).

Poynette / Prairie du Chien

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Portage Theatre, Portage, 1970 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

During the Depression, in 1930, the theatre was purchased by Frank J. McWilliams, one of FisherParamount’s operating officers at an auction on the Courthouse steps. Mr. McWilliams formed the Portage Theater Corporation and ran the theatre until it was taken over by his son, John E. McWillams until 1979. That year it was taken over by his grandson, Joel E. McWilliams. The sidewalk marquee was removed in the mid–1970s. Still the focal point of downtown Portage, the theatre’s original facade remains unchanged. In 1985 the theatre was twinned, and in 1986 a third screen was added. In 1995 the adjacent building was torn down and a new addition was constructed to add four more cinemas, which opened on July 12, 1996. The movie complex is complete with a huge new lobby, a second concession stand, and updated technologies in the projection room to create four digital stereo theaters, one spectral recording theater, and two spectral sound system theatres. (Erika Reckling, “Portage Theatres’ silver screen goes golden; Theatre renovations add showings on seven screens,” News Republic/Daily Register, August 10, 1996.) (www.portagetheatres.com)

— POYNETTE — Columbia County. Poynette was named after Pierre Paquette, one of the early fur traders/settlers of south central Wisconsin. However, somehow Paquette’s name was misspelled or misread as Poy nette and so it remains to this day. (www.poynettewi.gov)

Columbia Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1930; seats: 120 The Columbia Theatre remained a silent movie house and never converted to sound.

Pastime Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1920s; seats: 140 This silent-move theatre was also known as the Cosino Theatre.

— PRAIRIE

DU

CHIEN —

Crawford County. Prairie du Chien is the second oldest city in Wisconsin. Established by French explorers, the city is near the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

197 Prairie du Chien’s recorded history began on June 17, 1673, when Marquette and Joliet came down the Wisconsin River and were the first Europeans to see the Mississippi River. Traditionally, the name of Prairie du Chien came from the French for “Prairie of the Dog,” an early Fox chief who lived on the prairie. The historic city became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2005. (www.prairiedu chien.org)

Prairie du Sac

New Regent Theatre 213 West Blackhawk Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1960s; seats: 378 This theatre opened as the Regent, and was renamed the New Regent Theatre in 1947 when it was remodeled. The building is still standing.

Metro Theatre

203 East Blackhawk Avenue. Open: 1900; closed: 1971; seats: 499 In 1899, a great fire destroyed several blocks of Prairie du Chien. Vince N. Smrcina built the first Metropolitan Theatre, which hosted many plays. In September of 1903 the theatre caught fire and burned down, but was rebuilt New Regent on the same site. Just called the Metro Theatre by author). townspeople, the theatre, in 1949, again burned to the ground and again was rebuilt. Part of the marquee still exists. In the early 1960s, the Metro Theatre became part of Harry Melcher Enterprises. The theatre was remodeled and currently serves Prairie du Chien as “Kramer Real Estate & Auction.”

Theatre, Prairie du Chein, 2001 (photograph by

— PRAIRIE

DU

SAC —

Sauk County. Prairie du Sac is located on the high west bank of the Wisconsin River. The town is named for the Sauk tribe whose village once stood on the site. Sauk City is its twin city; the main streets of both are separated only by a town line. (www.prairiedusac.net)

Bonham Theatre

564 Water Street. Open: 1920; open; seats: 350 The Bonham was built by John Bonham with the first floor housing the theatre while the basement housed a tavern and pool hall. A bowling alley was later added to the basement. The theatre was renamed the Midway with a change of owners, and in 1956, the Bonham name was again restored to the theatre. In the 1990s the basement was converted to two theatres, the smaller having twenty seats. A video store Metro Theatre, Prairie du Chien, 2001 (photograph by author). was added in the lobby. Today known as the Bonham Theatre & The second silent movie theatre to be built was in Video, first-run films are featured along with their 1910. The New Theatre on Blackhawk Avenue with “legendary popcorn.” 150 seats closed in the 1920s. When the New Theatre closed, a larger theatre, the Mitchell, opened in the 700 block of East Blackhawk Avenue with 300 seats. The Mitchell Theatre closed in 1930 never converting to sound.

Prairie Farm / Prentice / Prescott

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Bonham Theatre, Prairie du Sac, 2001 (photograph by author).

— PRAIRIE FARM —

— PRESCOTT —

Barron County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Prairie Farm is located on the eastern shore of the Prairie Farm Flowage, a reservoir on the Hay River.

Pierce County. Prescott is the oldest and most westerly city in Wisconsin at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Prescott is the county seat. The river played an important part in the beginnings of Prescott. River traffic had to go by way of either the Mississippi or St. Croix Rivers. Prescott became a center for river shipping, steamboat transportation, and milling. However, the railroads lead to the demise of steamboat traffic and lumbering resources became exhausted. (www.prescott.org/his tory.html)

New Prairie Theatre

Hepburn Street. Open: 1931; closed: 1954; seats: 250 The building opened in the 1800s as the Wing Opera House. A fire in the early 1900s caused a restructuring of the building in 1919, and in 1931 the building was remodeled to show movies with the floor sloped. The building was also called Prairie Farm Hall. In 1948, the theatre reopened renamed New Prairie after some years of being closed.

— PRENTICE — Price County. Among the many celebrations in Price County is Prentice Progress Days. One of the events is the showing of Christmas in Connecticut starring Dennis Morgan, Prentice native, Stanley Morner. (www.vil.prentice.wi.gov/)

Show Show Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1934; seats: 300 The theatre presented only silent movies and never converted to sound.

Moon Theatre 206 North Broad Street. Open: 1883; closed: 1934; seats: 350 Constructed by John Neinstadt, the two-story brick building was owned by him until 1896. The building was listed as a saloon on the insurance maps until 1912. In 1913 the building became the Moon Theatre when a man from Minnesota came to town twice a week to run “moving picture shows.” Ollie Tronnier also recalled the entertainment at the Moon Theatre: “First there was a show on Saturday night, projected on a curtain strung across the back of the room. When you paid for a ticket, they stamped your hand and you could return for the dance, held after the folding chairs had been taken off the floor. A piano player was always on hand for the picture

199 show and stayed to play for the dance.” The original tinplate ceiling is still in the building. J. H. Wenzel moved the show house to the location of the Odd Fellows Hall to accommodate larger crowds. The theatre building was demolished in 1956. (Dorothy Ahlgen and Mary Beeler. A History of Prescott, Wisconsin: A River City and Farming Community on the St. Croix and Mississippi. Prescott Area Historical Society, 1996.)

St. Croix Theatre 307 North Lake Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1960; seats: 300 The St. Croix Theatre was built by Matt Quinn and had several owners. The owners in 1949, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Drefke of St. Paul, completely redecorated the interior. (Mary Cotter, ed. A History of Prescott Pierce County Wisconsin. May 1949.) In 1962 the theatre was remodeled as part of the present Steamboat Inn.

Princeton / Pulaski / Racine

Pulaski Theatre 129 South St. Augustine Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1965; seats: 395 The Pulaski Theatre opened on March 24, 1940, managed by Mrs. Dora Ziehm. The formal opening ran for two days. The first showing was a double feature of Seventeen starring Jackie Cooper and Hopalong Cassidy starring William Boyd. The next day I Take This Woman played with Spencer Tracy and Hedy Lamarr. The large concrete fireproof building was of the latest modern design with a marquee and rounded ticket booth at the sidewalk line. The seats were roomy and comfortable and arranged so each showgoer could have a clear view. The theatre had air conditioning and carpeted aisles. Mrs. Ziehm sold the theatre in 1954 to Mr. and Mrs. Settle. “The drive-in theatres and other new and different recreations have driven it to its death.” ( Jane Prokop, “Theater Fades Away; Had Era of Crowds, Glory,” Pulaski News, October 21, 1965.)

— PRINCETON — Green Lake County. Princeton is located on the banks of the Fox River in central Wisconsin.

Liberty Theatre Water Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1916; seats: 150 The Liberty Theatre closed when the larger Princeton Theatre was built. Princeton Theatre 429 West Water Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1973; seats: 400 This was the Opera House, present- Pulaski Theatre, Pulaski, 1941 (courtesy Pulaski Area Historical ing vaudeville acts as well as silent Society). movies. In 1938, the floor was slanted and the building reopened as the Princeton Theatre. Elmer V. Krueger reopened the ACINE theatre in the spring of 1958 with the film Band of Racine County. The “Belle City of the Lakes,” Angels starring Clark Gable. There would be “free Racine is located on Lake Michigan, at the mouth candy for the kids.” When the theatre showed Sayof the Root River approximately thirty miles south onara the employees dressed as characters in the of Milwaukee. The name “Racine” is from the movie. (Princeton Times-Republic, March 20, 1958.) French word for root. (www.cityofracine.org ) After the theatre closed, a new facade was added; (http://racinewi.net) the building now houses a hardware/variety store.

—R

—

Allen Theatre

— PULASKI — Brown County. The village was named after Count Casimer Pulaski, the great freedom fighter of Europe and America. He later fought with General George Washington at Brandywine during the Revolutionary War. (www.pulaskichamber.org)

Opening performance with the first showing in Wisconsin of Cynthia’s Romance plus the Blackaller Players on the stage. (See also RKO Main Street.)

Amuse Theatre

308 Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1915; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Palace and was renamed

Racine

200

the Amuse Theatre in 1911. The theatre building was torn down.

Badger Theatre

421–423 Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1952; seats: 975 This downtown theatre opened as the Bijou. There were daily matinees and two evening performances. During the early days, it was a vaudeville and performing arts house that attracted some of the country’s outstanding artists. In 1929, it became the State Theatre. “Fifteen Cents” was the advertised price of admission. The State was a Fox theatre. In 1940, the theatre was renamed the Badger. This theatre is now demolished.

Bate Theatre (See RKO Main Street.) Belle City Opera House The Opera House became the Racine Theatre and then was renamed the Rex Theatre. (See also Rex.)

Bijou Theatre

245 Main Street. This appears to be the first moving picture theatre in Racine, but is only listed in the 1906 Racine City Directory.

The Crown Theatre was once between Mead and Howe streets, now the property of S. C. Johnson and then moved a block east between Howe and Franklin streets. There was a candy store next door and a popcorn wagon across the street. The building was razed in the 1980s.

Crystal Theatre

518–522 College Avenue. Open: 1906; closed: 1914; seats: 300 The theatre opened called the Peoples, and then was renamed to the Orpheum in 1910. F. B. Stafford was the manager of the theatre. “Flicker-less” movies were advertised at the Crystal Theatre as it was called in 1914 at College Avenue and Sixth Street. This was the first movie house in Racine.

Douglas Theatre

1639 Douglas Avenue. Open: 1929; closed: 1960; seats: 750 This neighborhood theatre, in 1939, advertised a double bill along with a Universal News Reel, and a Headline Reel. Flash Gordon was featured on Fridays and Saturdays. After closing, the building was converted into apartments.

Bijou Theatre (See Badger.) Blake Opera House

6th Street at College Avenue. Open: 1882; closed: 1884 The Opera House was on the northeast corner, a six-story, neo– Renaissance-styled structure built by industrialist Lucius S. Blake and a corporation of local investors. There were German paintings, ItalDouglas Theatre, Racine, 2007 (photograph by author). ian chandeliers, French tapestries, Belgium carpeting and Turkoman Dreamland Theatre 413 Main Street. draperies. The opening on December 15, 1882, was dazzling. Open: 1908; closed: 1909; seats: 250 There was a concert and the play Esmeralda staged The Dreamland Theatre was another short-lived by the Madison Square Theatre Company. The hope downtown nickelodeon that is gone. was that the Opera House would establish Racine as a cultural center. That was not to be as an exploEmpire Theatre 236 Main Street. Open: sion and fire in December of 1884 destroyed the the1910; closed: 1915; seats: 300 atre and it was never rebuilt. (Kim McAuliffe, The theatre opened as the Gem and was renamed “Racine’s affair with theater star-crossed.” Journal the Empire Theatre in 1914. The theatre advertised Times, April 29, 1984.) “Moving Pictures Daily” “Sunday Continuous Performances.” This silent movie house is now gone. Capitol Theatre (See Park.)

Crown Theatre 909–913 16th Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1952; seats: 750

Gem Theatre (See Empire.)

201 Granada Theatre

1924 Charles Street (near Douglas). Open: 1928; closed: 1961; seats: 996 The Granada Theatre was designed by local architect J. M. Matson with a Spanish decor and opened on April 7, 1928, with a stage presentation and the film, The Life of Riley. This neighborhood theatre featured a beamed ceiling, a fireplace in the lobby, a large lounge on the second floor, a “crying room,” and a Kilgen organ. The large vertical sign with a sunburst at the top and the marquee are now gone. This large, single screen was in continuous use until March 5, 1961; the last movies shown were The Shagg y Dog and Tarzan the Magnificent. S & M Amusement Company operated the Granada when it opened, and in the 1950s, it was managed by M. J. Krofta Theatres, who opened the theatre only on weekends. When it stopped showing movies, the theatre was used for storage. The building was purchased in 2005 by a new owner who hopes to restore the theatre.

Racine

Imperial Theatre

Corner Main and State Streets. A downtown nickelodeon advertising: “Best Ventilated Theatre in Town,” “Catering to Ladies and Children,” “Strictly Refined Pictures” and “Admission Five Cents.”

Lakeside Amusement Company

107– 4th Street. The Lakeside was another silent movie theatre that only appeared in the 1908 City Directory.

Majestic Theatre

1426 Washington Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1927; seats: 600 This theatre remained a silent movie house and was torn down to build the new Majestic/Uptown Theatre.

Majestic Theatre (See Uptown.) National Theatre (See RKO Main Street.)

New Electric Theatre

421 Main Street. This downtown nickelodeon is only listed in the 1908 City Directory, and it would appear that it was next door to the Bijou/Badger Theatre.

Orpheum Theatre

Granada Theatre, Racine, 2007 (photograph by author).

Grand Theatre

1409 Junction Avenue. Open: 1916; closed: 1928; seats: 365 South of 14th Street, the Grand Theatre showed Westerns with Tom Mix and his dog, Rex being the favorite. Adults were fifteen cents, children were five cents. The printed dialogue was often read aloud by the mixed ethnic audience. (“Theaters were Numerous; Their Decor, Splendid,” Journal Times, April 4, 1982.)

Grand Open Air Theatre 1339 Washington Street. This theatre was listed in the 1916 Racine City Directory.

Called the New Orpheum when it opened, F. B. Stafford was the manager of the theatre. The theatre advertised in the Journal-Times: “A Playhouse for Everybody,” “Big Vaudeville Show” and “Tango Dancing Contest.” (See also RKO Main Street.)

Orpheum Theatre Formerly the Peoples Theatre, the first moving picture theatre in Racine. B. H. Baldwin was the manager. Admission was five cents “to all parts of the house.” Three-reel pictures and two songs were advertised along with music furnished by a threepiece orchestra. The program changed daily with evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinees. W. C. Tiede and his son, Charley showed Camera-phone movies in the early 1900s. (See also Crystal.)

Palace Theatre (See Amuse.)

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202

Palace Theatre

505–511 Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1927; seats: 650 Isador Friedman opened the Palace Theatre in 1916, Racine’s first modern photoplay house. This site was to become the site of the Venetian Theatre opening in 1928.

Park Theatre 3017 West Washington Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1987; seats: 938 In West Racine, the theatre opened as the Capitol on May 30, 1928, presenting both vaudeville and movies. A Wurlitzer pipe organ was in the theatre. A photo in the September 12, 1987, Racine Journal Times shows the Capitol Theatre with the second, triangular Art Deco marquee and the original four-story vertical sign which operated and was in use until 1981. At the sign’s top was a capitol-like dome and twisted ropelike chasers down to the bottom. The theatre was twinned in the fall of 1975, at which time the organ was removed and much of the plaster work was covered. Then sold to Milwaukeebased Marcus Corporation in 1981, who renamed the Capitol the Park Theatre, now a second-run

house. Marcus closed the theatre on Labor Day 1987 due to poor business. The Park was purchased in June of 2004 by the Westbury Group LLC, intending to completely restore the theatre. The plan includes that the two storefronts adjoining the theatre will be incorporated into a much needed lobby while the second floor apartments will become space for a new restaurant. Upon completion of the restoration it will be know as the “Capitol Theatre for the Performing Arts.” However, restoration plans have failed to get off the ground.

Peoples Theatre (See Crystal.) Racine Theatre (See Rex.) Rex Theatre 211–215 South Main Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1937; seats: 1000 The Belle City Opera House had hosted plays, concerts and traveling vaudeville shows and closed in debt in 1908. While it was open, John Phillip Sousa, Lillian Russell, and Sarah Bernhardt were just some

Park Theatre, Racine, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Racine

RKO Main Street Theatre 200 Main Street (at State and Main Streets). Open: 1912; closed: 1954; seats: 1170 This theatre was going to open as the Bate Theatre in late 1911, but it never happened. It opened as the Orpheum called “Racine’s Play House De Luxe” on April 29, 1912. It became the prominent entertainment center in Racine. In addition to silent moving pictures, the opening program featured the Orpheum Concert Orchestra conducted by Professor O. M. Cotton, and numerous vaudeville acts. Matinee balcony seats were ten cents and box seats were fifty cents for evening and Sunday matinees. (Racine JournalNews, April 27, 1912.) The theatre was leased and operated by the Chicago-based Allardt Bros. Circuit. The Burton-Garrett Players, a stock company, played extended engagements for many years at the stage theatre. On July 1, 1920, the Orpheum was leased by the First National Theatre Company of Chicago, redecorated, and renamed the National Theatre. In 1930, it was reRex Theatre, Racine, 1920s (courtesy Gordon E. Lloyd). named the RKO Allen and then renamed the RKO Main Street Theatre in 1934. of the prominent players to grace the opera house’s When the theatre became RKO Main Street, it stage. sported a vertical sign that towered seven stories When the theatre was the Racine from 1908 to above Main Street. In a large circle at the top were 1914 a sign with the theatre’s name was placed at the the letters RKO, where scintillating “lightning bolts” top of the facade as well as a horizontal sign above the would shoot outward from it. The sign’s bottom canopy. The Racine Theatre presented matinees and edge was likewise shaped into jagged lightning-bolt evening shows. edging outlined with bulbs. The sign remained on In 1915, the theatre was renamed the Rex: “The the building up to its demolition in 1958. The vacant Home of the Talkies and Small Admission” and lot still stands empty. “Two Feature Pictures.” The Rex Theatre was a photoplay house that presented popular photo-dramas for a five-cent admission price. After closing the theStar Theatre 1004 16th Street. Open: 1916; atre was converted into a bowling alley in the 1940s. closed: 1928; seats: 350 The theatre building and adjoining buildings were The Star Theatre remained a silent movie house, torn down in 1978 to create a park. (Robert J. Herand was demolished. man, “The Old Movie Houses Are All Gone Now,” Journal Times, December 3, 1978.) State Theatre (See Badger.)

Rialto Theatre

521 Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1960s; seats: 1258 The Rialto Theatre was down the street from the Venetian Theatre, and regularly presented Orpheum Circuit vaudeville, the top stage acts in the land. The building was razed in the 1970s.

Strand Theatre

428–430 South Wisconsin

Open: 1914; closed: 1924; seats: 350 This silent movie theatre opened as the White House on the west side of Racine advertising “Motion Pictures DeLuxe.” It was renamed the Strand

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Theatre in 1916. After closing, the building was occupied by Barth’s bowling alleys.

Uptown Theatre 1426–30 Washington Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1961; seats: 1800 The theatre opened as the Majestic in the Uptown neighborhood on May 2, 1928, built by Ernst Klinkert. The organ was played before the movie began and during intermission accompanying a singa-long to words on the screen. Vaudeville shows with local amateur talent were added. The building was built with eight apartments to house the actors during the season. The theatre was renamed the Uptown in 1931. After closing, the theatre building became a warehouse. The Uptown Theatre was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1982. Currently, the theatre is being restored by the Uptown Theatre Group, Inc. and each Halloween season, the group opens up “The Haunted Theater” with ghostly tours.

Venetian Theatre, Racine, 1928 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Uptown Theatre, Racine, 1942 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Venetian Theatre

505 Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1971; seats: 2100 Across the street from Monument Square, the

Venetian Theatre was built by United Studios of Chicago. The design was a lavish Italian Renaissance style adorned with beautiful tapestries and silk-embroidered hangings. The Venetian featured an “atmospheric” auditorium featuring twinkling stars and floating clouds. The curve of the “sky” provided superior acoustics to the already excellent sightlines for the audience. The rear section of seats in the large balcony was covered by a portico supported by columns. A long entrance lobby was two stories high, with a beamed ceiling. The Venetian Theatre opened on April 12, 1928, with the showing of “Thanks for the Buggy Ride.” The first movie with sound, The Jazz Singer, played at the Venetian with packed houses to hear Al Jolson sing “Mammy.” There were four theatres that opened in downtown Racine in 1928, the Venetian Theatre was the largest. During the 1930s, it was part of Warner Bros. Theatres. The theatre had several owners over the years and ended part of Marcus Theatres. The Venetian closed on November 30, 1971, with the decline in Racine’s downtown area. It stood empty until razed in 1977. (Gerald L. Karwowski, “Venetian was Racine’s finest theater,” Journal Times, February 21, 1983.)

Washington Theatre 1612 Center Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1920; seats: 300

205 The Washington Theatre was another popular silent movie house.

White House Theatre (See Strand.)

— RADISSON — Sawyer County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Radisson was named to honor Pierre Radisson, who with Sieur desGroselliers, came to the area in 1659, the first white explorers to do so.

Hall Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 260 The Hall remained a silent movie theatre.

— REDGRANITE — Waushara County. Redgranite is the state stone and the village was the site of what was called a “boom town.” This was the stone used before concrete and asphalt were discovered in the 1920s. (www.red granitewisconsin.com)

Eagle Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1915; seats: 100 This theatre showed silent movies.

Redgranite Theatre Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1962; seats: 350 The theatre opened in Community Hall and was called the Community Theatre. The building was also used as a gym and dance hall. In the late 1940s, the building was remodeled into a theatre and renamed the Redgranite. The theatre building was demolished in the 1980s; the site is now Redgranite’s City Hall.

Radisson / Redgranite / Reedsburg

A theatre was open in Reedsburg in 1900 at 325 Main Street. Mr. Frank and his two sisters from Tomah presented an evening’s show consisting of colored slides with vocal accompaniment and a two-reel feature film for five and ten cents.

Badger Theatre 326 East Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1998; seats: 475 This was the Majestic Theatre that originally opened in 1915 and was purchased in 1921 by Oscar V. and Mida Kelly providing entertainment until 1924. That year the theater was moved into a new 33-foot by 132-foot building at 326 East Main, and renamed the Badger Theater. The theatre had a pipe organ, a 16 by 23 foot stage, and presented plays and concerts in addition to silent films. The newspaper reported “the theater-going public were assured of the very best accommodations in this neat little show house which will be one of the best in the state for its size.” A fire in November of 1927 in the projection booth caused little damage due to the Badger’s fireproof construction. Mr. Kelly called attention to the fact that the booth had been constructed of fireproof materials and automatic fire shutters dropped down to protect the auditorium. A lighted marquee and air-conditioning were then added. It was the first theater in town to show sound films. New projection equipment was installed when the interior was remodeled in 1948. In his campaign for the presidency, John F. Kennedy made a speech from the Badger’s stage in 1960. In 1962, the Krueger family purchased the theatre and installed a new screen. The auditorium was completely remodeled in 1972, and in 1994, a Dolby sound system was added. (“Badger Theater Entertains Many During the Past

— REEDSBURG — Sauk County. Reedsburg is named after David C. Reed, who owned much of the land in the early village. The site that was to become the city of Reedsburg was selected for settlement by early pioneers because the Baraboo River at that point was shallow and the bottom was stone-lined for easy fording. (“Early Pioneers Recall Their First Sight of Reedsburg,” excerpted from the book, Reedsburg Remembers 150 Years by William C. Schuette.) Badger Theatre, Reedsburg, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Rhinelander

73 Years,” from the book Reedsburg Remembers 150 Years. by William C. Schuette.) Today, transformed into the Badger Music Theatre, it is a music venue featuring national acts and hosting a variety of entertainment. Every house seat has a view of the stage and there is a full bar. The theatre is co-owned and operated by Rick Driese, Tanya Henry, and Dan Leach.

— RHINELANDER — Oneida County. Rhinelander, born in the boom days of logging, was first called Pelican Rapids. It was then renamed after the president of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad (now the Chicago and NorthWestern). The symbol of the city, “The Home of the Hodag” refers to the local legend about a beast roaming the Northwoods called the “Hodag.” (Kurt D. Kortenhof. Long Live the Hodag! The Life and Legacy of Eugene Simeon Shepard: 1854–1923.) Rhinelander became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2006.

Bijou Theatre

Bown Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1911; seats: 200 The Bijou Theatre, Rhinelander’s first moving picture house, was purchased by Herman Zander from F. C. Kruckeberg less than a month after opening the Majestic, and he also took over his lease on the Grand Opera House. He would show motion pictures on Saturday and Sunday nights at the Opera House to accommodate those who couldn’t get into the Majestic. Mr. Zander then closed the Bijou Theatre. (Kris Gilbertson, “Majestic Takes a Final Bow,” The Daily News, September 30, 1980.)

Majestic Theatre 177 North Brown Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1980; seats: 500 The red brick building that was the Majestic Theatre opened on September 21, 1911. The program given that night was one of the best ever given in this city. (New North, September 28, 1911.) The vaudeville part of the program consisted of several songs, Rhinelander’s Military Orchestra, and moving pictures that were “very clear with no flicker.” Herman Zander, owner of the theatre announced there would be vaudeville acts once a week. A live orchestra pit was a huge draw. The only competition at the time came from the Grand Opera House

where professional stage plays were featured about once a week. The Majestic Theatre showed the first “talking pictures” in the Northwoods in 1929, Synthetic Sin, starring Colleen Moore. Actually the film had no sound track, but was accompanied by voice recordings, which had to be synchronized with the picture. Later color movies were featured, and then came wide screen films. Vaudeville acts continued through the 1920s and into the early 1930s. The Rouman brothers now owned the theatre. (Kris Gilbertson, “Majestic entertained Northwoods movie audiences,” The Daily News, November 1, 1983.) Not only television, but the popularity of snowmobiling, eventually cut into the theatre’s business. Three years after closing the building was sold and completely renovated to become a book store. Nothing is left of the original interior except a hollowing to the plywood flooring as one moves toward the back of the bookstore because of the need to allow for the sloping theatre floor. The “Majestic” carved in stone at the top of the building is covered by a sign.

State Theatre 135 North Brown Street. Open: 1921; open; seats: 900 At the corner of Brown and River Streets in downtown Rhinelander, the State Theatre was built by brothers, Peter and George Rouman. The name of the theatre is carved in stone at the top of the large building. A large pipe organ was installed to play music appropriate to the action on the screen. It was one of the first theatres in northern Wisconsin to show movies with sound, and in 1954, CinemaScope was installed featuring a screen 16 feet high and 38 feet wide. The large single-screen theatre was converted to four screens, with a dropped ceiling covering the original décor of the small lobby. The original décor was also covered over in all the audi-

State Theatre, Rhinelander, 2007 (courtesy Mike Monte, Pioneer Express).

207 toriums. However, the original marquee with all its neon and flashing bulbs is intact along with the large letters in neon that spell the theatre’s name on the front of the marquee. First-run films are featured. A nephew, Mike Rouman, now owns and operates the State Theater with the help of his wife, Evdokia.

— RIB LAKE —

Rib Lake / — / Richland Center

ing in town with air conditioning. The theatre was torn down, and the site is now a parking lot.

Gem Theatre 100 Block of Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1920; seats: 150 The Gem Theatre was on the west side of Main Street. It appears to have been a wooden building that was destroyed in a fire. Ideal Theatre

Taylor County. The name “Rib Lake” is said by some to have originated from the finding of a pile of rib bones by the lake. Others believe the lake is shaped like a rib, and some say the name derives from the Chippewa Indians who named it “Opicwana” after Rib Mountain and Rib River. The history of the entire Rib Lake area is rooted in the timber logging industry. The first mill was destroyed by fire within a year. The mill was rebuilt and a railroad was built to serve its needs. The mill burned a second time in 1914 and was rebuilt once more. When the mill reopened it was one of the largest in the state and remained in operation until the summer of 1948. (www.riblake wis.com)

East Newton Street. Open: 1911; closed: 1914; seats: 200 A short-lived silent movie house that was sold to the Barron County Telephone Company in 1914. The theatre building was razed in 1964.

Majestic Theatre

214 North Main Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1950; seats: 410 The Majestic Theatre opened showing silent movies and introduced the first talkies in 1929. It was a one-aisle theatre that catered to children with its low ticket prices and Saturday matinees.

Armory Theatre

McComb Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1942; seats: 400 The Armory Theatre was demolished.

Lake Theatre

McComb Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 1960; seats: 396 The building was vacant for thirtyfive years when the roof caved in causing the building to be torn down. Majestic Theatre, Rice Lake, 1930s (courtesy Don Carney).

— RICE LAKE —

— RICHLAND CENTER —

Barron County. Located in the Red Cedar River valley, the city of Rice Lake is the largest community in Barron County and serves as a center for commerce, manufacturing, health, and educational services. Rice Lake became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1991. (www.rice-lake.com)

Richland County. Located in the heart of southwestern Wisconsin, Richland Center lies halfway between La Crosse and Madison in an area of trout streams and dairy farms known as the Ocooch Mountains. Richland Center became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1992. (www.richlandchamber.com)

El Lago Theatre

South Main Street. Open: 1935; closed: 1984; seats: 578 The theatre was located on the corner of South Main and Highland Streets. It was a two-aisle “deluxe” theatre with a balcony, and the first build-

Air Dome Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1912; seats: 200 The admission to Fred Smith’s Air Dome was usually five cents, but when he featured a program of

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six pictures and three illustrated songs three nights a week, the admission was ten cents.

Center Cinema 192 South Central Avenue. Open: 1936; open; seats: 499 In 1936, Jake Eskin approached the city council for permission to rent the city auditorium and transform it into a modern movie theatre. The theatre opened that year called the Eskin, proclaiming that southwestern Wisconsin’s finest movie theatre was completed. Marcus Theatres purchased the Eskin Theatre in 1957.

Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1916; seats: 215 The Richland Observer announced the grand opening of the new five cent Electric Theatre. The opening night movie was Blue and Grey, a romance of the Civil War.

Eskin Theatre (See Center Cinema.) Lyric Theatre

South Central Avenue. Open: 1908; closed: 1916; seats: 200 The Lyric Theatre had one projector up in the balcony so that there had to be a short intermission to change reels. “One Moment Please” would flash on the screen. Before the show started “Ladies, Please Remove Your Hats” would appear on screen. (LeRoy Weden, “I Missed My Calling,” in Good Old Days, March 1975.)

Orpheum Theatre North Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1933; seats: 300 When Fred Smith ran the Orpheum Theatre he put on the first and only extravaganza seen in Richland Center Theatre, Richland Center, 2001 (photograph by author). Center. The area just south of the Orpheum was vacant at that time and beThe theatre became the Center Cinema in 1977. came the starting point of the parade made up of Bill Muth, Jr., purchased the theatre in 1988, and in Cowboys and Indians since a Western was the movie 1991 closed the theatre for seven weeks for a combeing shown. Coffland Brothers Store had a team of plete renovation of the theatre. In addition to splitsmall ponies that were also enlisted for the parade. ting the theater into two sections, the lobby and con(“Fred Smith’s Wild West Parade.” Richland Center: cession stand were remodeled. The theatre was Brewer Library.) upgraded with Dolby Surround Sound, and a platBessie Darling played the piano all during the ter system film projector. Since then, customers have show with the tempo to match the picture on the been able to choose between two films each week. (Dawn Kiefer, “Owning Movie Theater Challenging, Yet Exciting,” The Richland Observer, April 11, 1996.) The theatre is now called Center Cinema Twins featuring first-run films. Crystal Theatre South Central Avenue. Open: 1909; closed: 1915; seats: 150 The Richland Democrat announced the opening of the new Crystal Theatre in the Durnford building on May 14, 1909. The theatre would show 3,000 feet of pictures nightly. Orpheum Theatre, Richland Center, Early (courtesy Brewer Public Library).

209 screen. A man by the name of Ralph Doty would handle the sound effects off stage such as horses running by using two coconut shells cut in half, or he would shoot a pistol with blank shells at the right time when guns were shooting on the screen. In 1913, the theatre underwent extensive redecorating, and in 1918, a fire in the projection booth just at the close of the Saturday night show caused damage to the theatre. In 1922, managed by A. S. Rockwell, two new picture machines were installed that promised much improved service. In 1929, Jake Eskin purchased the Orpheum Theatre.

Richland Theatre

South Central Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1957; seats: 400 The Richland Theatre’s gala opening presented by owners Mr. and Mrs. George Gassen was on Monday, February 27, 1928. The program featured William Boyd and Bessie Love in Dress Parade and a comedy. The September 15, 1929, Richland Democrat reported that the slanting floor provides an excellent view of the screen and stage, and there was a small stage for vaudeville acts. Jake Eskin purchased the Richland in 1929 when it was converted to sound. The Richland Democrat announced in 1931 that the theater would install a complete cooling system. “Torrid weather lasted one week. Extreme heat followed heavy rain. Some farmers had stopped all work, saying it was unsafe either for man or beast.”

Rio / Ripon

then closed for good in September of that year. The theatre never had a marquee, but it did have a cry room after the 1937 remodeling. After closing, the theatre was converted into a tavern. Today, still a tavern, called the “Old Theatre Tavern.”

— RIPON — Fond Du Lac County. Captain David P. Mapes, one of the first settlers, named this settlement in honor of his ancestral home, the English cathedral city of Ripon, Yorkshire. The downtown Watson Street Commercial Historic District began with a classic square lined with turn-of-the-century brick architecture is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ripon became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1988. On the evening of March 20, 1854, a group of people met in a small frame schoolhouse to protest the opening of the Kansas and Nebraska territories to slavery. Disgusted with the failure of existing political parties and the U.S. Congress to uphold the cause of freedom in the West, they formed a new antislavery party and called it Republican. They came out of the schoolhouse in agreement that one unified front was crucial to the fight against slavery and thus began the Republican Party. (www.cityofripon.com)

Auditorium Theatre (See Ripon.)

— RIO — Columbia County. Located centrally in Columbia County, Rio is situated between Columbus and Portage. The village is little more than a half-hour from Madison.

Reo Theatre

107 Lincoln Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1958; seats: 350 The Rio Opera House was opened in 1911 by Jim Purtell. The first movie shown, in 1915, was called Tigris when the theatre became the Purtell. The theatre closed in 1936, and in 1937 the theatre was purchased by Allen Bell who completely modernized it with new equipment and seats reopening it on February 10, 1938, as the Bell Theatre with the showing of the Last Gangster. However, the theatre closed on July 28 of that year. On April 22, 1941, it was reopened by Gilbert Krahn only to be closed again. On July 3, 1947, it reopened as the Reo Theatre by Harold Nelson who had re-equipped the theatre with new sound equipment and a new screen. The Reo Theatre closed in late October of 1957, but reopened May 2, 1958, and

Campus Theatre

103 Watson Street. Open: 1935; open; seats: 500 A.W. Pettibone built the building block in 1872 for his dry goods business, which was later split into two stores, a dry goods house and a drug store. During the turn of the century years, the dry goods store was operated by the Mattice family and the drug store by Ottmar Schallern. By 1909 the building was again combined to house the Mattice-Foster Company Department Store, one of Ripon’s larger department stores. The business was in operation until 1935 when Ben Marcus established the Campus Theatre, the first theatre in his movie chain (Marcus Theatres). In downtown Ripon, the single screen opened November 1, 1935, with the movie It’s in the Air, starring Jack Benny. The price of admission was twenty-five cents. The theatre was state-of-the-art for its time. Today it features first run films with two shows nightly. The Campus Theatre is in Ripon’s Main Street Historical District. (Main Street became Watson Street.)

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210

Above: Campus Theatre, Ripon, 1930s (courtesy Ripon Historical Society). Left: Campus Theatre, Ripon, 2005 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Ripon Theatre West Fond du Lac Street. Open: 1921; closed: 1958; seats: 599 Opened as the Auditorium Theatre, which was in City Hall. In 1939, the theatre was renamed the Ripon when it became part of Marcus Theatres. The theatre was demolished.

— RIVER FALLS — Pierce County. The village of River Falls is located on the banks of the Kinnickinnic River. Both the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and Chippewa Valley Technical College are here.

Falls Theatre

105 South Main Street. Open: 1927; open; seats: 403 The theatre opened as the Princess and was renamed the Falls in 1928. Owned by Stan McCul-

211

St. Croix Falls

Falls Theatre, River Falls, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

loch and his family since 1972, this single-screen theatre is still featuring first-run films while restoration is ongoing.

— ST. CROIX FALLS — Polk County. In northwest Wisconsin, the “Place by a Waterfall” was established by the St. Croix Falls Lumber Company to build a sawmill at the falls. (www.scfwi.com)

Auditorium

North Washington Street. In 1888, a village hall was built that served as both a municipal government and social center of the community for many years and was utilized evenings and weekends for dances, concerts, commencement exercises, and gatherings of all kinds. In January 1917, while World War I raged overseas, citizens of St. Croix Falls gathered to watch one of the top silent films of the era The Battle Cry of Peace in their new Auditorium. The multi-level building was to house a civic community center on the street level and upstairs, where they placed the stage, touring vaudeville shows and opera companies would perform. World War I and the Spanish Flu undoubtedly made it difficult to promote public gatherings. When it became clear that touring theatrical and opera companies were difficult to book into the up-

stairs portion of the Auditorium, the city contracted R. O. Pepper to relocate his movie business, Bide-AWee Motion Picture Theater, from the original village hall on Adams Street to the Auditorium. Built to seat over 400 on the main floor and another 100 or more in the balcony, the performance space of the Auditorium included a proscenium arch stage complete with a fly tower for easily moving backdrops into place. During the 1918 conversion to a movie house, the Auditorium’s balcony had to be altered to accommodate the new projection room. At the center of the lower half of the balcony, the original stepped floor was removed and the floor leveled. Due to potential fire hazards created by projection room technology of the era, the room was made non-combustible from the inside-out by adding a concrete floor finish on top of the existing wood floor and a skim coat of concrete finish to the walls and ceiling. Silent films ruled the days until 1928 when the talkies arrived. During the silent film era, local musicians (generally pianists or organists) were employed to provide live background music six days a week. As a civic community center, the Auditorium featured a street level kitchen and gymnasium to accommodate dances, holiday programs, sports activities, piano recitals, and high school commencement exercises. Spectators could watch their town team play basketball from the area now called the Mezzanine Café, which opened to the east overlooking the

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gymnasium. The gymnasium “was pressed into use by volunteers rolling bandages for the Red Cross during World War I, and for rallies to support the war effort. In 1918, it became a hospital during the influenza pandemic that wracked the world.”

Falls Theatre

200 North Washington Street. Open: 1989; open; seats: 800 In 1989, the Auditorium was sold to the Festival Theatre Company, and the movie theatre was moved next door starting as a three-plex. Falls 5 has since expanded into a five-screen theatre.

Festival Theatre 210 North Washington Street. Open: 1917; open; seats: 450 In 1989, the building was sold to the Festival Theatre Company who gave their first presentation in 1990. Over the years the building hosted the city’s public library, city hall and offices. Restoration to the theatre is part of the city’s downtown revitalization project. The addition was removed and a courtyard placed out front with the same type of bricking and fencing used throughout the downtown. Today the first floor houses the library, theatre boxoffice, lobby, and restrooms. The Festival Theatre presents live theatrical performances throughout the year. (Tammi Milberg, “Festival Theatre changes taking shape. More work to be done to restore old theatre,” InterCounty Leader-Northern Currents, September 4, 2002.) In October 2006, the building was named to the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places and in January 2007, the 90th anniversary of first opening to the public, the Auditorium was named to the National Register of Historic Places. (Information gathered from St. Croix Tales and Trails by Rosemarie Vezina Braatz, and the Structures Report of the Historic Auditorium Theatre prepared by F.J. Sabongi.)

Falls Theatre, St. Croix Falls, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

— SAXON — Iron County. Saxon is located at the very northern boundary of Wisconsin. In the mid–1990s, part of the film A Simple Plan was filmed near a Saxon farmhouse.

Royal Theatre Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1934; seats: 200 The theatre remained a silent movie house.

— SAYNER — Festival Theatre, St. Croix Falls, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Vilas County. In northern Wisconsin, residents called the village Plum Lake, while the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway station was named Sayner for the first settler, Orrin W. Sayner. Beginning as the center of a vigorous lumbering indus-

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Seymour

Top: Auditorium, Seymour, Early. Left: See-More Theatre, Seymour. Above: See-More Theatre, Concessions, Seymour (all photographs courtesy Seymour Community Museum).

— SEYMOUR —

try, Sayner, in the heart of the lake country, now is a vacation center. (www.sayner-starlake.org)

Sayner Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1935; seats: 200 This was the Vernon Theatre when it opened.

Outagamie County. Seymour is located in the Fox River Valley close to Green Bay and Appleton. Called the Home of the Hamburger, Charlie Nagreen created the first hamburger in 1885 at the Seymour Fair and Seymour has been celebrating its history ever since. (www.seymourwi.com)

See-More Theatre Robbins and Main Streets. Open: 1910s; closed: 1974; seats: 400 This downtown Seymour landmark opened as the Auditorium Theatre, and was renamed the See-More

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Theatre in 1942. The theatre was torn down after it closed.

— SHAWANO — Shawano County. The name Shawanaw comes from the Indian Sha-wa-Nah-Pay-Sa, which means “lake to the south” in Menominee and Chippewa. The change in spelling of Shawanaw to the present spelling occurred in 1864. (www.rootsweb.com/~ wishawan/)

Crescent Pitcher Show

220 South Main Street. Open: 1914; open; seats: 472/107 The Crescent Theatre’s grand opening was March 1, 1914, owned by the Nagel family. The theatre is now called the Pitcher Show (or Crescent Pitcher Show) in historic downtown Shawano. It was reopened in 1996 by the Rothieaux family. The theatre now seats 107 and advertises a unique entertainment experience. This is an affordable family movie theatre on Main Street with a full bar and kitchen and comfortable table seating. During NFL season Packers games are shown. (Projection is video.)

Palace Theatre 126 South Main Street. Open: 1913; closed: 1925; seats: 250 The Palace Theatre was the first theatre in Shawano in the Rohloff building operated by “Piff ” Rohloff and owned by Percy Diedrick. Vaudeville performances were also held there and the sections for the actors’ dressing stalls can still be seen in the basement. Mrs. R. J. Diekelmann, Cecelia Mertens, and later, Mrs. Charles Boyle played the piano at the theatre. Shawano Theatre 106 North Main Street. Open: 1934; closed: 1962; seats: 457 The Shawano Theatre was at the corner of Green Bay Street in the present Shawano Evening Leader building. The facade is dated 1918. The theatre was operated by William Ainsworth of Fond du Lac. Managers of the Shawano Theatre from the time of leasing in 1932 were Mr. Learned, Dewey George, Mrs. D. George, Mrs. Albert Klein, Mrs. J. Muraski, Paul Rose, and Russell Robbins. The theatre was part of Independent Theaters, Inc.

— SHEBOYGAN — Sheboygan County. “Sheboygan or Cheboigan” on the early maps is from the Indian name Shawbwa-way-kum. The word, most likely Chippewa, expresses a tradition that a great noise, coming underground, was heard at this river. (From The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names, by Robert Gard, 1968).

Butterfly Theatre (See State.)

Fox Theatre (See Rex.) Grand Theatre (See Lincoln.)

Lincoln

Theatre 1827 North 15th Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1936; seats: 315 Also known as the Grand Theatre for several years in the early 1930s. Majestic Crescent Theatre, Shawano, 2007 (courtesy Shawano County Historical Society).

Theatre 525 North 8th Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1955; seats: 816/740

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Sheboygan

Rex Theatre

931 North 8th Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1966; seats: 911 The theatre opened as the Fox Theatre, and was renamed the Rex Theatre in 1934. The theatre building is on the southeast corner of North 8th and Ontario Avenue. The Sheboygan Press in December of 1955 reported that over six hundred Safety Patrol cadets who guard school crossings were given a Christmas party sponsored by the newspaper. Watching two movies at the Rex Theatre was part of the festivities. While the theatre is long closed and its large vertical sign gone, the building contains retail shops and offices on the first floor and apartments on the second.

Majestic Theatre, Sheboygan, 1945 (collection of author).

The Majestic Theatre, in downtown Sheboygan, was owned and managed by Edward F. Kirtchen when it opened. The theatre became part of Warner Bros. Theatres. In 1941, the Majestic was completely remodeled. The entire front of the building was covered with porcelain enamel in two tones of brown with a cream trim. The new style marquee had two signs each thirty inches tall on either side of it that display the letters “MAJESTIC” in red neon. The sides of the marquee formed a background of light for silhouetted letters from nearly 1400 light bulbs. Two “attraction lines” were beneath. At street level, the box office was built of a curved design to the right of three sets of double doors. The first lobby, located inside the front door, had an attractive terrazzo floor. Birch doors matched the outer doors, and opened to the auditorium replacing the glass doors. A stairway lead to the balcony at the right of the lobby. All seats were replaced with the latest types and were the only theatre seats in Sheboygan boasting cushion backs. (“Majestic Theatre All Set for Grand Opening. Majestic, Now Redecorated and Remodeled Throughout, Most Modern House in City,” Sheboygan Press, May 28, 1941.) The Majestic Theatre was razed in 1965 for a motel and convention center.

Top: Rex Theatre, Sheboygan, 1930s (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Bottom: Rex Theatre, Sheboygan, 2001 (photograph by author).

Sheboygan Theatre

826 North 8th Street. Open: 1928; open; seats: 1550 This “atmospheric” theatre with traces of Spanish Colonial Revival decor became Sheboygan’s most opulent theatre. The Sheboygan Theatre was designed by United Studios of Chicago and presented both vaudeville and movies.

Sheboygan

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Sheboygan Theatre, Sheboygan, 2001 (courtesy Ralph Schmidt).

The theatre’s facade was trimmed with terra cotta. The two-story, large T-shaped building has a large vertical sign reading SHEBOYGAN. (Its new name is on the front of the marquee.) The theatre’s design came into vogue in the larger studio-built movie theaters of the late 1920s. The interior of the Sheboygan is designed to resemble a summer evening in a Spanish garden, allowing the movie patrons a fanciful escape to a world of riches and adventure. The theatre became part of Warner Bros. in 1930, and part of Marcus Theatres in 1966. In 1980, the balcony was closed off and the main auditorium twinned. The Sheboygan Theater was the largest and most important movie theater built in the city during the twentieth century. It remained preeminent until the growth of Sheboygan’s suburbs and the advent of television made it obsolete as a movie theater. Closed in 1992, the theatre was purchased four years later by the Sheboygan Community Theatre Foundation and renovations began. The dropped ceiling was removed, which revealed the old star-studded ceiling. The restored Sheboygan Theater is now known as the Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts presenting touring productions and theatrical events.

It is the home of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra. The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places as well as the State of Wisconsin Register of Historic Places in 1999. (www.sheboygan theatre.com)

State Theatre 1511 South 12th Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1952; seats: 437 Businessmen in the 1500 block remember that the theater venture was originally launched by a corporation made up of Gus Radtke, Ernest and Otto Aldag, William Bickel and Fred Kuester, all now deceased, operating under the name of the South Side Amusement Co. The theatre opened as the Butterfly and was managed by Gus Radtke and Fred Kuester during the silent picture days. In 1934, the theater was leased by Mr. Johnson, who purchased the theatre after a fire that started in the projection booth had extensively damaged the interior. Later Mr. Johnson sub-leased the theater to several local men who renamed the theatre in 1941 the State. Mr. Berg, the most recent operator, discontinued shows there late in 1952. The State Theatre was demolished in 1954 to make way for a new building to house a television repair shop. (“State Theater Being Demol-

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Sheboygan Falls The Downtown Sheboygan Falls Historic District contains many industrial and commercial building examples in various architectural styles dating from the 1840s through the early twentieth century. This district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. In 1995, Sheboygan Falls was named the Wisconsin Main Street City of the Year for its dedication to the preservation of its historic structures. (www.sheboyganfalls. org)

Strand Theatre, Sheboygan, 2001 (photograph by author).

ished; New Structure to Be Built,” Sheboygan Press, December 10, 1953.)

Strand Theatre

1020 Michigan Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1950; seats: 330 This was the Star Theatre when it opened, becoming the Strand Theatre in 1940. After closing, it became a small business and today the marquee reads “D & M Plumbing and Heating.”

Falls Theatre

214–16 Pine Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1959; seats: 380 FALLS is not only on both sides of the marquee but is prominently displayed on the building. The Falls Theatre showed two features for the price of one during the 1940s and in the 1950s advertised “Always Two Big Hits.” The theatre remained empty after closing until 1965 when it was razed to make room for a parking lot.

Van Der Vaart Theatre (See Wisconsin.)

Wisconsin Theatre

701 New York Avenue. Open: 1920; closed: 1984; seats: 879 Opened as the Van Der Vaart Theatre, and renamed the Wisconsin Theatre in 1943 when it became part of Warner Bros. Theatres. As the Wisconsin, the theatre opened on October 29, 1943, with a double feature of My Friend Flicka and It Comes Up Love. The theatre closed in 1977 and was reopened in 1978 renamed the Stage Door. The theatre was demolished and became a parking lot.

Falls Theatre, Sheboygan Falls, 1953 (courtesy Sheboygan County Historical Research Center).

— SHEBOYGAN FALLS — Sheboygan County. Sheboygan Falls is located on the Sheboygan River with its natural falls, which meant power and transportation to the early settlers.

Opera House

Broadway and Monroe Streets. Built in 1885 by Moses Guyett as a hall in conjunction with his hotel, the Guyett House, the Opera House went through many owners in its long life. Its last owner, Paul Ebbers, used it as a warehouse for his hardware store. On August 22, 1955, fire struck the Opera House and cost the life of Frank Thierman who was killed by the explosion and resulting fire. (Sheboygan County Historical Research Center. Im-

Shell Lake / Shorewood / Shullsburg

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Washburn County. Shell Lake, within the city, is the State’s largest landlocked seepage lake. Shell Lake is in rural northwestern Wisconsin. (www.shelllake online.com)

Chien. It is located in southwestern Wisconsin, in the center of the Upper Mississippi River Valley Lead Mining District on the Pecatonica River. Lead and zinc mining became very active in the Shullsburg area in 1862 and continued until 1978. (www. shullsburgwisconsin.org) In the late 1980s restoration began on the Water Street historic district and it is now a National Historic Landmark. (www.waterstreetplace.com/shulls burg-wi-history.html)

Lake Theatre

Burg Theatre

ages of America Sheboygan Falls. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.)

— SHELL LAKE —

5th Avenue. Open: 1915; closed: 1954; seats: 350 The theatre opened called the Auditorium, but burned down in 1917. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1921 showing movies. 1930 was the year the first talkie was presented. After a series of owners, in 1946, the Auditorium was partitioned off into a smaller theatre with 202 seats called the Lake. After movies ended, the theatre housed the public library, city hall, and police. The building still stands owned by the city, used for storage and apartments.

120 West Water Street. Open: 1949; closed: 1960s; seats: 420 In 1949, the Burg Theater was built and managed by Wally Nordquist, Bill Lind, F. J. Leahy, and Ron Foley. Ron Foley operated a liquor store after the theater closed. The theatre building was destroyed by fire in May 1996. The site is now Lead Miners Memorial Park, part of the Shullsburg Water Street historic district. The park now serves as a memorial to the nine miners accident of the region in the 1940s.

— SHOREWOOD — Milwaukee County. Shorewood is a suburb of Milwaukee.

Shorewood Theatre

4329 North Oakland Avenue. Open: 1929; closed: 1953; seats: 1136 The Shorewood Theatre is named after the northern suburb along the shore of Lake Michigan. The only name sign being a simple double-sided rectangle projecting from a multipaned double casement window and balconette on the second story of the two story brown Burg Theatre, Shullsburg, 1950 (courtesy Badger Historical Socibrick building. In lieu of a marquee ety). (apparently prohibited by this suburb at the time) were two large billboards flanking the entry area at the sidewalk line, ilCopeland Opera House 144 West Water luminated from above. Street. Open: 1892; closed: 1949; seats: 600 After the Shorewood closed it was used as an iceThe Copeland Opera House was built by Galena skating school. The floor was leveled, and an ice rink contractor, C. C. Denio, of local brick. The design was installed in the auditorium. The theatre buildis Italianate influenced with a bracketed projecting ing was demolished. cornice. Joseph Copeland built this building for an opera house on the second floor to seat 600 people. The elaborate frescoed ceiling, painted by Stanley and Slaughter, and much of the stage scenery are HULLSBURG still intact. Two commercial spaces on the first floor initially Lafayette County. Shullsburg is Wisconsin’s third housed McKey Men’s and Women’s Clothing Store oldest community after Green Bay and Prairie du

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219 on the east and the Proctor Hardware and Implement Store on the west. The Copeland Opera House was the center for live stage performances, circuses and parades, tent shows, silent movies, and later the talkies. 1916 was the first year silent movies were shown at the Opera House. The first talkie, Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer, was shown in the late 1920s. The Shullsburg Amusement Company rented the top floor and continued stage plays and movies until 1949 when the people with the Burg Theatre bought them out and ended any movie or stage production at the Opera House.

Gem Theatre

South Water Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1927; seats: 200 The Gem Theatre functioned strictly as a movie theatre. After closing, the building was turned into a garage but the building eventually fell down.

Siren / Slinger / Soldiers Grove

Opera House Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1934; seats: 200 Movies were part of the entertainment offered at the Opera House.

— SLINGER — Washington County. The village of Slinger, once known as the community of “Seven Hills,” still remains within these peaks and valleys.

Strand Theatre

410 Kettle Morine Dr. South. Open: 1917; closed: 1928; seats: 200 The village’s only theatre remained a silent movie house.

— SIREN — Burnett County. In northwestern Wisconsin on the Minnesota border, settlers moved into this area after 1870, and by 1895 a post office was established. The first postmaster was Charles F. Segerstrom who had the office in his home, which was sur- Strand Theatre, Slinger, 1917 (courtesy Slinger Community Lirounded with lilacs, prompting him brary). to suggest the Swedish word for lilac, “Syren.” The postal department changed the “y” to “i” in granting the application. (www.sirenwis.com) OLDIERS ROVE

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Crawford County. The village was first called Pine Grove but the name was changed in 1867 to honor the soldiers of the 1832 Blackhawk War that were camped in the area. Soldiers Grove is located in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin along the Kickapoo River. This is “America’s First Solar Village.” (www.soldiers grove.com)

Electric Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1957; seats: 280 Mr. Larson managed the theatre in the mid–1940s when the theatre was open five days a week. The theatre was torn down. Gem Theatre, Shullsburg, 1920s (courtesy Badger Historical Society).

Solon Springs / — / Sparta

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— SOLON SPRINGS — Douglas County. Douglas County is at the top northwestern edge of Wisconsin.

Village Theatre 9240 East Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1956; seats: 500 The theatre opened on the second floor of the Village Hall under the name of Spring Theatre. In 1931, it was renamed the Solon Theatre, and in 1936, again renamed the Village Theatre. Burnell Amusements managed the theatre; admission was twelve cents. There was a sign-in Garden Theatre, South Milwaukee, 1993 (courtesy Theatre Historbook for patrons and tickets were ical Society of America). drawn for prizes. Supposedly you can still see where the projector hole The theatre opened as the Grand and was reis located. The building still stands; the Solon named the Iris Theatre in 1925. Springs Joan Salmen Memorial Library is on the first floor. Player Theatre 1023 Milwaukee Avenue.

— SOMERSET — St. Croix County. In northwestern Wisconsin on the Apple River, the pioneers of Somerset were French-speaking immigrants arriving from the Canadian province of Quebec in search of farmlands. The founder, General Samuel Harriman, chose the village site because it was an ideal location for a lumber mill. (www.vil.somerset.wi.us/)

Ideal Theatre 119 Spring Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1935; seats: 275 This theatre was located on the second floor of Vanasse’s grocery store. The building is still standing and was converted into apartments.

— SOUTH MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County. South Milwaukee is a suburb of Milwaukee.

Garden Theatre

1005 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1920; closed: 1976; seats: 750 The theatre opened as the Rialto Theatre; it became the Garden Theatre in 1925.

Iris Theatre

1125 Milwaukee Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1954; seats: 950

Open: 1910; closed: 1914; seats: 450 The theatre opened as the Colonial, and was renamed the Palace Theatre before it was known as the Player Theatre.

— SPARTA — Monroe County. Located in the rolling hills of western Wisconsin, Sparta is called the “Bicycling Capital of America.” The first rail bed in Wisconsin to be converted to bike trails was between Sparta and Elroy. (www.spartawisconsin.org)

Classic Theatre 210 South Water Street. Open: 1918; closed: 1975; seats: 500 The theatre, with a balcony, was built by Otto Bell and named for him. The Bell Theatre was renamed the Classic Theatre in 1927, and then leased in 1936 to Peter G. Stathis, owner of the Sparta Theatre. A letter written by Mr. R. E. Winscher, General Manager of the Classic Theatre was published in the Monroe County Democrat of December 6, 1963, and then reprinted in the Black River Falls Banner-Journal. In response to the question as to why the Classic Theatre does not show better pictures, Mr. Winscher responded that the “Classic Theatre shows the finest pictures that are made available.” “The Classic plays exactly the same shows as any other metropolitan theatre but since availabilities are determined by the size of the city, motion picture distributors

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Spooner / Spring Green

Palace Theatre 237 Walnut Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1939; seats: 400 This first Palace Theatre was across the street from the (new) Palace and closed when the new theatre was built.

Classic Theatre, Sparta, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

cannot let a small theatre show a picture before another city of ten or fifteen times its size show it.” “Regular admission prices remain below those of other theatres in this area that are comparable in size.”

Sparta Theatre 120 North Water Street. Open: 1936; closed: 1986; seats: 450 The theatre was torn down.

Palace Theatre 238 Walnut Street. Open: 1939; open; seats: 595 The theatre was twinned in the 1980s with a dividing wall running parallel to the screen. One theatre has 250 seats while the other has 130 seats. First-run films are presented at matinees and evening shows. Letters spelling the theatre’s name sit on top of the marquee.

— SPRING GREEN — Sauk County. Spring Green is in the Wisconsin River Valley in southern Sauk County. Taliesin, the summer home and school of Frank Lloyd Wright is here. (www.springgreen.com)

Ferris Hall

— SPOONER — Washburn County. Spooner is located in the heart of Washburn County in the northwest corner of the state surrounded by woods, lakes, and rivers.

Jefferson Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1922; seats: 200 Mr. Dave Ferris operated a picture machine and showed movies in Ferris Hall located over the Royal Blue Store. His serials shown every Saturday night were thrillers. Among them were Pearl White in the Perils of Pauline, Ruth Holand in Hands Up, and The Lightning Raider. The music was furnished by Mrs. Agnes Brown Jordan on the piano and Mr. Harold Cork on the drums. “Many an evening of enjoyment can be recalled by the citizens of our village who were always looking forward to the next installment of the serial.” (Centennial Spring Green The First Hundred Years, 1857–1957.)

Gard Theatre

Palace Theatre, Spooner, 2007 (courtesy www.roadsidearchitecture.com).

111 East Jefferson. Open: 1921; open; seats: 345 The new Post Commack Theatre was located on the same site downtown as the former opera house, and many stock companies brought entertainment to Spring Green. In 1925, the theatre was sold to Ross K. Lang of Cobb who reopened the theatre on September 1, 1925, with the then popular movie, Signal Tower.

Spring Valley

222 the words “Theater” spelled in white serves as a marquee.

Post Opera House

111 East Jefferson. Open: 1894; closed: 1916; seats: 300 Owned by Fred Post, the grand opening of the hotel and Opera House was celebrated with a banquet and ball on New Year’s Eve, 1895. It included a large stage, dressing rooms, and an elevated section of bleachers in the rear of the hall. On stage were stock companies and also home talent. In the early hours of January 1, 1916, the fire bell sounded through the cold winter air. Flames were at work destroying the Opera House with the entire Gard Theatre, Spring Green, 2001 (courtesy Ralph Schmidt). structure becoming smoldering ruins. (Centennial Spring Green The First Later Mr. Lang conducted a contest to select a Hundred Years, 1857–1957.) suitable name for the theatre and Wisconsin Theatre was chosen. On September 22, 1929, the Wisconsin Theatre installed talking pictures. The openPRING ALLEY ing feature was Street Girl, starring Betty Compson. It was a great event for the community as few neighPierce County. In the Eau Galle River Valley in boring theatres had sound equipment. In June 1930 west-central Wisconsin, Spring Valley was settled the theatre closed. From that time until 1948 the by woodsmen, but it was not until iron deposits theatre reopened many times with many different were discovered here that the village attracted more managers. The Schoenmann’s operated the theatre settlers. (www.springvalleywisconsin.org) during the period 1927–1938. Their opening picture was Maytime starring Jeanette McDonald and NelCommunity Hall Main Street. Open: 1910; son Eddy. The theatre was renamed the Rex in 1936. closed: 1946; seats: 200 During this period the theater suffered two fires, the This was a two-story building with the second last fire caused the state to close the theater. floor used to show movies. There was a stage and a The Rex Theatre remained closed until August gallery, but the floor was flat. The first floor con1948 when Mr. O. A. Freck and his son from Fall tained a dining room and kitchen. The first play was River purchased the building. They completely reheld in April of 1911. Movies were shown twice a modeled the theatre putting in new seats, sound proweek. In addition, the Hall was used for dances, conjectors, and air conditioning. It opened on May 27, certs, meetings, and a gymnasium for the school. 1949, renamed the Green Theatre. In October 1954, The building was destroyed by a fire on December CinemaScope and a wide screen were added so the 18, 1924. public could enjoy the latest in motion pictures. A second Community Hall was built on the same In 1967, the theatre was purchased by a group of site and completed on October 1, 1925, with a secinvestors called the Community Theatre Organization leased to the school. The building included a tion and renamed the Gard in honor of Professor stage on the second floor, which was used for plays Robert E. Gard. The theatre was again remodeled and eventually to show movies. This building was inside and out. A balcony over the sidewalk extends purchased by the Spring Valley Schools in 1947, and the length of the theatre building, the old ticket torn down in 1976 so the site could be used for a office was removed to enlarge the lobby, and a new school parking lot. side stage was added. (“Gard Theater Dedicated Saturday; Building Remodeled,” Weekly Home News of Valley Theatre S234 McKay Avenue. Open: the River Valley Area, June 29, 1967.) The Gard Theatre shows the best in current films 1947; open; seats: 268 Friday through Sunday. On the street side of the The theatre was built by Cecil Charboneau and building is The Spring Green, a restaurant, which showed movies until it closed when Spring Valley opened when the theatre was renamed the Gard. The stagehands started doing live shows in 1985. The entrance to the theatre is small. A blue awning with stagehands purchased the building in 1992 to pres-

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223 ent live performances; known today as the Spring Valley Stage Hands & Theatre.

— SPRUCE — Oconto County Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, brought movies to the smaller towns of Oconto County. He started his enterprise in 1936 and continued until 1954, showing movies in vacant lots. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets.

— STANLEY — Chippewa County. Located in northwestern Wisconsin, Stanley is a unique small community in that it still has a single-screen theater operating on its “Main Street.” (www.stanleywi.com)

Stanley Theatre 131 North Broadway Street. Open: 1937; open; seats: 426

Spruce / Stanley

Upon closing the Star Theatre in 1936, Heywood Amusement Company built a new theatre across the street, the Stanley. The theatre has a small balcony. Remaining in business through many different owners, this charming small town Art Deco theatre is still showing movies. Colors of black and light green highlight the facade; the lower facade is Vitrolite. Operating the theater has been a labor of love for the Dan and Cecilia Eslinger family. Cecilia, her mother, and brother purchased the theater in 1964, and have been updating and restoring the theatre since then. During the summer of 2003 the theater’s facade was restored to its 1930s appearance. There is a new roof, a new 13-foot by 36-foot screen, and the inside has been repainted to reflect the original Art Deco designs. There is an 11-foot canopy over the street. The Stanley Theatre provides newer movies weekly with reasonable prices. At Easter and Christmas, the Eslingers put on free shows for the children of the community. (www.stanleytheater.com)

Star Theatre

Broadway Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1936; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Nicolet, and was moved across the street in 1912. In 1920, the theatre was renamed the Star. In 1936, the owner, Heywood Amusement Company of New Richmond, closed the theatre and then had it demolished.

Stanley Theatre, Stanley, 2001 (photograph by author).

Stevens Point

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— STEVENS POINT — Portage County. Stevens Point is situated in a natural basin formed by the Wisconsin River and the Plover River, named for a first settler. Stevens Point became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2004. Before the turn of the century, Stevens Point had a Public Square that was referred to as Polish Square. Polish farmers brought their products to sell during Market Days from the turn of the century to World War I. (www.stevenspoint.com)

House. G. F. Andrae, one of the city’s leading merchants commissioned theater architect Oscar Cobb to design the Romanesque-style building. Faced with pressed brick, the building is typical of theater designs of the period. The entrance to the auditorium is at the center of the building with a small commercial space located on each side. The original ceil-

On May 4, 1891, there was a town parade to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Polish constitution. The celebration moved to the Rink Opera House (at the corner of Clark and Strongs Avenue) in the evening. Roller skating had become a fad in the 1880s and when that faded the Central City Roller Rink became the Opera House. Plays and lectures were presented there along with political campaigns.

Fox Theatre

444 Main Street. Open: 1893; closed: 1985; seats: 906 The building was constructed as the Grand Opera

Top, right: Fox Theatre, Interior, Stevens Point, 1942 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America). Above: Fox Theatre, Stevens Point, 2001 (photograph by author).

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Stockholm

ing with its classically inspired oval medallion remains in the auditorium. For many years the Opera House was the focus of many theatrical and community events. Lyman Howe appeared in the late 1890s with an illustrated stereopticon lecture, and in 1904 returned to present one of the first motion pictures in the city. Attendants hidden behind the wings provided sound effects. In 1908, the silent moving picture Montana starring Harry Carey was shown. (Malcolm Rosholt. Our County, Our Story: Portage County, Wisconsin. 1959.) The Grand Opera House closed in 1915, and reopened as the Majestic Theatre in 1920. In 1923 the Midwest Theater Corporation leased the theatre and operated the showhouse until 1928. (“Fox Company Takes Lyric and Majestic; Houses to Go Under New Management Commencing on January 1,” Stevens Point Journal, December Lyric Theatre, Stevens Point, 1943 (courtesy Theatre Historical 28, 1928.) The announcement in the Society of America). paper told of Fox-Wisconsin sub-letnorth side of Main Street, it was several doors east of ting both the Majestic and Lyric Theatres. the Fox Theatre. The theatre had a Barton organ. In Mr. J. P. Adler of Marshfield, owned the leases on 1928, it became part of Fox-Wisconsin as did the the two movie houses, and the Adler interests retired Majestic/Fox Theatre. from management as of December 31. “Virtual reAn advertisement in the Stevens Point Journal of building of the Majestic Theater is contemplated by May 14, 1955, announced the closing and renovathe Fox interests, Mr. Leo said. The plans call for tion of the Lyric Theatre “for the purpose of modtearing out practically all of the interior, he declared, ernizing and redecorating the entire theatre. We will the project to include redecoration, reseating, new also improve the presentation of motion pictures.” heating apparatus, carpeting all the aisles and instalThe marquee announced the reopening of the thelation of both Movietone and Vitaphone equipment. atre for July 29 now owned by Gran Enterprises, Inc. This equipment will enable the theater to show (“Lyric Marquee Tells of Plans for Opening Soon,” sound pictures. A new canopy will be erected at the Stevens Point Journal, July 22, 1955.) The theatre was entrance.” demolished in 1964. The current Fox Theater marquee was added when the interior was extensively remodeled in the 1940s. A new wide screen was installed in 1954 for the showing of CinemaScope. (“Installing Big Screen TOCKHOLM at Fox for CinemaScope,” Stevens Point Journal, May 6, 1954.) Pepin County. This is the oldest Swedish settlement The Fox Theatre was placed on the National Regin western Wisconsin. Immigrants came from Karlister of Historical Places in 1982. That year a previskoga, Sweden. (www.mississippi-rver.org/stock ously-added section of the theatre, the stage and holm.html) dressing rooms, was removed during the construction of the Center Point Mall. The Stevens Point Journal Hall Theatre Main Street. Open: 1930; reported in July 1985 that the Fox, closed since May 2, closed: 1934; seats: 100 has made no announcement regarding re-opening. The Hall showed silent movies only, and closed The theatre was closed “for business reasons.” before converting to sound. Lyric Theatre 454 Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1957; seats: 499 The Lyric Theatre was built by John Clifford, the first “movie-only” theatre in town. Located on the

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Stoughton / Stratford

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— STOUGHTON — Dane County. Stoughton is on the Yahara River, and named for an early landowner from New England. A large Norwegian immigration to the area began in 1870. The Syttende Mai festival is celebrated every year in May for Norwegian Independence Day. (www.stoughtonwi.com) In addition to the Lyric Theatre, there were three additional nickelodeons operating single-reel pictures: the White Front Theatre, the Globe Theatre, and the Princess Theatre.

Badger Theatre (See Stoughton Village Players.)

Cinema 5 Cafe

124 West Main Street. Open: 1992; open Cinema Pizza Cafe opened in the Badger Theatre, and in 1996 reopened at their present location, which was formerly a dimestore. The Cinema 5 Café, a five-screen, first-run movie house and eatery, is located in downtown Stoughton, two blocks west of the city’s famed clock tower, at the corner of Main and Division streets. Each small auditorium has a circular table with two to four oversized swivel chairs placed around them. The pizza is prepared fresh on location.

Stoughton Opera House

381 East Main Street. Open: 1901; open The Stoughton Opera House, originally called the City Auditorium and the City Hall Opera House, first opened on February 22, 1901, with the play, The Doctor’s Warm Reception. It is one of the largest second story theaters in the Midwest, and for over fifty

years, operas, musical productions, minstrel, theater and vaudeville shows were presented along with high school graduation exercises until 1953. By that time the Opera House had been painted over with a dull gray paint, extensively damaged by roof leaks, and was shut down. The clock tower was removed in 1961, considered a danger. In the early 1980s, a decision was made to save the building and the Friends of the Opera House was established to restore the Opera House. The clock tower was the first to be restored in 1988, and today is used as the logo for the City of Stoughton. Walls were painted in turn-of-the-century colors, new chairs for the box seats were upholstered in colors to match, the stage was enlarged, and the original curtain was restored. Today the Opera House is a performing arts venue. (www.cityofstoughton.com)

Stoughton Village Players Theatre

255 East Main Street. Open: 1921; open; seats: 673 The Badger Theatre building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built at the height of the silent movie era. In 1929 it was converted to a “talking theatre” added in 1931. The single-screen Badger Theatre closed its doors in 1989. Reopened in 1992 as the Cinema Pizza Cafe. The Stoughton Village Players began using the Badger Theatre in 1999 for live performances. After five very successful years staging over a dozen shows the Village Players took ownership of the building and decided to restore the facade to its original look. The theatre has served Stoughton for three quarters of a century as a movie house and the players are looking forward to extending its life into the next century as a performance space for live drama, comedy and music. To this end the group has embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign. Engraved bricks in the sidewalk in front of the theater will commemorate contributors and provide a lasting testament of thanks. (www.stough tonvillageplayers.org)

Lyric Theatre

103 East Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1931; seats: 700 The Lyric Theatre was the first moving picture theatre in town. The theatre was opened by Jacob Moelk and never converted to sound.

— STRATFORD — Badger Theatre, Stoughton, 2001 (photograph by author).

Marathon County. The rivers were the backbone of the growing lumber

227 industry, which was responsible for the settlement of Wisconsin forestland. In 1890, it was announced that the Milwaukee Lake Shore and Western Railway Company would build a line from Wausau to Marshfield. The Connor family, wanting to expand, saw the opportunity to move to this area. W. D. Connor created a “company town” and renamed it Stratford. (www.stratfordwi.com)

Opera House

Corner Elm and Third Street. The Opera House, built in the 1890s, was originally located where the Village Hall is today. In 1909, it was re-located to Second Street adjacent to the Allington & Van Ryzin Store. It was the site of much of Stratford’s entertainment. Minstrel groups and traveling play groups would come to Stratford to put on presentations. Wedding dances were held on the second floor. George Rifleman and P. J. Ladron leased the Opera House to give the people of the area the very best possible in movies. (“New Management in Opera House,” Stratford Journal, June 20, 1919.)

Royal Theatre Third Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1953; seats: 300 This theatre was on the second floor of the Connor Building and called the Stratford Theatre when it opened. According to a July 1939 article in the Stratford Journal, Art Davel and Willard Zoellner were the new proprietors of the Stratford Theatre. They purchased all new equipment and intended to give the people of the area fine movie entertainment. In 1940, it was advertised as the Stratford Auditorium. There were now a variety of activities, including dances, held at the Stratford. By 1948, it was renamed the Royal Theatre with Mrs. Walter Telschow as the proprietor. Movies were shown on weekends. Melvin Dhein ran the projectors. This single-screen theatre was destroyed in the December 29, 1953, fire. (Stratford Centennial Book, 1991.)

Strum / Sturgeon Bay

— STURGEON BAY — Door County. Sturgeon Bay is at the head of a long narrow harbor extending into the narrowest part of Door Peninsula. From earliest times travelers between the frontier settlement of Green Bay and the Lake Michigan ports portaged across the isthmus here, eliminating the one hundred mile voyage around the tip of the peninsula. Sturgeon Bay became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1994. (www.sturgeonbay.net)

Door Theatre

37 North Third Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1959; seats: 550 Sturgeon Bay’s former Opera House on Third Avenue was converted into an Art Moderne movie theatre named Door for the county. Since closing the theatre remains vacant.

Third Avenue Playhouse 239 North Third Ave. Open: 1951; open; seats: 650 Opened in what had been a feed store at the turn of the twentieth century, the Donna Theatre was named for the first owner’s daughter. The late Art Moderne style with a red and cream-colored facade operated until 2000 by the same family that operated the Door Theatre.

— STRUM — Trempealeau County. In north-central Wisconsin, Strum is the home of Crystal Lake, a reservoir on the Buffalo River.

Opera House

5th Avenue. Open: 1920s; closed: 1936; seats: 200 The Opera House was torn down in 1998.

Strum Theatre

5th Avenue. Open: 1938; closed: 1954; seats: 160 The Strum Theatre was converted into apartments.

Donna Theatre, Sturgeon Bay, 1989 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Sun Prairie / Superior

228

Since the fall of 2000, the former Donna Theatre has housed the Third Avenue Playhouse, a community performing arts center. In addition to musical and theatrical performances, classes and workshops are offered. The letters spelling the theatre’s name still sit atop the marquee. (www.ThirdAvenuePlayhouse.com)

Capitol Theatre

— SUN PRAIRIE —

Palace Theatre

Dane County. Close to Madison, Sun Prairie is the birthplace of the distinguished American painter, Georgia O’Keefe. (www.sun-prairie.com)

Pastime Theatre Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1920s; seats: 250 The Pastime Theatre was the first theatre to open in Sun Prairie and closed as a silent movie theatre. The theatre building burned down in 1975. Prairie Theatre

108 West Main Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1959; seats: 556 After closing the theatre was remodeled into offices.

Sun Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1928; seats: 400 The Sun Theatre remained a silent movie house never converting to sound.

— SUPERIOR — Douglas County. Superior is located at the western end of Lake Superior in northwestern Wisconsin. Bordered by St. Louis Bay, Superior Bay and Allouez Bay, it is also framed by two rivers: the Nemadji and the St. Louis. Superior, and the neighboring city across the bay, Duluth, Minnesota, form a single metropolitan area called the Twin Ports and share a harbor that is one of the most important ports on the Great Lakes. (www.ci.supe rior.wi.us/)

Alcazar Theatre

707 Tower Avenue. This early theatre showed silent movies only.

Beacon Theatre 1322 Tower Avenue. Open: 1938; closed: 1980; seats: 600 The Beacon Theatre opened in January of 1938. In 1967, the theatre underwent a major remodeling, and then closed in 1972. The Beacon reopened in August of 1975, closed again on May 31, 1977, only to reopen in September of 1977. It finally closed in December of 1980, and was demolished in November 1985.

1116 Tower Avenue. Open: 1921; closed: 1939; seats: 355 This was the first theatre with a movies-only policy. The theatre was demolished.

Lyric Theatre

1129 Tower Avenue. This early theatre was said to have a thousandwatt chandelier. 1102 Tower Avenue. Open: 1917; closed: 1982; seats: 1086 The Palace was an historic vaudeville and movie house designed by C. W. and George L. Rapp. Built with ornamental brick, the front featured an elaborate design of white terra cotta, pillars, and an ornate canopy. Mosaic tiles inlaid with the theater’s name in scrawling script were at the entrance. The inside featured elaborate Renaissance relief throughout, marble stairs and floors in the massive two-story balcony. A nursery was downstairs complete with a merry-go-round and sandbox. There were dressing rooms under the stage; and an animal cage room (for vaudeville acts). The Palace Theatre opened on March 26, 1917, part of Finkelstein & Ruben/Minnesota Amusement Company-Paramount, then ABC, and sold to Plitt Theatres in 1974. It closed as a movie theatre on April 22, 1982. Not long after it closed in 1982, the Victory Fellowship took over the building for a church. During the 1990s, when the building was essentially abandoned, the pigeons moved in until the city eventually boarded up the windows and entry points. The historic theater stood vacant for most of the years since it closed and deteriorated. In 2002, when the building was still standing with the marquee intact, the city took possession of the building after it was seized by Douglas County for back taxes. (Duluth News Tribune, October 20, 2005.) Articles in The Superior Daily Telegram by Shelley Nelson kept the public updated on the fate of the Palace Theatre. The October 18, 2006, issue in part said: “Like many others in this town, I am very disappointed the Palace will be coming down,” said Valerie Burke of Superior. “This war on blight is destroying everything that is unique and special to Superior.” Sadly, the Palace Theater was demolished on November 1, 2006.

Peoples Theatre

1018 Tower Avenue. Open: 1914; closed: 1967; seats: 571 The Peoples Theatre was operated by Frank Buckley until 1950, when it was sold to Ben Berger of Minneapolis. The theatre was then renamed the Tower and later was known as the Tower Fine Arts Theatre. The theatre was sub-leased briefly by a burlesque operator in the late 1950s, after which it re-

229 turned to showing motion pictures. The theatre was torn down.

Princess Theatre (See World.) Savoy Theatre 1115 Tower Avenue. Open: 1908; closed: 1939; seats: 650 The Savoy Theatre was torn down. Superior Theatre 2201 East 5th Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1960; seats: 800 The lessees included Ben Berger and Leo Molitor. The theatre sat vacant until 1963 when it was sold to a car dealership. In 2003 the marquee was removed.

Suring / Thorp

— SURING — Oconto County. The village of Suring lies near the center of the Oconto River Valley in northeast Wisconsin. Located on the 45th parallel, the village is located halfway between the North Pole and the equator. (www.co.oconto.wi.us/) Arnold Moede, a Suring farmer, showed movies in vacant lots from 1936. He would have the best available movies that he procured from Chicago to show with his projector and a 12- × 14-foot screen. Mr. Moede contracted with local merchants who were willing to pay for the showing as a way of bringing people into town to shop. People sat around the grass on benches, or on rugs and blankets. (Blank, Bernice, “Movie Theaters Once Thrived in Oconto County Communities,” EagleStar.)

Bertch Theatre

300 Main Street. Open: 1949; closed: 1958; seats: 350 The theatre was named for the original owner, but also called the Suring Theatre. After the theatre closed, it was used as a storage facility before it was torn down in the 1980s.

— THORP — Clark County. The original Boardman and Indian trails became part of the famous Yellowstone Trail. In the early 1920s, this road, which ran from Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, to Puget Sound in Washington, was the nation’s first interstate highway to be completed. In Clark County, it is now identified as Superior Theatre, Superior, 1997 (courtesy Theatre Historical So- Highway County Road X and State Highway 13. The four corners in ciety of America). Thorp, State Highway 73 and County Road X are now marked Tower Theatre (See Peoples.) with Yellow Stones and signs, which mark the original road. (www.cityofthorp.com) World Theatre 1310 Tower Avenue. Open: 1913; closed: 1955; seats: 350 Thorp Theatre Washington Street. Open: Known as the Princess Theatre when it opened, 1927; closed: 1963; seats: 300 the theatre was renamed the World in 1952. The The Rialto Theatre opened on October 15, 1927. building is still standing without a marquee. A contest had been held to name the new theatre. In 1946, new owners renamed the theatre to the Thorp. These owners also built the theatre in Gilman. The Thorp Theatre closed on September 23, 1963. The building still stands.

Three Lakes / Tigerton / Tomah

230

— THREE LAKES —

— TIGERTON —

Oneida County. Three Lakes was formed as railroad companies and logging firms pushed north toward Canada in search of virgin timber. The “Jewel of the Nicolet” received its name from the railroad. A chain of twenty-seven lakes blocked railroad surveyors back in 1880 as they probed northward in the direction of Eagle River. (www.threelakes.com)

Shawano County. Located in southwestern Shawano County along the South Branch of the Embarrass River, Tigerton’s well-preserved buildings throughout the historic downtown district accentuate the character of this century old village. Tigerton has been a participant in Wisconsin’s Main Street Program since 1993. The original Village Hall, erected in 1905, is being restored and acts as a public meeting room and headquarters for the Village’s Main Street program. (www.tigerton.govoffice 2.com)

Three Lakes Theatre Superior Street. Open: 1949; closed: 1972; seats: 346 Three Lakes Theatre opened June 12, 1949, with a creamy white and neon facade design with stainless steel trim on a Quonset-type structure. Heavily upholstered chairs provided the utmost seating comfort. In the early 1960s, the Three Lakes Theatre operated only during the summer. In the mid– to late1960s, Steve and Alma Conway, the current owners of Conway Theatre in Eagle River, purchased the theatre.

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1930s; seats: 250 Silent moving pictures were part of the entertainment presented at the Opera House.

— TOMAH — Monroe County. Tomah lies midway between Milwaukee and the Twin Cities in “Cranberry Country.” It is also the boyhood home of Frank King, originator of the comic strip “Gasoline Alley” (Superior Avenue). In 1897 Edison’s “Projectoscope” was first shown in Tomah; in 1902 a motion picture was presented at the Armory; and in 1906 an ad for such an event read: “See! The Burning of San Francisco! The Eruption of Vesuvius! The Great Train Robbery! No Flicker! No Vibration! Ladies Free if Accompanied by a Gent!” (The Story of Tomah. Written in Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Wisconsin City, called “Tomah.” 1955.)

Erwin Theatre

1221 Superior Avenue. Open: 1947; closed: 1987; seats: 499

Top: Three Lakes Theatre, Three Lakes, 1949 (collection of the author). Bottom: Three Lakes Theatre, Three Lakes, 2007 (courtesy Lise Bruzan).

Erwin Theatre, Tomah, 1987 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

231

Tomahawk

Tomahawk Theatre, Tomahawk, 2001 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

The new Erwin Theatre opened with Clarence Holz managing both this theatre and the Tomah Theatre.

Star Theatre

300–400 North Superior Avenue. Open: 1917; closed: 1922; seats: 200 The Star Theatre was another silent movie house that opened with the feature Lass of the Lumberlands starring Helen Holmes.

Tomah Theatre

812 Superior Avenue. Open: 1927; closed: 1965; seats: 400 Roy Smith converted the stone barn at this address into the State Theatre where piano music accompanied the silent films. The theatre was renamed the Tomah Theatre in 1936 after the first Tomah Theatre closed. This was the second theatre Ben Marcus purchased and “made it a little doll house.” ( John Gurda, “Marcus at 70,” Boxoffice, December 2005.)

Tomah Theatre 1102 Superior Avenue. Open: 1911; closed: 1934; seats: 490 The first picture shows in Tomah were at this theatre called the Unique. Admission was five cents and ten cents. The theatre was managed by Roy Smith and Mark Johnson. In 1916, The Birth of a Nation was presented. The Unique Theatre was renamed the Tomah Theatre in 1927 and a pipe organ was installed.

— TOMAHAWK — Lincoln County. The Native Americans, who made this area their favorite hunting grounds, named it “Tomahawk” which means “made by nature’s own hands.” Adding to the colorful past of the area was the prevalence of “bootlegging” operations. During the depression years, several establishments and farms began illegal liquor operations, some with ties to Al Capone and other mobsters. (www.gototomahawk. com)

Tomahawk Theatre

17 West Wisconsin Avenue. Open: 1925; open; seats: 275 This single-screen theatre opened as the Lyric Theatre, which was remodeled and renamed the Tomahawk Theatre in the early 1960s when new owners purchased the theatre. The exterior is an interesting mix of styles. The upper half of the facade is done in Tudor-style with a simple ground level, and a triangular marquee with unusual colors is in disrepair. The interior is large; the balcony is now used as a large projection booth. A partial boat hull sits in the back of the auditorium. First-run films are still presented.

232

Trempealeau / – / Union Grove

— TREMPEALEAU — Trempealeau County. The town faced the Mississippi River, and was first called Reed’s Town when it was occupied by French families, most of whom had moved into the new settlement from Prairie du Chien. Although called Montoville, and Trempealeau, it was still known as Reed’s Town by the residents and as Reed’s Landing by the rivermen. (www.trempealeau.net)

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1934; seats: 250 The new moving pictures became part of the entertainment at the Opera House.

Rivoli Theatre, Two Rivers, 1936 (courtesy Two Rivers Historical Society).

— TURTLE LAKE — Barron County. In northwestern Wisconsin, Turtle Lake Township has four bodies of water: Echo Lake, Upper Turtle Lake, Lower Turtle Lake, and Moon Lake. The village of Turtle Lake is surrounded on all sides by forests of pine and hardwood timber. (www.villageofturtlelake.com) In the village’s early days the Town Hall was utilized for lectures, meetings, and entertainments. It had seating accommodation for 500 persons. With the growing popularity of the new moving pictures, Turtle Lake had two silent movie houses on Main Street, both opening in the 1910s: the Empress Theatre could seat 125 and closed in 1934; the Gem Theatre closed in 1929.

Turtle Lake Theatre Main Street. Open: 1939; closed: 1954; seats: 225 Movies were shown with portable equipment.

The Empire Theatre was a silent movie house that was destroyed by fire in 1931.

Rivoli Theatre

1816 Washington Street. Open: 1922; closed: 1960; seats: 1000 The Rivoli Theatre opened on December 18, 1922.

— UNION GROVE — Racine County. In 1846, a schoolhouse, called the Union School because it brought together several outlying school districts, was built at the junction of present day Highway 11 and Highway 45 in southeastern Wisconsin. When a post office was needed for the tiny village, the Union School and the beautiful grove of burr oak trees combined to suggest the name “Union Grove” to then Governor Henry Dodge. (www.uniongrove.net) On June 24, 1904, a devastating fire in the village destroyed the Hotel, Saloon and Myers Opera House.

— TWO RIVERS — Manitowoc County. Historic Washington House marks the city’s official status as the “Home of the Ice Cream Sundae.” An antique soda fountain lets you order up a sundae and remember how it used to be. Two Rivers became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1996. (www.ci.two-rivers.wi.us/)

Empire Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1923; closed: 1931; seats: 600

Dixon Opera House 11th Avenue. Open: 1910s; closed: 1930; seats: 200 Fred A. Dixon built and managed the Opera House. The August 1916 Journal Times announced that double programs would be made regular features. A musical theatrical attraction under the management of Cal Stewart, the famous Uncle Josh comedian, would be featured. In 1918, “War as It Actually Is” was part of the advertisement for D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation. The building was torn down.

233 Parkway Theatre

10th Avenue. Open: 1928; closed: 1939; seats: 400 The Parkway Theatre closed so that the building could be converted into a factory to support the war effort. The last performance was in October 1939 by the J. B. Rotnour Players starring in Too Much Mother-in-Law, a comedy drama. Merchants in town were giving out free tickets for the play. The Parkway never reopened after the war ended.

— VIOLA — Vernon County. Viola is located in southwestern Wisconsin in the Kickapoo Valley. Movies were shown with portable equipment in the late 1940s to early 1950s. The lot next to the old post office was the place free movies were first shown in the summer, and later the movies were moved to a vacant lot where the fire station now stands. Bill Hall ran a popcorn stand there for the shows.

Community Hall The Community Hall was planned in 1935 and opened for public use in 1938. Built during the Depression years with W.P.A. labor, it was a very popular public building. Everything possible was done with hand labor. (Mrs. Fred G. Matthes. 100 Years of Progress. Viola, Wisconsin, 1955.) Electric Theatre Washington Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1929; seats: 300 The Electric Theatre, between the bar and the feed mill, was opened in May 1912 by Norm Wheeler. It was the only theatre of its kind for miles around. The theatre was upstairs in the Burgor building with a livery downstairs. They showed lots of Westerns, and used folding wooden chairs. Cora Wheeler played the piano accompaniment for the silent movies. The theatre was open every evening except Sunday, and for ten cents admission one could see the thrilling adventures and love scenes that were popular in that day. When Mr. Wheeler’s brother, Oscar, built the new feed store to the north of the Shamrock building, the Electric Theatre was moved to the hall on the second floor. For a grand opening in the new location, Mr. Wheeler had the high school band play a concert. The theatre’s closing left Viola without movies for a few years until the merchants sponsored free outdoor shows once a week during the summer months. (Grace Gilmore Hocking. The Memorable Kickapoo Valley. Richland County Publishers, Inc., 1977.)

Viola / Viroqua

— VIROQUA — Vernon County. Viroqua sits in the unglaciated part of Wisconsin, in the southwest corner of the state known as the Driftless Region. One of the only parts of America consistently missed by advancing glaciers preserving the unique topography of the region formed over one hundred million years ago. (www.viroqua-wisconsin.com) Viroqua is a member of Wisconsin’s Main Street Program. Most of Viroqua’s downtown is part of the National Register of Historic Places, including the Public Market and the multi-million dollar restoration of the vaudeville-era Temple Theater, just down the block from the market. (www.viroquamainststa tion.com)

Temple Theatre

116 South Main Street. Open: 1922; open; seats: 570 The Masonic Temple Building is a two-story Classical Revival–style building designed by La Crosse architects, A. E. Parkinson and Bernard Dockendorff. The building is faced in cream brick, and trimmed with Bedford limestone. On the first floor, the Temple Theatre is flanked by commercial storefront spaces on either side, while the second floor houses the La Belle Masonic Lodge #84. The lodge rooms and the theatre are decorated with an Egyptian influence reflecting America’s fascination with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen. Its original décor remains intact, with wall decorations and period furnishings, all in the Egyptian style. The building’s ties with the Masonic fraternal organization are seen in the Masonic emblems on the second story of the exterior. The La Belle Lodge constructed this building after fire destroyed their previous lodge in 1920 and included a theater and shops on the first floor to provide additional revenue. From the time of its opening, the first floor Temple Theater was an important community gathering place. In addition to movies, it was the site of lectures and concerts, taking over many of the activities originally held at the opera house. Its original theater interior was remodeled in the Art Deco style in 1931; the current marquee also dates from this period. Further renovations to the theater took place in the mid–1930s. While movies assumed a more important entertainment role in the 1930s, the theater continued to host live performances. After years of neglect, and resulting damage to the building, restoration and repair began in 1994. As part of the restoration of the Temple Theater, the old movie palace has begun the slow reconstruction of its original Wurlitzer organ. Built in 1922, the organ played along with the theater’s silent films and continued to be used in the old theater until 1938

Viroqua

234

Top: Temple Theatre, Viroqua, 2001; bottom: Temple Theatre, Rear, Viroqua, 2001 (both photographs by author).

235

Wabeno

Left: Temple Theatre, Interior, Viroqua, 2001; right: Temple Theatre, Exterior Commemorative Stone, Viroqua, 2001 (both photographs by author).

when it was sold to the Coon Valley Lutheran Church. The Temple Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, and today is open to the public for performances and special events. (www.temple-theatre.com)

the Vernon Telephone Company moved into the building. Today, the building serves the town as a beauty shop, Shear Attitude.

Vernon Theatre 123 West Court Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1957; seats: 400 The grand opening of the Vernon Theatre took place on June 30, 1932. From 1953 to 1957, the theatre was open sporadically. In 1957, the owner Ben Brown asked the city to buy the building and in 1958

Forest County. On June 2, 1880, a tornado swept across northern Wisconsin from Antigo to Lake Superior, causing timber to blow down in a strip. The Indians called this area “Waubeno” meaning “the coming of the winds” or “the opening.” The town took its name from this event.

— WABENO —

Vernon Theatre, Viroqua, 2001 (photograph by author).

236

Walworth / Washburn The early history of Wabeno centers around the development of three lumber companies. (www.for estcountywi.com/winter/communi ties/wabeno.html)

Wabeno Theatre

Branch Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1957; seats: 415 The Neider Opera House was on this site before it burned down on July 4, 1914. A new building was built called the Ideal Theatre. On April 6, 1934, the Ideal Theatre opened with the talking picture Too Much Harmony. In 1936, the theatre was modernized and two new projectors and screen were installed when the theatre was purchased by Walworth Theatre, Walworth, 1948 (collection of author). Vern Russell. A fireproof projection booth was built. ing and eating place throughout the successful years The theatre was then renamed the Wabeno in of theater operation. The theatre was managed by 1937 when it was sold to Edward Rickaby of MichiThomas Finin from 1948 to 1974, while Dorothy gan. The theatre passed through several owners until Finin managed the Showette. it closed in 1957. The building burned down in 1960. The Showette is unique in that there is a service counter running across the middle of the shop so that it is divided into two separate sales areas: that toward the front door, and that toward the side-rear ALWORTH door. From the front are served the people who come Walworth County. In southeastern Wisconsin near in from the street and are not just then patronizing the Illinois border, Walworth describes itself as a the theatre. From the rear door are served those who small agricultural community. (www.townof wal come in from the theatre. worth.com) Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Walworth Theatre is the whole effect it has of being resLiberty Theatre Kenosha Street. Open: idential rather than commercial. It was desired that this theatre provide an intimate and homelike at1912; closed: 1947; seats: 250 mosphere to bring people together instead of a cold This was Colborn Hall, a meeting place with facommercial interior, however impressive. “The Walcilities for entertainment programs when it opened. worth Theatre is the community’s mutual home for Later known as the Opera House, and in 1920 when entertainment, and there is no need or room in the movies were shown, it became the Liberty Theatre. town for another.” (Hanns R. Teichert, “A SmallIn its initial year, two moving pictures were shown Town Theatre Designed for Public Service,” Boxeach week with vaudeville programs presented twice office, December 6, 1947.) The roof collapsed and a month. In April 1936, sound equipment was inthe building was torn down in 1989. stalled, and in September of that year the first allcolor movies were shown. Beginning in June 1937, moving pictures were shown on Saturday and Sunday nights. In November of 1939, rollerskating was ASHBURN added to the theater’s entertainment schedule. The Liberty closed when the new Walworth Theatre Bayfield County. Surrounded by forest, Washburn opened. The building is now part of village property. is on the shore of Lake Superior’s historic Chequamegon Bay in northernmost Wisconsin. In 1662, Walworth Theatre Kenosha Street. Open: the first white men, two Frenchmen, Radisson and 1947; closed: 1979; seats: 700 Groseillers, paddled across Chequamegon Bay toThe Walworth Theatre opened on April 25, 1947, ward a rocky point near the mouth of Fish Creek. part of the Harvard Theatre Corporation. This large They established the first permanent habitation of theatre shared the building with a cafe called the white men in what was to become the state of WisWalworth Showette/Ice Cream Bar, a popular meetconsin.

—W

—

—W

—

237 Washburn was named for Cadwallader C. Washburn, Governor of Wisconsin 1873–1874 and founder of the Washburn, Crosby Milling Firm. The Bayfield County seat was moved from Bayfield to Washburn in 1892. (www.cityofwashburn.org) In 1904, DuPont erected a plant at Barksdale, which was a boon for Washburn, since the sawmills and quarrying businesses were fading out. It produced explosives used by Michigan and Minnesota iron mines and for land clearing. Then came World War I and DuPont included the production of military explosives causing employment to reach a high of 6,000. Washburn’s population soared to 9,000 in 1918. DuPont stayed in business between wars, but business continued to dwindle and the plant finally closed in 1975. (Washburn Homecoming, ’91. July 18, 1991.)

Bijou Theatre

East Bayfield Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1920s; seats: 200 The Bijou Theatre was Washburn’s first theatre to show the new moving pictures.

DuPont Club

East Bayfield Street. Open: 1919; closed: 1931; seats: 500 This was built by the DuPont family and served as a recreation center. The building is still standing.

Washington Island / Waterford

— WATERFORD — Racine County. Waterford got its name because it was a great place to cross the Fox River (at a narrow part where Main Street now runs one could easily “ford the water”). The Fox River helped make this area attractive to settlers, which was noted as early as 1833 when the Potawatomi tribe ceded the land to the U.S. Government. (www.waterfordwi.org)

Ford Theatre 205 North Milwaukee. Open: 1950; closed: 1980; seats: 495 As the theatre neared its close, it ran Disney films during the day and X-rated films at night. The theatre finally started showing XXX-rated films at night with ongoing protest covered by the Racine Journal Times. The Ford Theatre closed on April 30, 1980. The marquee is still on the building. Strand Theatre

200 East Main Street. Open: 1900s; closed: 1934; seats: 350 The theatre was torn down, remaining a silent movie house. Between the time the Strand Theatre closed and the Ford Theatre opened, movies were shown in the American Legion building.

Opera House

East Bayfield Street. Open: 1891; closed: 1928; seats: 500 The first Opera House burned down in 1888. A second one was built, which was located on the southwest corner of East Bayfield Street and First Avenue East where all social events were enjoyed.

Rex Theatre East Bayfield Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1940; seats: 250 This was the Temple Theatre when it opened, and was renamed the Rex Theatre in 1931. Washburn Theatre West Bayfield Street. Open: 1940; closed: 1965; seats: 250 The theatre opened as the Lake and was renamed the Washburn Theatre in the late 1950s. The building stands vacant.

— WASHINGTON ISLAND — Door County. An island seven miles northeast of the tip of Door Peninsula; its economy is based on tourism. Washington Island was settled by immigrants, mostly from Iceland; the oldest such community in the United States. From 1933 to 1949 the theatre was in the Town Hall with 150 seats. Portable equipment was used to show movies, which tended to be seasonal.

Strand Theatre, Waterford, Early (courtesy Waterford Public Library).

Waterloo / Watertown

238

— WATERLOO — Jefferson County. The City of Waterloo is the proud possessor of a completely restored 1911 C.W. Parker Antique Carousel, one of only 150 that are left in the United States. It was purchased from the Curtis Brothers Carnival in 1925, and has been running in Firemen’s Park since that time. It is housed in a typical dome-shaped building, with an antique Band Organ being added to make it complete. (www.waterloowis.com)

Community Theatre

123 South Monroe Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1937; seats: 250 This three-story brick building was used as a community building. There was a stage, auditorium, and ticket booth. The second floor included the projection room. For years, this also served as the high school gym.

Mode Theater

121 South Monroe Street. Open: 1938; closed: 1985; seats: 298 The Mode Theatre in downtown Waterloo opened in September 1938 and went through many different owners. Television and home videos spelled the end of this small town movie house. The building stood empty until purchased in 1991 and reopened as a hall for gatherings, art openings, live theatre, and concerts.

The theatre closed once again in 1999. As it is today, The Mode reopened in June 2003, hosting special cultural events. It is home to the Waterloo Film Fest every spring, which is held the weekend after the Wisconsin Film Fest in Madison. (www. themodeonline.com)

— WATERTOWN — Jefferson County. Watertown has the distinction of being the home of the first kindergarten in the United States that was started by German immigrants led by the wife of German-American statesman, Carl Schurz. Watertown became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2000. (www.ci.water town.wi.us/) Because of a prejudice against theaters in the early days of the town, when the Concordia Musical Society purchased the building, which is now the Elk’s Club, it was called the Concordia Opera House. Whatever the performance, it apparently met with greater acceptability when viewed as an opera house. (www.watertownhistory.org )

Classic Theatre (See Towne.)

Mode Theatre, Waterloo, 2001 (photograph by author).

239 Colonial Theatre North First Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1914 This theatre opened as the Empire in the former Concordia Opera House. The entire entrance was usually hidden behind billboards and posters for the movie being shown that day and coming attractions. It closed as the Colonial Theatre. In 1916, the building became the home of the Elks Club. Empire Theatre (See Colonial.) Idea Theatre

First Street. “A visit to the Idea Theatre will convince any of our citizens that the new management is in earnest in the promise made some time ago and published in The Leader, to give the citizens of Watertown a first-class vaudeville theater. There will be a transformation scene as far as the interior of the theater is concerned. The place will be remodeled and decorated and given a metropolitan appearance. The ceiling and walls are to be sized and kalsomined and the woodwork is to be painted, all contributing to brighten up the place, which has been an eyesore for some time, owing to the untidy appearance of the place. A noteworthy improvement to be made is the construction of a stairway fire escape.” (Watertown Leader, July 9, 1907.)

Watertown

town read on the marquee: “Closed for repairs; Will re-open soon.” In the early 1960s, the theatre building was added to the offices of the Wisconsin National Bank. The entire building was razed in 1985.

Towne Cinema 310 East Main Street. Open: 1913; open; seats: 800 The theatre was opened by Willis Norton called the Classic presenting silent movies and vaudeville. The building dates back to 1848 when it was a general store. When the movie house opened it had a small marquee, and by the end of the 1920s, there was a large sign that rose above the building straight into the air. A first marquee was rectangular, which was followed by a curved marquee. In the late 1960s, the present marquee, which is flat against the building, was added. New owners renamed the theatre the Towne in 1974. In the 1990s the single-screen theatre became a two-screen theatre. Then the dress shop next door was purchased for the third auditorium. Currently showing first-run films, this family-owned theatre also provides space on Sunday mornings for church services and lets local groups utilize the stage for events.

Lyric Theatre (See Princess.) Majestic Theatre 114 Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1918 A silent movie theatre, the Majestic Theatre was also known as the Pantorium. Palace Theatre (See Princess.) Princess Theatre

206 East Main Street. Open: 1903; closed: Towne Cinema, Watertown, 2001 (photograph by author). 1914 The theatre opened as the Palace, and became the Lyric Theatre in 1909. In 1912, again Turner Opera House 301 South Fourth renamed, the theatre became the Princess. As the Street. Palace Theatre, it had the distinction of being the The Watertown Turners, originally called the Inthird theatre to open in the state of Wisconsin. dependent Gymnastic Society of Watertown, opened the three-story hall on December 11, 1869, with a Savoy Theater 106 West Main Street. Open: performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute attended by 1300 people. The site was the vacant circus 1938; closed: 1952; seats: 485 grounds, and with the prejudice against theaters at The 1930s-era theatre had an outside curved ticket that time, the first Turner Hall was called the Turner booth; the letters “SAVOY” sat on top of the marOpera House. quee. There was a fire at the Savoy in 1950 and the On March 9, 1928, the Turner Opera House, Wa-

Waukesha

240

Avon Theatre, Waukesha, 1940 (courtesy Waukesha County Historical Society).

tertown’s oldest building, caught fire and burned down. The National Guard having been headquartered at the Opera House suffered loss of weapons and a huge arsenal of ammunition. A performing show lost all of their equipment. Rebuilt, the new Turner Hall opened on January 29, 1929. The Turner Opera House was the center of cultural events in the city. The Turners used the building to fulfill their original purposes in the broadest sense: “entertainment for the amusement of the society and public.” In addition to the theatrical use, the building hosted dances, weddings, conventions, union meetings, political rallies, wrestling matches, and many gymnastic events. (Watertown Daily Times, June 26, 1954, April 29, 1956.)

Victor Theatre 115 North Fourth Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1914 The Victor was an early silent moving picture theatre in Watertown.

— WAUKESHA — Waukesha County. A community called Prairieville began near an American Indian settlement on the Fox River. When the county was organized it became the Village of Waukesha as the county seat. In the late 1800s, Waukesha became a resort location because of the installation of fifty springs. Mary Todd Lincoln sought the healing powers of the water. (www.ci.waukesha.wi.us/)

Auditorium Theatre

212 West Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1930; seats: 500 The same year the Colonial Theatre opened, a fourth theater was opened in Waukesha. The Auditorium advertised both live theatre and “moving pictures.” These two theatres would be constantly competing with each other. The Auditorium was remodeled and renamed the Avon after sound equipment was installed.

Avon Theatre

212 West Main Street. Open: 1930; closed: 1952; seats: 500 The Avon Theatre showed Westerns and adven-

241 ture movies, earning for itself the nickname “The Blood Bucket.” Candy and soda were available. The theatre was torn down in 1957.

Colonial Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1928; seats: 900 The third theatre to open in Waukesha was the Colonial. To attract customers, the theatre would combine the latest silent films with traditional vaudeville acts.

Empire Theatre 264 West Main Street. Open: 1906; closed: 1940; seats: 499 “Waukesha’s first theater dedicated to the new technology of Motion Pictures” quickly became one of Waukesha’s most popular attractions. (www.ci. waukesha.wi.us/History) The Empire was typical of early theatres with its large arched facade and ticket booth in the center surrounded by billboards advertising the current attractions. The Empire Theatre was remodeled as the Pix Theatre in 1940. Park Theatre

717 North Grand Avenue. Open: 1920; closed: 1988; seats: 864 The Unique Theatre had just shut its doors and

Waukesha

another theatre was built in Waukesha. On the corner of Grand and Wisconsin Avenues, across the street from Cutler Park for which it was named, the grand and very modern Park showed the first-run films and staged the finest theatrical productions. “Under the direction of World War I veteran, L. F. Thurwachter, the Park continued to operate for many years as Waukesha’s best theater.” The theatre was destroyed in a fire on September 13, 1988, and was demolished six days later. (www.ci.waukesha. wi.us/History/movies.html)

Pix Theater

264 West Main Street. Open: 1940; open; seats: 499 The Pix Theatre, designed by Albert Keymar, was constructed as a second-run movie house, which also provided Waukesha with its first budget venue. In the Art Moderne style of the time, the theatre’s streamlined appearance was created using rounded corners, smooth wall surfaces, and industrial finishes. The façade was covered with cream and green porcelain enamel panels and accented with stainless steel bands. The projecting pylon with the theater’s name and a simple marquee below provided the only decoration. The auditorium was air conditioned. The construction of the theatre coincided with the 1939 Supreme Court ruling that broke the movie studios’ monopoly on the production, distribution, and exhibition of films. The ruling created new opportunities for independently owned and operated theaters, such as the Pix. Closed in January 1996 as a budget theatre, it was turned into a community theatre after 1998. The interior has been changed significantly to accommodate its new use as a performing arts theater. The building is now the home of the Waukesha Civic Theater renovated for live performances and restored to its original appearance. The theater is listed on the State of Wisconsin’s Register of Historic Places.

Unique Theater

322 West Main Street. Open: 1908; closed: 1918; seats: 350 The Unique was the second theatre to open in Waukesha. This theatre offered a variety of shows and movies as it advertised on its poster boards outside the theatre.

Park Theatre, Waukesha, 1937 (courtesy Waukesha County Historical Society).

242

Waupaca

— WAUPACA — Waupaca County. The city is believed to be named after Chief Wapuka of the Potowatomi tribe. Clear water is the literal meaning of Waupaca. Its chain of twenty-two sparkling interconnected spring-fed lakes were left behind by the receding glaciers of the Ice Age. (www.waupaca.org)

Adler Theatre (See State.) Colonial Theatre

209 North Main Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1915 Misses Ollie Odell and Jennie C. Olson ran the Colonial Theatre from May 25, 1914, to November 4, 1915, presenting vaudeville plays every evening. They sold the theatre to J. A. Dowding and H. F. Cran of Chicago, who owned four theatres in the central part of the state. (Waupaca Post, November 9, 1915.)

Danes Home 301 North Main Street. Open: 1894; closed: 1920; seats: 300 This was the new Danes Home, which included an assembly hall, dance hall, and lecture room. After the Waupaca Opera House burned in 1904, the Danes Home became the most important entertainment hall in the city until the combination opera house-movie theatre constructed by A. M. Penney opened in 1920, called the Palace Theatre. The Danes Home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, primarily for its architectural significance and its historical significance for its association with the Danish ethnic community in Waupaca. The building is also historically significant because of its use as a community opera house in the city for several decades. Electric Theatre (See Lyric.) Gem Theatre Main Street. Open: 1910; closed: 1916 The Gem Theatre was another early theatre showing silent movies. Liberty Moving Picture Company The theatre opened on May 29, 1909, under canvas, on the lot back of J. E. Christy’s store. W. F. Peterson was the manager. The company had its own electric light plant and traveled by wagon, making a large number of towns in the northern part of Wisconsin and Minnesota. (Waupaca Republican Post, May 27, 1909.)

Lyric Theatre

104 North Main Street. Open: 1909; closed: 1921; seats: 200

First known as the Electric Theatre, it advertised 14 reels of films each week. Manager Bert Quimby installed an 860-Edison Triumph phonograph for musical programs. The local Waupaca newspaper on April 7, 1910, reported that C. Gemeiner remodeled the theatre and renamed it the Lyric. The Waupaca Record Leader of January 7, 1914, told of the reopening of the Lyric Theatre now remodeled with opera chairs. In 1918, the theatre closed for remodeling expanding into the building next to it (the former Ideal Restaurant) thereby increasing the seating by 300.

Palace Theater 112 West Fulton Street. Open: 1920; closed: 1957; seats: 775 In its early years, the Palace Theatre hosted stage plays and vaudeville as well as movies. Designed by C. W. Nelson, the theatre opened on October 4, 1920, with the stage production of The Old Homestead. The Waupaca Orchestra also played. Through the early years the Palace Theater served as a hub for civic activities as well as showing stage productions and silent films. When the Depression hit in 1929 the theater was forced to make some price changes. On Thursday nights they had what they called a “Family Night” when the whole family was admitted for twenty-five cents. On February 10, 1929, The Shopworn Angel starring Nancy Carroll and Gary Cooper was the first talkie shown at the Palace. In 1932, John P. Adler from Marshfield leased the theatre, and remodeled the Palace Theatre in 1937. The orchestra pit and organ were removed, new seats were installed, the projection booth was revamped, and a new ticket booth was built. In 1938, Mr. Adler purchased the building. The last film shown was Seven Men from the Nile starring Randolph Scott and Gail Russell on January 15, 1957. Attendance was dwindling as the movies were being replaced by television. The theater was sold to The Farmers State Bank of Waupaca in 1961 and demolished to be used as their parking lot. (Wayne A. Guyant, “When Then Was Now,” Waupaca County Post, November 21, 1990.) Rosa Theater

218 South Main Street. Open: 1948; open; seats: 554 The single-screen Rosa opened on July 31, 1948, with the movie, Sitting Pretty starring Robert Young, Maureen O’Hara, and Clifton Webb plus a Bugs Bunny cartoon. John P. Adler, owner of the Adler Theatre Company built the theatre and named it after his wife Rosamond. Souvenir books and roses to the ladies were presented at the door. The rose motif was carried out in the decorative design. Construction had started in 1946 but then was halted because of a dispute over boundary lines and other legal restrictions. The interior lighting was

243

Waupun / Wausau Ashe Theatre Corporation who changed the name to the State Theatre. The theatre was remodeled, but only operated for another two years before it closed on December 23, 1949. The building is still standing and does add to the overall historical significance of the proposed Main Street Historic District. (Wayne A. Guyant, “When Then Was Now,” The Waupaca County Post, January 16, 1992.)

— WAUPUN — Rosa Theatre, Waupaca, 2001 (courtesy Ralph Schmidt).

neon instead of the usual fluorescent, and there were openings at the top of the auditorium ceiling for ventilation. The seats were cushioned. On the exterior was a modern, triangular marquee with concave panels of brick above the marquee covered with light green plaster, and a new sign that spelled out Rosa. Laverne Kienert purchased the theatre in 1972 and sold it in 1986 to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Settele. They operated the theatre and multiplexed it along with making some changes to the original facade. Today, the Rosa is operated by Rogers Cinemas and presents first run movies on four screens.

Dodge County. The two branches of the Rock River unite in the city of Waupun that is named for an Indian word meaning “early light.” (www.cityofwaupun.org)

Classic Theatre 503 East Main Street. Open: 1897; closed: 1960; seats: 499 The theatre opened as the Whiting Theatre, called the Davison Theatre in 1910, and then renamed the

State Theatre

108 North Main Street. Open: 1926; closed: 1949; seats: 450 This theatre opened named the Waupaca located in the Carl Cohen building. Mr. Cohen had completely renovated the old Armory into a movie theatre, and then leased the theatre to John P. Adler, who renamed it the Adler. In December 1946, his lease expired and the option was picked up by the

Classic Theatre, Waupun, 1945 (courtesy Fletcher Photo Studio).

Classic Theatre in 1929 when sound was added. The theatre was torn down.

Opera House

Washington Street. The Opera House opened in 1880 at the corner of North Mill Street. (Washington Street is now Main Street.)

— WAUSAU — Adler Theatre, Waupaca, 1938 (courtesy Waupaca Historical Society).

Marathon County. Wausau is the Marathon County seat located in north-cen-

244

Wausau

tral Wisconsin on the Wisconsin River. Wausau became part of the Wisconsin Main Street program in 2002. (www.ci.wausau.wi.us/)

Bijou Theatre (See Ritz.) Grand Opera House

405 North 4th Street. Open: 1899; closed: 1927; seats: 890 For over 100 years, the land bounded by 4th and Jefferson, 5th and Scott Streets has been an “arts block.” It started with the Grand Opera House to provide a place for entertainment in Wausau. Stage productions could be accommodated so that Wausau became a stop on the theatrical circuit. According to a biography of Frank Welter in the Grand Theater’s souvenir program, “By 1925 it was decided under the management of Mr. Welter and the Wausau Theatres Company that the amusement features of the city rapidly improved to the point where the necessity of a new building to replace the old Grand Opera House was recognized as an imperative necessity.” The company’s objective was “to produce a building that would reflect a high degree of credit on the city as a whole.” As a result, the Grand Opera House was razed on April 19, 1927.

Grand Theater

405–7 North 4th Street. Open: 1927; open; seats: 1470 When the Grand Theatre opened vaudeville and silent movies were the rage; talking pictures were

just around the corner. Decorative features reminiscent of ancient Rome and Greece highlighted the Bedford stone building. The architectural style was called Classic Revival. The opening on Thanksgiving Day, 1927 featured Cecil B. DeMille’s Dress Parade, three vaudeville acts, an organ concert on the Kilgen Wonder Organ, an orchestral overture, news clips, and the “Star Spangled Banner.” The Grand Theatre played host to everyone from a young Frank Sinatra to Gene Autry and Lawrence Welk. It became simply a movie house in the 1960s. Like several other opera houses in Wisconsin, there have been reports of ghostly activity at the Grand. In the 1950s, workers reported movie canisters being moved from the upstairs projection room to the lobby. Over the years other manifestations have been reported including phantom footsteps, apparitions, cold spots, and electrical malfunctions. In 1972, a committee of the Chamber of Commerce was incorporated as the Performing Arts Foundation. Its purpose, to support the performing arts in central Wisconsin, led to the feeling that the Grand Theatre had the potential of becoming a regional performance centre. In 1985, the theatre was extensively renovated to recreate the original look and feel of the original theatre with the addition of modern computerized technology. The new Grand Theatre officially opened on May 8, 1987. Another expansion project by the ArtsBlock Performing Arts Foundation started in 2002 to build a Performing and Visual Arts Centre. Artsblock con-

Grand Theatre, Wausau, 2002 (photograph by author).

245 nects three buildings that currently reside on the 400 block of Fourth Street—the Grand Theater, the Performing Arts Foundation and the Center for the Visual Arts building—with the addition of public lobbies, galleries and meeting rooms expanded the landmark theater into a multi-faceted arts center serving a seventeen-county region, and hosting not only Broadway shows, dance, and concerts, but films, community events, the Wausau Community Theatre, the Wausau Symphony, the Central Wisconsin Ballet Foundation, and the Children’s Theatre. (Performing Arts Foundation/ Artsblock: www.onartsblock.org/)

Wausau

The theatre opened as the Bijou and was renamed the Ritz Theatre in 1930.

Rogers Theatre

310 North 4th Street. Open: 1945; closed: 2001; seats: 670 This early twentieth century building was originally used for retail. From the mid–1920s to the late 1930s, a funeral home opened in the building which might explain the sources of some of the “ghost stories” associated with the building. In 1945, the Hol-

Hollywood Theatre (See Rogers.) Lyric Theatre 206 South 1st Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1925; seats: 200 This early silent movie theatre has been demolished. Majestic Theatre

612 3rd Street. Open: 1914; closed: 1927; seats: 250 The Majestic Theatre closed before converting to sound.

Midway Theatre 123 Scott Street. Open: 1942; closed: 1952; seats: 402 The Midway Theatre was demolished.

Rogers Theatre, Wausau, 2001 (photograph by author).

lywood Theatre was built on the ground floor, which was later renamed the (new) Wausau Theatre in 1960. Rogers Theatres took over operation of the theatre in 1979, and the Rogers became a five-screen theatre. Former employees of the Rogers claim the theater is haunted by a spirit they nicknamed “Bob.” Lights turn on and off by themselves. The seats in the auditoriums rock violently. Projectors suddenly stop during movie showings.

Wausau Theatre

Midway Theatre, Wausau, 1943 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Ritz Theatre 111 Scott Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1939; seats: 400

324 3rd Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1960s; seats: 795 The theatre opened as the Stuart and was renamed Saxe’s Wausau Theatre in 1927 when it became part of Saxe Amusement Enterprises. In the 1940s, a new owner renamed the theatre the Wausau after remodeling and adding a new marquee to the theatre. The building is currently under construction for condominiums and retail stores.

Wausaukee / Wautoma / Wauwatosa

246

Left: Wausau Theatre, Wausau, 1940; above: Wausau Theatre, Wausau, 1948 (both photographs courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

— WAUSAUKEE — Marinette County. The original village was supported by the logging industry and now lies at the northern tip of the dairy belt. (www.wausaukee. com)

Wausaukee Theatre 507 Church Street. Open: 1929; closed: 1957; seats: 250 Movies were shown outdoors on the side of the town’s Recreation building. In the early 1930s, moving pictures were shown indoors in the basement of St. Augustine Church. This was called the Orpheum Theatre. In the early 1940s, the theatre was renamed the Wausaukee when another person ran the equipment.

— WAUTOMA — Waushara County. In central Wisconsin, Wautoma is the county seat and known as a popular vacation spot. (www.wautoma.com)

American Theatre

North Ste. Marie. Open: 1920s; closed: 1937; seats: 330 The American Theatre closed when the Park Theatre opened. The building was razed.

Park Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1970s; seats: 350

The Park was a two-aisle theatre, and showed Spanish-language films before it closed. The theatre building is now a mini-mall in the Historic Main Street district.

— WAUWATOSA — Milwaukee County. Wauwatosa was said to be named after the Potowatomi word for firefly. On the banks of the Menomonee River, Wauwatosa is west of Milwaukee, part of the Milwaukee Metropolitan area. (www.wauwatosa.net)

Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse

6823 West North Avenue. Open: 1931; open; seats: 615/180 A landmark of the North Avenue Business Community in Wauwatosa, the theatre opened as the Tosa Theatre and was owned by the Milwaukeebased Marcus Theatres. In 1999, Jay Hollis purchased the historic building from Marcus Theatres in order to revitalize the classic single-screen theater. Reopening its doors on December 17, 1999, the seating was reduced to 180 in order to provide a unique cinema and dining experience. Furnished with plush love seats the cinema offers comfortable “at home” seating for watching first-run films or a Green Bay Packers game. The Rosebud offers a broad range of films with a dinner and beverage menu.

247 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Larry Widen and David Glazer, who operate the nearby Times Cinema, are buying the Rosebud; the sale expected to be completed by Oct. 1, 2007. “The Rosebud will continue to book first-run, mainstream films,” Widen said. “I see, really, no changes at the Rosebud.” “It’s been very successful.” (Tom Daykin, “Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: A New Owner; The Rosebud Is Changing Hands, but Little Else,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 5, 2007.)

Wayside / Webster / West Allis

Webb Theatre

7421 Main Street W. Open: 1937; closed: 1960; seats: 234 Charles and Ricky Armstrong bought the Simplex motion picture machines for the Webb Theatre in 1937 from National Theatre Supply in Minneapolis. Earl Jefferies operated the theatre for a short time and then Jim and June Campbell took over until the theatre closed. The theatre was housed in the Community Hall without a marquee. Today, Webster Community Center is used by the Lions Club.

— WAYSIDE — Brown County. Wayside is located in northeastern Wisconsin. (www.roots web.com/~wibrown)

Wayside

Theatre Wayside Road. Open: 1910s; closed: 1957; seats: 150 This was the Dreamland Theatre when it opened showing silent movies until 1929. The theatre was closed for the better part of the 1930s, but reopened in 1940 as the Wayside Theatre.

Webb Theatre, Webster, 1945 (courtesy Burnett County Historical Society).

— WEBSTER — Burnett County. This is the Northwoods of northwestern Wisconsin. In 1896, a new post office was established in the settlement called Clam River. J. D. Rice, the leading pioneer of the community, applied to Congressman John Jenkins to have it changed to Webster after Noah Webster, the great lexicographer. (www.websterwisconsin.com) Until the Webb Theatre opened, movies were shown outside at the back of the Bank (7451 Main Street W), which is now the library. Other temporary locations were upstairs at 7441 West Main Street.

Gem Theatre 7427 Main Street. Open: 1916; closed: 1928; seats: 200 The Gem Theatre opened in a building that had been a shoe factory. The theatre had a show every Saturday night. Admission was ten cents. The Gem Theatre building was also used for storage, a cafe, skating rink, and a dance hall. In 1917, Sadie Linboe opened a millinery store in the building. (“Gem Theatre Building,” Webster Enterprise, June 17, 1917.) But in 1928, it burned to the ground.

— WEST ALLIS — Milwaukee County. The Root and Kinnickinnic Rivers flow through the city of West Allis, the home of the Wisconsin State Fair. West Allis became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2001. (www. ci.west-allis.wi.us/)

Allis Theatre

7224 West Greenfield Avenue. Open: 1912; closed: 1952; seats: 850 The Allis Theatre was designed by John Ganser. A Barton organ was installed in the theatre.

Colonial Theatre 7214 West Greenfield Avenue. Open: 1910; closed: 1912; seats: 600 Nothing remains of the Colonial Theatre. The theatre was torn down and the site was rebuilt in later years. Capitol Theatre 7239 West Greenfield AvenueOpen: 1923; closed: 1967; seats: 678 On the main street of West Allis, the Capitol Theatre was a dark brown brick building trimmed with limestone and a large vertical sign rising above the island box office. There was a single balcony with a Kilgen pipe organ.

West Bend

248

For a time in the late 1920s, the post office operated from the rear of the theatre building until a new one was built in 1930. After closing it was used as an office building.

Paradise Theatre 6229 West Greenfield Avenue. Open: 1929; closed: 1995; seats: 1239 The exterior of the brown brick building that housed the Paradise Theatre was adorned with fluted terra cotta pilasters in a mottled tan glaze and an ornamental copper tiled dome at the acute point of the triangular building. Designed by Urban F. Peacock, it was said to be the largest commercial structure in the suburb at the time. The design for the auditorium was characterized as being “an adaptation of the French Renaissance style of architecture,” as printed in the Inaugural Programme. The auditorium had a giant central dome and the Grand Lobby displayed two crystal chandeliers. The theatre has no one style of design, which was common in the world of movie palaces where the goal was opulence, not style. Dressing rooms accommodated the vaudeville actors that performed on its stage, and a Barton theatre pipe organ was featured. The Paradise Theatre sat on a triangular plot of land at the intersection of three streets. Seven store- Paradise Theatre, West Allis, 1993 (courtesy Theatre Historical fronts were on the first floor flanking Society of America). the theatre’s entry, with sixteen offices on the second floor. EST END By the 1950s, the organ and the balconettes were removed because freon air conditioning units were inWashington County. West Bend is located in southstalled. The Paradise was operated in the forties and eastern Wisconsin on the Milwaukee River halfway early fifties by Fox Wisconsin, playing day-and-date between Milwaukee and Fond du Lac. The city bewith the Garfield, Uptown and Modjeska theatres came a Wisconsin Main Street community in 1999. in Milwaukee. Fox installed a CinemaScope screen (ci.west-bend.wi.us/) in 1953. In its last days the theatre featured classic movies on weekdays and second-run movies on Mermac Theatre 220 North 6th Avenue. weekends with Dolby sound and two 70mm film Open: 1920s; closed: 1952; seats: 325 projectors. Restoration efforts had been ongoing The theatre was converted into the Emmaus Bible headed by theatre manager Charlie Tennessen and Church. (Photograph on page 249.) volunteers. ( Joy Krause, “Restoring Paradise,” The Milwaukee Journal, January 29, 1995.) West Bend Theatre 125 North Main Street. The theatre was sold to a religious foundation to be renovated into The Paradise Family Life Center. Open: 1929; closed: 2006; seats: 800 A conference center, coffee shop, restaurant and The West Bend Theatre was twinned in the 1970s Christian bookstore are planned. As of 2008, these with the two theaters on the main floor. The balplans have not been realized. cony became a third theatre in the early 1980s, which

—W

B

—

249

West Salem

Mermac Theatre, West Bend, 1925 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

is still largely intact. The two main floor theatres are fairly narrow but the balcony has at least a 35-footwide screen. The West Bend closed on November 22, 2006, after being in operation for 77 years done in by competition from newer multiplexes.

— WEST SALEM — La Crosse County. West Salem is a village in westcentral Wisconsin surrounded by the Coulee Re-

gion’s bluffs and valleys and the nearby La Crosse River. (www.westsalemwi.com/wshist.htm)

Salem Theatre

Leonard Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1976; seats: 340 The theatre was called by many names while it was open. It opened as the Uneeda Theatre and then was renamed the Colonial in 1921, the Rex in 1924, and the Salem in 1939 when the theatre was remodeled and enlarged. After closing the theatre was converted into an auto parts store. The building was demolished in 1987.

Left: West Bend Theatre, West Bend, 2001; right: West Bend Theatre, Balcony, West Bend, 2001 (both photographs by author).

250

Westby

Salem Theatre, West Salem, 1950 (courtesy West Salem Historical Society).

— WESTBY — Vernon County. Norwegian immigrants were early settlers and the Syttende Mai (Norwegian Independence Day) festival is celebrated every year. Vernon County has fifteen round barns built in the early decade of the twentieth century that are still standing. (www.westbywi. com)

Opera House

Main Street. Open: 1905; closed: 1929; seats: 250 Westby Theatre, Westby, 1945 (courtesy Vernon County HistorThe Opera House was on the sec- ical Society). ond floor of the Fortress Bank Building. The stage was used more for live shown weekends and a ticket cost thirty-five cents performances, but silent movies were presented at with popcorn ten cents. This was a time when there special times. were no pizza parlors or bowling alleys. The Westby was closed and opened two or three times during its Westby Theatre 204 South Main Street. years in operation. The theatre was torn down. Open: 1937; closed: 1972; seats: 300 The Westby Theatre provided extra excitement for the residents with its weekend showings of movies. That was when the first owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bergtold, owned the theatre. All movies were

251 Westfield / Weyauwega / Whitefish Bay sloping floor. It was renamed the Westfield Theatre in the early 1940s. The building never had a marquee, and was torn down in 1983.

— WEYAUWEGA — Waupaca County. Possible origins of the name Weyauwega (pronounced Y-O-Wega) are given in “Weyauwega Remembers.” The town was named for a Menominee Chief or the Menominee guide working for Governor James Doty. Other possibilities involve the corruption of Menominee words meaning “here we rest” or “today” or “whirling wind.” (www.weyauwegachamber.com)

Gerold Theatre 136 East Main Street. Open: 1915; closed: 1993; seats: 426 George Gerold built the Gerold Opera House at a cost of nearly $15,000. In downtown Weyauwega between Mill and Pine Streets, the Opera House was later converted into the Gerold Theatre. Before 1993, the theatre was closed off and on for about fifteen years. The building is still standing, closed.

Top: Westfield Theatre, Westfield, Early; bottom: Westfield Theatre, Interior, Westfield, Early (both photographs courtesy Marquette County Historical Society).

— WHITEFISH BAY — Milwaukee County. This resort town is a northern suburb of Milwaukee sitting on the bluffs above Lake Michigan. (www.village.whitefish-bay.wi.us/)

— WESTFIELD — Marquette County. Westfield is a rural township in Marquette County located in the central sands region of Wisconsin. Named after the missionary/explorer Father Jacques Marquette, it is part of the historic Fox River trade route. (www.westfieldwi. com)

Westfield

Theatre Liberty Street. Open: 1895; closed: 1958; seats: 330 This was Westfield’s Opera House. In the 1910s, it started to show movies on the second floor with 220 seats. In the late 1930s the second floor was removed and a new theatre was built on the ground floor with 330 seats and a

Gerold Opera House, Weyauwega, 2000 (courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America).

Whitehall / Whitewater / Winneconne

252 Whitehall Theatre

Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1940; seats: 300 This theatre opened as the Trio, and was renamed the Legion in 1931. It became the Whitehall Theatre in 1934.

— WHITEWATER —

Fox-Bay Theatre, Whitefish Bay, 1990s (courtesy Joe Zollner).

Walworth County. In southeastern Wisconsin, Whitewater received its name from the Potawatomi Indians that had settled along the Whitewater River. The name Wau-began-naw-po-cat, meaning “white water” was given to the area due to the white sands that lay at the bottom of the creek. Whitewater became a Wisconsin Main Street community in 2006. (www.ci.whitewater.wi.us/)

Fox-Bay Cinema Grill 334 East Silver Spring Drive. Open: 1951; open; seats: 998 Towne Theatre 138 West Main Street. Open: When Fox Theaters opened their new theater in Whitefish Bay they called it the Fox-Bay for the two 1924; closed: 1996; seats: 500 adjoining suburbs of Whitefish Bay and Fox Point. The theatre opened as the Strand. Remodeled in Actually the theatre was on the border of the two 1969, the theatre was renamed the Towne. The suburbs. building was remodeled again after closing to be used In 1998, it was renamed the Fox Bay Cinema for retail. Grill, the first “dinner and a movie” theater in the Milwaukee area. Featured are first-run movies in a beautifully restored 1950 Streamline-style theater, a full restaurant and bar, and state-of-the-art digital sound in all theatres. Seating is much more spacious and comfortable, less than half of the multiplex theater. The limestone building has curved glass block corners with eight stores, and second-floor offices. The theatre front is constructed of green Verdi marble. There is a stadium-style balcony where one can enter from the auditorium floor as well as the lobby. Triplexed in 1998, two of the theatres are in the balcony with the main Towne Theatre, Whitewater, 2000 (courtesy Irvin L. Young Memorial Library). floor remaining the same.

— WHITEHALL — Trempealeau County. Whitehall is on the bank of Pigeon Creek one half mile from its confluence with the Trempealeau River. (History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin. 1917.)

Pix Theatre

18475 Dodge Street. Open: 1941; closed: 1965; seats: 400 The theatre was remodeled, and today serves Whitehall as a sports bar and grill.

— WINNECONNE — Winnebago County. The village, on the Wolf River had unique names. Before the village was officially named Winnecone, it was called Winneconnah, Winnekona, Wau-Nau-Ko, and Winnikning. The Indian interpretations of the name ranged from land of dirty waters to land of skull and bones, as well as feasting place from ween (marrow) and kaning (deer bones). (www.winneconne.org)

Lake Theatre

124 West Main Street. Open: 1941; closed: 1965; seats: 400

253

Winter / Wisconsin Dells

Lake Theatre, Winneconne, 1941 (courtesy Winneconne Historical Society).

The Lake Theatre opened on October 12, 1941, with the movie Time Out for Rhythm starring Rudy Valle and Rosemary Lane. The Lake was built by the city and sold to Sanford and Irving Vincent. The builder was Sam T. Greene of Berlin and Don Hougen of Wisconsin Rapids was the architect. Constructed of cinder blocks, the front of the building was sheeted with blue and gray Vitrea glass with red and white trimmings, and a colorful canopy. There was a small stage, and the latest projection and sound equipment. The noticeable slope of the floor and the location of the screen made it easy to see the pictures from any part of the room. (“Lake Theatre in Winneconne Opens Sunday, October 12,” Winneconne News, October 9, 1941.) The Vincent brothers of Oconto Falls who own a chain of five theaters operated the theatre until December 19, 1965 when it was sold to the bank. The building was demolished in 1972 to make way for a bank expansion. When the idea for a theatre was in its formative stage, people were pessimistic about a new theatre succeeding within thirteen miles of Oshkosh and six miles from Omro’s theatre. (“The Lake Theatre: A Story in Itself,” Winneconne: 1849– 1949.)

— WINTER — Sawyer County. Winter is part of the Hayward-area vacation destination of northern Wisconsin. The Flambeau River State Forest comprises part of the town. Its natural resource, the white pine forests, played a prominent role in the town’s early years. (www.winterwi.com)

Auditorium Theatre 6593 West Hazel Street. Open: 1924; closed: 1958; seats: 200 The theatre opened as the Family Theatre on the second floor of the Village Hall. The floor was level. In the mid–1940s the theatre was renamed the Auditorium. Today, the Village Hall is still in use and you can find the Tice Public Library there as well.

— WISCONSIN DELLS — Columbia County. In 1931, the city of Kilbourn officially changed its name to Wisconsin Dells. In south-central Wisconsin, the Wisconsin River, bisects the town and is lined by layers of majestic sandstone rock formations. Together with nearby Lake Delton, the city is a popular tourist destination calling itself the “Waterpark Capital of the World.” (wisdells.com)

254

Wisconsin Rapids / — / Wittenberg

Dells Theatre

316 Broadway Street. Open: 1932; closed: 1958; seats: 300 The theatre opened as the Mission and was renamed the Dells Theatre in 1937 under the new ownership of Don Deacon. Today the theatre is home to the Aloha Hawaiian Shop.

— WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Wood County. Since the time Native Americans lived in this area, the community has revolved around the Wisconsin River. The place was given the name of “Ad-dah-wah-gam” meaning “twosided rapids” as the rapids here were divided in two by a great boulder. The city is a consolidation, occurring in 1900, of the two early towns of Grand Rapids and Centralia; the former lying on the east side of the Wisconsin River, the latter on the west. The city bore the name of Grand Rapids until 1920, when its name was changed because freight and mail intended for it was frequently sent by mistake to Grand Rapids, Michigan. (www.wirapids.org) The Ideal Theatre opened in 1908 and moved in 1913 to its current site. Its facade was typical of the early silent movie houses with an arched, recessed opening. The theatre had a large vertical sign that spelled “IDEAL” and below a horizontal sign with the featured programs.

Palace Theatre

141–3rd Street South. Open: 1914; closed: 1955; seats: 551 The Palace opened as a legitimate theatre. In 1923, Mrs. Henrietta Eckardt purchased the theater and operated it until she sold it in December 1955. She also owned the Wisconsin Theatre, which she sold at the same time as the Palace Theatre to Standard Theatres. The theatre was much remodeled, and later used as a hall, hosting special events and concerts. Prior to becoming the home of the Central Wisconsin Cultural Center, it served the community as DeByle’s clothing store until 1996.

Rogers Cinemas 220 East Grand Avenue. Open: 1908; open; seats: 410 The theatre opened as the Ideal with a single screen. In 1934, the theatre was remodeled and renamed the Rapids when sound was added. In 1977, the theatre was purchased by Rogers Cinemas and renamed Rogers Cinema I & II when another screen was added. Five more screens were added in the 1990s. The Rogers now offers first-run films on seven screens.

Wisconsin Theatre 235 West Grand Avenue. Open: 1939; closed: 1954; seats: 800 The grand opening of the Wisconsin Theatre happened on February 1, 1939. The theatre had a large vertical sign on top of the marquee extending above the roofline. At the top of the sign was a ball on top of a dome. The theatre was demolished in 1995.

— WITHEE — Clark County. In northwestern Wisconsin, the village of Withee derived great benefit from the railroad’s existence through the township bringing the building of mills and lumber production. (www. rootsweb.com/~wiclark/history.html)

Community Theatre Main Street. Open: 1920s; closed: 1934; seats: 300 The theatre never converted to sound and showed silent movies only.

— WITTENBERG — Shawano County. In northeastern Wisconsin, the Rev. E. J. Homme, pastor of Wittenberg’s first church gave the town its name of Wittenberg. (Shawano County Centurawno 1853–1953.)

Badger Theatre Webb Street. Open: 1937; closed: 1964; seats: 425 The Badger Theatre building is still standing as a Ben Franklin dimestore. The store had been next door to the theatre and when the Badger Theatre closed the store was expanded into the theatre.

Badger Theatre, Wittenburg, 1937 (courtesy Wittenburg Area Historical Society).

255

Wonewoc / Woodruff / Woodville

Kersten Opera House Webb Street. Open: 1910s; closed: 1942; seats: 350 After closing, the building was remodeled into apartments.

— WONEWOC — Juneau County. Wonewoc borders Sauk County and is the most southern village in Juneau County. It is located in an un-glaciated area surrounded by high bluffs. The Baraboo River runs through the town. (www.juneaucounty.com)

Opera House

Center Street. Open: 1890; closed: 1930; seats: 200 The Opera House is still standing.

— WOODRUFF — Oneida County. In the heart of the Northwoods, the site of Woodruff was originally the homestead of Antoine Toussaint. The village is on the Top: Woods Theatre, Woodruff, 1956 (courtesy Minocqua Hisbanks of Mud Lake, sometimes called torical Society). Bottom: Lakeland Theatre, Woodruff, 2007 Snake Lake, and is three miles from (courtesy Don Janssen). Minocqua. (History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties WisconConway and Lou and Lonnie Eyre in 1978 and they sin. Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. remained partners for twenty-one years. McVean, et al. Minneapolis: H.C. Cooper. Jr. & Steve Conway twinned the original theatre in 1982 Company, 1924.) and in 1990 added a third theatre in the stage area accounting for the addition to the back of the buildJohnson’s Hall Main Street. Open: 1927; ing. He then added additions for four more theatres to the building on the east side to bring the total to closed: 1930; seats: 200 seven screens. Beginning in the summer of 1927, a part-time Nineteen ninety-nine marked the year the themovie theatre was opened in Roy Johnson’s Hall. atre became part of Conway Theatres. In 2005, Steve Although Woodruff did not have electricity at that Conway undid the twinning to the original theatre, time, Roy Johnson had his own Delco plant, which and put in stadium seating and digital sound. Lakeprovided electricity to his building and ran the land Cinemas is now a six-screen movie house open movie projector. daily showing first-run films. Lakeland Cinemas Highway 51–1002 2nd Avenue. Open: 1948; open; seats: 480 The theatre opened as the Woods, a corner theatre OODVILLE that featured CinemaScope in the 1950s with Bob’s St. Croix County. As late as 1870, the portion of St. Woods Cafe next to the theatre. According to the Croix County in the Woodville area was so heav40th Jubilee booklet, until a new church was built, ily forested that parts of it were spoken of as “The the old theatre was the place mass was held for Our Big Woods.” The timber and the west branch of the Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Parish. Eau Galle (Carr Creek) which flowed through town The Woods Theatre became the Lakeland Cinset the stage for the start of the lumbering business. ema in 1973 at which time the Woods Cafe also (www.rootsweb.com/~wistcroi/) moved location. The theatre was purchased by Steve

—W

—

256

Zachow

— ZACHOW —

after his little daughter, Nayda. After train service was established, Mr. Braumschreiber moved his business near the depot, which was then called Netley. An enterprising businessman, W. C. Zachow of Cecil moved to town and eventually the name was changed from Netley to Zachow. (From an article by Henry G. Dirks, a onetime resident of Zachow. Mr. Dirks obtained his information from Elmer Zernicke and Harry Hoefs, both lifelong residents of Zachow.)

Shawano County. In 1890, the late Fred Braumschreiber started a general store on a crossroad about one mile north of present-day Zachow. His store also served as a post office, which he named

Moving pictures were part of the entertainment presented at the Opera House on Main Street from the 1920s through 1937. There was seating for 200 people. (www.rootsweb.com/~wishawan/)

Village Hall 131 Main Street. Open: 1928; closed: 1941; seats: 200 Movies were shown in the Village Hall, which is still standing. Today the building houses offices and meeting space for the Lions Club who revitalized the town and promoted the Syttende Mai festivals.

Bibliography Books Alicoate, Jack, ed. Film Daily Yearbooks of Motion Pictures. New York: Film Daily, 1925–1970. Bowers, Q. David. Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music. Lanham, MD: Vestal, 1999. Crafton, Donald. The Talkies: American Cinema’s Transition to Sound, 1926–1931. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1997. Eyman, Scott. The Speed of Sound Hollywood and the Talkie Revolution, 1926–1930. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Hall, Ben M. The Best Remaining Seats: The Golden Age of the Movie Palace. New York: DaCapo, 1988. Margolies, John, and Emily Gwathmey. Ticket to Paradise: American Movie Theaters and How We Had Fun. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991. Naylor, David. American Picture Palaces: The Architecture of Fantasy. New York: Prentice Hall, 1981. Przybylek, Stephanie. Breaking the Silence on Film. The History of the Case Research Lab. Auburn, NY: Cayuga Museum, 1999. Putnam, Michael. Silent Screens: The Decline and Transformation of the American Movie Theater. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002.

Websites for Wisconsin and Theatre History WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (www.wisconsinhistory.org). The society was founded in 1846, two years before Wisconsin became the thirtieth state. Its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The site also includes Wisconsin’s National Register of Historic Places. WISCONSIN’S MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES (http:// commerce.state.wi.us/CD-bdd-directory.html). A directory of Main Street communities is provided along with the year they entered the program. “Main Street Helping Main Street: The Wiscon-

sin Story” is part of a Wisconsin Department of Commerce Newsletter. (http://commerce.wi.gov/ newsletter/2005/Dec/MainStreet-Katrina.html). THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA (www. historicthreatres.org).

Resources by Municipality ABBOTSFORD: www.ci.abbotsford.wi.us/; Abbotsford Centennial Book, 1973. ADAMS: www.co.adams.wi.gov. ALGOMA: www.algoma.org; “Majestic Enlarged to Better Serve Public,” Algoma Record Herald, December 19, 1934. ALMA: Alma on the Mississippi 1848–1923, Alma Historical Society, 1980. ALMENA: History of Barron County, Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., 1922. AMERY: www.amery.wi.us/. ANTIGO: www.co.langlade.wi.us/; Dessureau’s 1922 History of Langlade County; Hanus, Edmund. Monograph (on his family’s association with show business from 1894 to 1961), 1979. APPLETON: www.appleton.org; A 150th Birthday Photo Album: 1857–2007. City’s History in Pictures. (Under “Celebrate Appleton: The 1900s” is a photograph courtesy of the Outagamie County Historical Society of the Bijou Theatre. April 30, 1912.); Kristoff, M.A. “Movie ‘Palaces’ Used to Thrive in Valley,” Valley Sun, December 27, 1989; www.ochs@foxval leyhistory.org (Outagamie County Historical Society); www.postcrescent.com. ARCADIA: www.arcadiawi.org. ARGONNE: www.forestcountywi.com. ARGYLE: www.argylewi.org; www.partridgehall.com. ARPIN: www.rootsweb.com/~wiwood. ASHLAND: www.ashlandhistory.com; “Ashland Has No Showhouse; First Time in 80 Years,” Ashland Daily Press, January 5, 1960; Huyck, Ed, “Bay Theatre Adds Screen,” Ashland Daily Press, August 1995; Kinerk, Michael D., and Dennis W. Wilhelm. Popcorn Palaces; The Art Deco Movie TheatrePaint-

257

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ings of Davis Clone. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001; “New Royal Theatre Will Open October 7,” Ashland Daily Press, September 3, 1914; “Princess Theatre Closed; Repairs and Alterations Will Be Made,” Ashland Daily Press, March 20, 1911; “ShowBoat Minstrel Days to Mark Closing of Royal Theatre,” Ashland Daily Press, February 25, 1957; “The Seven Keys to Baldpate to be First Attraction,” Ashland Daily Press, October 1, 1914. ATHELSTANE: www.athelstanewi.com. ATHENS: www.athenswis.com; Sjostrom, Marilyn. Athens, Wisconsin Centennial 1890–1990. Wisconsin: O.K. Printing. AUGUSTA: www.cityofaugusta.org; Peplau, Mrs. Karl, Mrs. O.G. Moland, and Mrs. E.M. Herrell, comp. 1956 Centennial Year History of Augusta, Wisconsin 1856–1956; Remembering Augusta Wisconsin Holidays in 1956. BAILEYS HARBOR: www.baileysharbor.com. BALDWIN: www.ci.baldwin.wi.us/. BARABOO: www.baraboo.com/history.html; Bromley, Ben, “Next Phase of Al. Ringling Fix Calls for Addition of Annex,” News Republic, September 25, 2002; Cole, Harry Ellsworth. A Standard History of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volumes I and II. Lewis, 1918. (Vol. II: Ringlings); Dewel, Bob, “The Juliar Theatre Once Was Baraboo’s Newest,” Yesteryear Revisited. www.alringling.com (Al. Ringling Theatre); www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/case/midwest.html) (“History Detectives” 2003). BARRON: www.barronchamber.com. BAYFIELD: www.bayfield.org; History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881. BEAVER DAM: www.cityof beaverdam.com; A Closer Look at Beaver Dam; Beaver Dam Sesquicentennial History Book; City Directories: 1910, 1912, 1914, 1920, 1927/1928; “Davison Theatre Will Be Re-Opened. Extensive Improvements Being Made in Both Show Houses of Fox-Odeon Corporation Here,” Beaver Dam Argus, May 6, 1937; Souvenir Program and Centennial History of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. BELOIT: www.ci.beloit.wi.us/; www.beloithistorical society.com. BENTON: www.ci.benton.wi.us/. BERLIN: www.1berlin.com; “Theatres Provided Local Entertainment,” Berlin Centennial Book. BLACK RIVER FALLS: www.blackriverfalls.com; “Ancient Black River Falls Opera House Razed; Old Landmark Bows to Times, The Banner-Journal, August 15, 1950; “Avalon Theatre Opens,” “Formal Opening of the Avalon Theatre,” The Banner-Journal, October 1 and 8, 1930; “Avalon Theatre Sold,” The Banner Journal, October 18, 1933; “Big Improvements for Opera House; Enlargement of Building,” Badger State Banner, May 29, 1920; Boardman, Douglas, “Theater Renovation Planned,” The Banner-Journal, January 6, 1982; “Electric Theatre and Moving Picture Show Opening October

29, 1909, with Good Music,” Jackson County Journal, October 27, 1909; “Falls Theatre Leased to Eskin Theatres, Inc.,” The Banner-Journal, October 2, 1940; “Fox Theatre Advertisements,” Jackson County Journal, December 16, 1914; and Badger State Banner, December 17, 1914; Jackson County Reader. An Antholog y of Articles about Jackson County, Wisconsin Compiled in Conjunction with the National Bicentennial Year. December 1975; Jones, Lawrence E., Jean H. Anderson, and JoAnn V.G. Dougherty. A History of Black River Falls, Wisconsin 1839–1977; “Looking Back Jackson County,” The Banner-Journal, April 8, 1991; “New Falls Theatre Opens July 2nd,” The Banner-Journal, June 26 and July 10, 1946; “New Theatre To Be Opened; This City to Have a New Amusement Enterprise,” Badger State Banner, October 28, 1909; “Scott Installs Vitaphone,” The Banner-Journal, March 27, 1929; “Scott Theatre to Open Next Week,” The Banner Journal, February 12, 1930. BLAIR: www.rootsweb.com/~witrempe/. BLANCHARDVILLE: www.rootsweb.com/~wilafaye/. BLOOMER: www.ci.bloomer.wi.us/history.htm. BLOOMINGTON: www.grantcounty.org/ci/blooming ton/. BOSCOBEL: www.boscobelwisconsin.com. BOYCEVILLE: www.dunncounty.com/boyceville. BREED: www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/. BRILLION: www.ci.brillion.wi.us/; Brillion, Wisconsin: The First 100 Years,. 1985. BRODHEAD: www.cityof brodhead.wi.us/. BRUCE: www.rootsweb.com/~wirusk/index.htm. BURLINGTON: www.burlingtonhistory.org; www. plaza4.com (Plaza Theater). BUTTERNUT: www.butternutwi.com/butternuthis tory/; The History of Northern Wisconsin. 1881. CADOTT: www.usgenweb/wi/chippewa/. CAMERON: www. rootsweb.com/~wibarron/communities/histories.htm; Crotteau, Carolyn, “The Historical Album.” compiled for the Cameron Centennial Book, 1979. CAMPBELLSPORT: www.campbellsport.org. CASHTON: www.genweb/wi/monroe/. CASSVILLE: www.cassville.org. CEDARBURG: www.cedarburg.org; Sussman, Lawrence, “Rivoli to Reopen Friday with Lower Prices: Community Group Takes Over 70-Year-Old Cedarburg Theater,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 24, 2006; www.cedarburgculturalcenter. org; www.revivetherivoli.org (Rivoli Theatre history). CHETEK: www.chetekwi.net. CHILI: Fremont Township, Wisconsin Centennial Booklet. CHILTON: www.chiltongovoffice.com; “The Princess Chilton’s Favorite Picture Theatre,” Chilton Times, May 1915; www.GetReelCinemas.com (Chilton Theatre). CHIPPEWA FALLS: www.chippewachamber.org; Chippewa Falls Main Street, Inc. Images of America

259 Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2001. CLINTON: www.clinton.wi.us; Combination Atlas Map of Rock County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Everts, Baskin & Stewart, 1873. CLINTONVILLE: www.clintonvillewi.org; Billings, Robert, “As Once We Were,” Clintonville Tribune, through March 25, 1956; “Clintonville’s Only Theater Closes; Shopping Center Replaces It,” Appleton Post Crescent, March 7, 1971; Diedrich, Nicholas D. History of Clintonville Wisconsin. COLBY: www.clark-cty-wi.org/colby.htm; Colby Centennial Book. COLEMAN: www.rootsweb.com/~wimarine/; Marinette County Centennial 1879–1979. Marinette County Historical Society, 1979. COLUMBUS: www.cityofcolumbuswi.com; Columbus Journal, 1976 Bicentennial Issue; The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880. CORNELL: www.city of cornell.com; Rupnow, Chuck, “The Show Goes On: Town Pitches In,” The Journal. CRANDON: www.crandonwi.com. CRIVITZ: www.crivitz-wis.com. CUBA CITY: www.grantcounty.org/ci/cubacity/. CUMBERLAND: www.cumberland-wisconsin.com/ about.html. CUSHING: www.rootsweb.com/~wipolk/; www.co. polk.wi.us/. DALLAS: www.chibardun.net/~vdallas/. DANBURY: www.rootsweb.com/~wiburnett/. DARLINGTON: www.darlingtonwi.org. DE FOREST: www.vi.deforest.wi.us/. DE PERE: www.de-pere.org. DODGEVILLE: www.dodgeville.com; www.iowacoun tyhistoricalsociety.org/. DORCHESTER: www.clark-cty-wi.org/dorchester.htm; Saterlee, Tifft, Marsh. Clark County Illustrated. 1890. DOWNING: www.rootsweb.com/~widunn/. DRUMMOND: www.rootsweb.com/~wibayfield/. DURAND: www.cityofdurand.com; Courier-Wedge, August 29, 1940, November 28, 1996; Ryan, Carina. The Durand Theatre; www.durandtheatre.com (Durand Theatre). EAGLE RIVER: www.eagleriver.org; www.eagleriver mainstreet.org. EAST TROY: www.easttroy-wi.com; A Century of Commitment to the Community. State Bank of East Troy. EAU CLAIRE: www.eauclairwi.gov/; Bailey, William F. ed. History of Eau Claire County Wisconsin. Chicago: C.F. Cooper, 1914; Eau Claire Leader, 1926; www.eauclairearts.com (Eau Claire Regional Arts Center/State Theatre); www.eauclaire.lib.wi.us/ community/localhistory/. EDGAR: www.edgar.wi.us/; Edgar Centennial History Book 1898–1998; “Edgar’s Own Movie Days. Your Own Home Town Newsreel Sunday,” The Edgar News, November 30, 1934; Edgar Wisconsin, An Il-

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lustrated History 1898–1998; “Free ‘Talkies’ Here Saturday Night. New Movie Operator Has Been Secured To Show Talking Pictures,” The Edgar News, July 24, 1936; History of Marathon County, p. 504; “September 1st Will be Movie Day in Edgar,” The Edgar News, August 30, 1940; Wausau Daily Record Herald, October 6, 1913. EDGERTON: “Memories of the Rialto Live On,” The Edgerton Reporter, December 21, 1988. ELCHO: www.co.langlade.wi.us/. ELKHART LAKE: www.elkhartlake.com. ELKHORN: www.elkhorn-wi.org. ELLSWORTH: www.rootsweb.com/~wipierce/; www. ellsworthlibrary.org. ELMWOOD: www.piercecountyhistorical.org/. ELROY: www.elroywi.com/history; Roalkvam, Tilmar, “Main Street of Elroy Series,” Tribune-Keystone, November 14, 1985, and December 5, 1985. EMERALD: History of the St. Croix Valley, 1909. ETTRICK: Pierce, Eben D., ed. History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin. Chicago: H.C. Cooper, 1917. EVANSVILLE: www.evansvillehistory.net; “Latest Film Novelty, Spreading of the Jam,” Orfordville Journal, June 23, 1937. FAIRCHILD: www.rootsweb.com/~wieaucla/. FENNIMORE: www.fennimore.com; Cauffman, Betty Lou, Gilda A. Finnigan, Harold Stauffacher, comp. Fennimore Then and Now 1830 to 1980: A History of Fennimore, Wisconsin. Josten’s, 1980. FISH CREEK: www.fishcreekwi.com. FLORENCE: www.florencewisconsin.com. FOND DU LAC: www.ci.fond-du-lac.wi.us/; Daily Reporter, June 3, 1905, February 17, 1909; Fond du Lac Daily Reporter, December 26, 1925; “Idea Theatre Opens Tonight,” The Daily Reporter, June 5, 1905; “Many Features at New Orpheum,” The Reporter, August 25, 1913; Mentzer, Michael. Fond du Lac County: A Gift of the Glacier. Fond du Lac County Historical Society, 1991; Reader, Heather. Castles of Dreams: Fond du Lac’s Theaters, 1856–2001. Fond du Lac: Marian College Press, 2005; Thornton, Ray. A Photographers’s History of Fond du Lac County. Fond du Lac County Historical Society, 1977; www.fdlpl.org (Fond du Lac Public Library). FORT ATKINSON: www.fortatkinsonwi.net; www.fort library.org (Fort Atkinson Public Library); Fort Atkinson City Directory, 1923; Thayer, Crawford Beecher. Daily Jefferson County Union/Happy 150th Birthday, Fort Atkinson, 1986. FOUNTAIN CITY: www.wigreatriverroad.org/river towns/. FOX LAKE: www.foxlake.lib.wi.us/. FREDERIC: www.fredericwi.com; Frederic The First 100 Years, 2001; Matz, Doris. “Interview with Ethel Oleson, an early resident of Frederic,” 1993; The Saga of Frederic. August 4, 1951. GALESVILLE: www.galesvillewi.com; Galesville Centennial 1854–1954. GAYS MILLS: www.gaysmills.org. GENOA CITY: www.genoacity.info; Targo, Steve,

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“New Genoa Theater Owner Fulfills Family Dreams,” Lake Geneva Regional News, December 19, 2002. GILLETT: www.ci.gillett.wi.us/; History of Gillett 1856–1976. Gillett Public Library Board, 1976. GLEASON: www.rootsweb.com/~wilincol/. GLENWOOD CITY: www.rootsweb.com/~wistcroi/. GLIDDEN: www.rootsweb.com/~wiashlan/; Travis, Clyde, ed. History of Glidden, 1935. GOODMAN: www.rootsweb.com/~wimarine/. GRAFTON: www.village.grafton.wi.us/. GRANTSBURG: www.grantsburgwi.com. GREEN BAY: www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/; Riley, Sarah, “Meyer Theatre Opening ‘Poetic’ Grand Opening Gala Open to Thousands,” The Green Bay News Chronicle, February 20, 2003. GREEN LAKE: www.greenlakecc.com; Green Lake County Reporter, 1929 to 1942; www.meyertheatre. org (Meyer Theatre); www. thrasheroperahouse. com (Thrasher Opera House). GREENDALE: www.greendale.org/history.htm. GREENWOOD: www.clark-cty-wi.org; Greenwood Centennial Book. HAMMOND: www.hammondwi.org. HANCOCK: www.rootsweb.com/~wiwausha/wsctweb. html; Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Company, 1890. HARTFORD: www.ci.hartford.wi.us; “A Midnight Fire Alarm; Citizens Aroused from their Slumber; Opera House on Fire,” Hartford Times, May 2, 1908; “B. Koge New Movie Man. E.M. Brown Surrendered his Lease of the Crystal This Week; To Have Good Shows,” Hartford Times-Press, June 11, 1914; “Hartford’s Two Theatres Sold to Milwaukee Firm; Take Possession August 13; Harry Melcher of Milwaukee is New Owner; Charley Braun Stays on as Manager of Both Houses,” Hartford TimesPress, August 4, 1944; “Local Movie Theater Has New Owner; North Dakota Man Buys Hartford Theater; Plans Many Improvements,” Hartford Time-Press, March 22, 1962; “The New State Theatre to Open, Extensive Improvements and Changes Have Now Been Completed,” Hartford Time-Press, December 9, 1921; “Now Showing Pictures with The DeForest Phonofilm. The Most Perfect of All Sound Equipment. Never Out of Synchronization. All Features 100% Talking and Singing,” Hartford Times-Press, November 29, 1929; “Oberammergau Peasant Players will Present Ludwig Ganghofers Masterpiece, ‘Almenrausch und Edelweiss,’” Hartford Times-Press, January 3, 1913; “Opera House Improvements,” Hartford Times-Press, February 10, 1911; “Opera House Is Destroyed By Flames Today,” Hartford Times-Press, November 27, 1914; “State Movie House To Be Re-Opened. Will Be Opened Soon with Latest Equipment for Reproducing Sound Recording Moving Pictures,” Hartford Times-Press, October 18, 1929; “State Theatre Changed Hands Last Friday. Leach and Christian-

son New Owners,” Hartford Times-Press, October 12, 1923. HARTLAND: www.hartland-wi.org. HAUGEN: www.rootsweb.com/~wibarron/. HAWKINS: www.hawkinswisconsin.org. HAYWARD: www.haywardareachamber.com; www. parktheatreproject.com (Park Theatre). HILBERT: www.rootsweb.com/~wicalumet/; www.co. calumet.wi.us/. HILLSBORO: www.hillsborowi.com. HOLMEN: www.holmen.wi.com. HORICON: www.horicon.lib.wi.us/. HUDSON: www.ci.hudson.wi.us/; LaRowe, Richard C. Hudson and North Hudson, Wisconsin: An Intensive Survey of Local Architectural and Historical Resources, March 1984; Miller, Willis H., “Rex Theatre: a Piece of Nostalgia,” Hudson Star-Observer; Miller, Willis H. Stories of Old Hudson. Western Wisconsin, 2000; “Musical Trio Performing Grand Opera and Ragtime,” Hudson Star-Observer, July 1914; Solheim, Oswald J. It Happened in Hudson. Compiled, edited and foreword by Willis H. Miller, Star-Observer Publishing, 1962. HUMBIRD: www.rootsweb.com/~wiclark/. HURLEY: www.hurleywi.com. HUSTLER: www.wcwcw.com/feature27.htm; Juneau County, The First Hundred Years, 1988. INDEPENDENCE: www.independencewi.org. INGRAM: www.rootsweb.com/~wirusk/. IRON BELT: www.rootsweb.com/~wiiron/. IRON RIVER: www.iracc.com; Iron River Centennial Book. JANESVILLE: www.ci.janesville.wi.us/; “When Myers Opera House was Opened 52 Years Ago it Was One of the Best,” Janesville Gazette, July 15, 1922. JEFFERSON: www.jeffersonwis.com; www.jeffersonhis toricalsociety.org. KAUKAUNA: www.cityofkaukauna.com/; “Closing of Rialto Theatre Marks End of A Movie Era,” Kaukauna Times, 1965; Driessen, Robin, “Resident’s Memories of Theatre More Than Just Movies and Popcorn,” Kaukauna Times; The Kaukauna Times ran three articles on the opening of the Vaudette Theatre on January 26, 1938: on the grand opening, a description of the interior, and a profile of William Van Dyke; Walking Tour Through Old Kaukauna. Department of Planning and Community Development, City of Kaukauna, 1983. KENOSHA: www.kenosha.org; “Kenosha Theatre is Marvel Building in Spanish Architecture,” “Theatre Lovers of Kenosha Thrilled at Magnificence of Kenosha’s New Dramatic Shrine to be Opened on Thursday,” “Starlit Sky Called a Masterpiece,” Kenosha Evening News, August 29, 1927; “New Roosevelt is A Monument to Einar Dahl,” Kenosha Evening News, December 24, 1927; Olson, Matthew, “Final act appears to be imminent for the Roosevelt Theatre,” Kenosha News, August 6, 1908; www. kenoshahistorycenter.org; www.kenosha.lib.wi.us/; www.kenoshatheater.com (Kenosha Theatre).

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265 Center of Cultural Events in the City,” Watertown Daily Times, June 26, 1954, April 29, 1956; www. watertownhistory.org. WAUKESHA: www.ci.waukesha.wi.us/history. WAUPACA: www.waupaca.org; Cartwright, Carol Lohry. City of Waupaca Intensive Survey Report Architectural and Historical Survey; Guyant, Wayne A. “When Then Was Now,” Waupaca County Post, November 21, 1990, January 16, 1992; “The Liberty Moving Picture Company,” Waupaca Republican Post, May 27, 1909; “The Lyric Theatre Reopens Now Remodeled with Opera Chairs,” Waupaca Record Leader, January 7, 1914; Waupaca Post, November 9, 1915. WAUPUN: www.cityofwaupun.org. WAUSAU: www.ci.wausau.wi.us/; Wausau City Directories 1920 to 195; www.onartsblock.org (Grand Theatre). WAUSAUKEE: www.wausaukee.com. WAUTOMA: www.wautoma.com. WAUWATOSA: www.wauwatosa.net. WAYSIDE: www.rootsweb.com/~wibrown/. WEBSTER: www.websterwisconsin.com; “Gem Theatre Building,” Webster Enterprise, June 17, 1917. WEST ALLIS: www.ci.west-allis.wi.us/; Krause, Joy. “Restoring Paradise,” The Milwaukee Journal, January 29, 1995. WEST BEND: www.ci.west-bend.wi.us/. WEST SALEM: www.westsalemwi.com/wshist.htm. WESTBY: www.westbywi.com.

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WESTFIELD: www.westfieldwi.com; www.westfieldli brary.org. WEYAUWEGA: www.weyauwegachamber.com; Mallo, Joan, Mary Werth, Bill Mallo. Weyauwega Remembers, 2006. WHITEFISH BAY: www.villagewhitefish-bay.wi.us/. WHITEHALL: History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin. 1917. WHITEWATER: www.ci.whitewater.wi.us/. WINNECONNE: www.winneconne.org; “Lake Theatre in Winneconne Opens Sunday, October 12,” Winneconne News, October 9, 1941; Rogers, Daisy. Village’s 100th Anniversary. 1949; Winneconne: 1849– 1949; “Winneconne: History’s Crossing Place.” Wisconsin Historical Society. WINTER: www.winterwi.com; Sawyer County Gazette. WISCONSIN DELLS: www.wisdells.com. WISCONSIN RAPIDS: www.wirapids.org; Taylor, Thomas A. 100 Years of Pictorial and Descriptive History of Wisconsin Rapids. 1934; www.scls.lib.wi.us/mcm/ local/local history.html. WITHEE: www.rootsweb.com/~wiclark/history.html. WITTENBERG: Shawano County Centurawno 1853–1953. WONEWOC: www.juneaucounty.com. WOODRUFF: www.rootsweb.com/~wioneida; Jones, George O., Norman S. McVean, et al. History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin. Minneapolis: H.C. Cooper. Jr., 1924. WOODVILLE: www.rootsweb.com/~wistcroi/. ZACHOW: www.rootsweb.com/~wishawan/.

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Index Numbers in bold italics indicate pages with photographs.

Abbotsford 19; Abby Theatre 19 Abby Theatre (Milwaukee) 142 Academy of Music (Milwaukee) 142 Ace Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Adams 20; Adams Theatre 20 Adell 20 Adler Opera House (Marshfield) 134 Adler Theatre (Marshfield) 135 Adler Theatre (Neillsville) 177 Adler Theatre (Waupaca) 243 Aetna Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Air Dome Electric Theatre (Richland Center) 207 Airdome (Milwaukee) 143 Airway Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Al. Ringling Theatre (Baraboo) 32 Alamo Theatre (Athelstane) 30 Alamo Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Alcazar Theatre (Superior) 228 Algoma 21 Alhambra Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Allen Theatre ( Jefferson) 101, 102 Allen Theatre (Racine) 199 Allen-Hovde Theatre (Pepin) 190 Allis Theatre (West Allis) 247 Alma 21; Alma Theatre 21, 22 Almar Theatre (Elderon) 74 Almena 21; Almena Theatre 22 American Theatre (Milwaukee) 143

American Theatre (Wautoma) 246 Amery 22; Amery Theatre 22 Amuse Theatre (Madison) 123 Amuse Theatre (Racine) 199 Antigo 22 Apollo Theatre ( Janesville) 100, 101 Apollo Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Appleton 25; Appleton Theatre 25 Aqua Theatre (Minocqua) 169 Aragon Theatre (Milwaukee) 143 Arcade Theatre (Hartford) 93 Arcade Theatre (Milwaukee) 144 Arcadia 26; Arcadia Theatre 26 Arcadia Theatre (Cobb) 56 Argonne 26; Movies 28 Argyle 28 Arjoy Theatre (Manawa) 129 Armory Hall (Milwaukee) 144 Armory Theatre (Rib Lake) 207 Arpin 28; Arpin Theatre 28 Ashland 28; Ashland Theatre 28 Astor Theater (Milwaukee) 144 Athelstane 30 Athens 30; Community Hall 30; Opera House 30 Atlantic Theatre (Milwaukee) 144 Atlas Theatre (Berlin) 37 Atlas Theatre (Milwaukee) 144 Auditorium Theatre (Ripon) 209

267

Auditorium Theatre (Seymour) 213 Auditorium Theatre (Waukesha) 240 Augusta 31; Augusta Theatre 31; Opera House 31 Aurora Theatre (Milwaukee) 144 Avalon Theatre (Black River Falls) 39 Avalon Theatre (Milwaukee) 144, 145 Avalon Theatre (Platteville) 192 Avenue Theatre (Milwaukee) 145 Avon Theatre (Medford) 136, 137 Avon Theatre (Waukesha) 240 Badger Theatre (Colby) 56 Badger Theatre (Eau Claire) 70 Badger Theatre (Merrill) 140 Badger Theatre (Milwaukee) 145 Badger Theatre (Oconto) 181 Badger Theatre (Racine) 200 Badger Theatre (Reedsburg) 205 Badger Theatre (Stoughton) 226 Badger Theatre (Wittenberg) 254 Bagley 31; Opera House 31 Baileys Harbor 31 Baldwin 31; Baldwin Theatre 32 Bandbox Theatre (Madison) 123 Bangor 32

Index Baraboo 32; Opera House 34 Barron 34 Barrymore Theatre (Madison) 123 Bate Theatre (Racine) 200 Bay Theatre (Ashland) 16, 28 Bay Theatre (Green Bay) 89, 90 Bay Theatre (Milwaukee) 145 Bayfield 34 Beacon Theatre (Superior) 228 Beaver Dam 34 Bell Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Bell Theatre (Rio) 209 Bell Theatre (Sparta) 220 Belle City Opera House (Racine) 200 Beloit 35 Benton 37 Berard Opera House (Merrill) 140 Bergmann Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Berlin 37; Berlin Theatre 37 Bertch Theatre (Suring) 229 Beverly Theatre ( Janesville) 100 Bijou Theatre (Appleton) 25 Bijou Theatre (Ashland) 29 Bijou Theatre (Beloit) 35 Bijou Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Bijou Theatre (Florence) 79 Bijou Theatre (Fond du Lac) 79 Bijou Theatre (Green Bay) 90 Bijou Theatre (Kaukauna) 103 Bijou Theatre (Kenosha) 103 Bijou Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Bijou Theatre (Marinette) 132 Bijou Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Bijou Theatre (Oconto) 181 Bijou Theatre (Oshkosh) 184 Bijou Theatre (Peshtigo) 190 Bijou Theatre (Racine) 200 Bijou Theatre (Rhinelander) 206 Bijou Theatre (Washburn) 237 Bijou Theatre (Wausau) 244 Black River Falls 39 Blaine Theatre (Boscobel) 42, 43 Blair 41 Blake Opera House (Racine) 200 Blanchardville 41; Blanchard Theatre 42 Blende Theatre (Benton) 37 Bloomer 42 Bloomer Projecting Company 42

268 Bloomington 42; City Opera House 42 Blue Mill Theatre (Kenosha) 103 Bonham Theatre (Prairie du Sac) 197, 198 Boscobel 42; Opera House 42 Boulevard Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Boyceville 43; Municipal Hall 43; Opera House 44 Boyd 44; Opera House 44 Bravo Performing Arts Center (Fond du Lac) 81 Breed 44 Brillion 44; Auditorium/Brillion Theatre 13, 44, 45 Brin Theatre (Menasha) 138 Brodhead 45 Bruce 45; Bruce Theatre 46 Brunell Port Theatre (Port Wing) 194 Burke Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Burleigh Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Burlington 46 Burlington Opera House 46 Butterfly Theatre (Berlin) 39 Butterfly Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Butterfly Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Butterfly Theatre (Palmyra) 188 Butterfly Theatre (Sheboygan) 214 Butternut 47; Opera House 47 Cadott 47; Opera House 47 Cambridge 48 Cameo Budget Twin Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Cameo Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Cameo Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Cameron 48; Cameron Theatre 48 Campbellsport 48 Campo Theatre (Campbellsport) 48 Campus Theatre (Ripon) 209, 210 Capitol Theatre (Madison) 123, 124 Capitol Theatre (Manitowoc) 129, 130 Capitol Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Capitol Theatre (Racine) 200 Capitol Theatre (Superior) 228

Capitol Theatre (West Allis) 247 Carter Opera House (Genoa City) 86 Cashton 48; Cashton Theatre 48 Casino Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Casino Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Cassville 48; Cass Theatre 48 Castle Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Cazenovia 48; Village Hall 49 Cedarburg 49; Cedarburg Theatre 49 Center Cinema (Richland Center) 208 Central Theatre (Hurley) 99 Central Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Centre Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Centuria 51; Legion Hall 51 Century Theatre (Blair) 41 Century Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Chalet Theatre (Monroe) 171 Chetek 51 Chili 51; Movies 51 Chilton 51; Auditorium 51; Chilton Cinema 52 Chimes Theatre (Cedarburg) 49 Chippewa Falls 52 Chopin Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Cinema (Madison) 124 Cinema 5 Cafe (Stoughton) 226 Cinema North (Phillips) 192 Civic Hall (Downing) 66 Classic Theatre (Sparta) 220, 221 Classic Theatre (Watertown) 238 Classic Theatre (Waupun) 243 Clear Lake 53; Community Theatre 53, 54 Climax Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Clinton 54; Clinton Theatre 55 Clintonville 55 Cobb 56 Cochrane 56; Cochrane Theatre 56 Colby 56; Colby Theatre 56, 57 Coleman 58; Coleman Theatre 58 Colfax 58; Colfax Theatre 58

269 Coliseum Theatre (Cudahy) 60 Colonial Theatre (Beloit) 35 Colonial Theatre (Green Bay) 90 Colonial Theatre (Manitowoc) 130 Colonial Theatre (Milwaukee) 146 Colonial Theatre (Oshkosh) 184 Colonial Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Colonial Theatre (Watertown) 239 Colonial Theatre (Waukesha) 241 Colonial Theatre (Waupaca) 242 Colonial Theatre (West Allis) 247 Colonial Theatre (West Salem) 249 Columbia Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Columbia Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Columbia Theatre (Poynette) 196 Columbus 58; City Hall Auditorium 58; Columbus Opera House 58 Comet Theatre (Frederic) 84 Comet Theatre (Kiel) 110 Comet Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Comfort Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Comique Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Community Theatre (Hammond) 93 Community Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Concordia Hall (Fountain City) 83 Copeland Opera House (Shullsburg) 8, 218 Cornell 59; Cornell Theatre 59 Coronet Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Cosino Theatre (Poynette) 196 Cosmo Theatre (Merrill) 140, 141 Cosy Place (Mellen) 137 Cozy Theatre (Colfax) 58 Cozy Theatre (Loyal) 121 Cozy Theatre (Marinette) 132 Cozy Theatre (Medford) 137 Cozy Theatre (Milwaukee) 147

Crandon 60; Crandon Theatre 60 Crescent Opera House (Fond du Lac) 79 Crescent Pitcher Show (Shawano) 214 Crivitz 60; Crivitz Theatre 60 Crown Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Crown Theatre (Racine) 200 Crystal Theatre (Burlington) 46, 47 Crystal Theatre (Dodgeville) 66 Crystal Theatre (Fort Atkinson) 82 Crystal Theatre (Hartford) 93, 94 Crystal Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Crystal Theatre (Kilbourn) 112 Crystal Theatre (Manitowoc) 130 Crystal Theatre (Menasha) 138 Crystal Theatre (Milwaukee) 147 Crystal Theatre (Oconomowoc) 180 Crystal Theatre (Onalaska) 183 Crystal Theatre (Racine) 200 Crystal Theatre (Richland Center) 208 Cuba City 60; Cuba Theatre 60 Cudahy 60; Cudahy Theatre 60 Cumberland 61 Cushing 61; Opera House 63 Dahl Theatre (De Forest) 63 Dallas 63; Legion Hall 63 Danbury 63 Danes Home (Waupaca) 242 Daniels Theatre (Iron River) 100 Darlington 63 Davidson Theatre (Milwaukee) 148 Davison Theatre (Beaver Dam) 34 Davison Theatre (Waupun) 243 De Forest 63; Hall Theatre 63 Delavan 64; Delavan Theatre 64 Delta Theatre (Milwaukee) 148 Denmark 65; Denmark Theatre 65 De Pere 63; De Pere Theatre 63, 64

Index Diamond Theatre (Cameron) 48 Dixie Theatre (Beloit) 35 Dixon Opera House (Union Grove) 232 D’lux Theatre (Luck) 121 Dodge Opera House (Montello) 173 Dodge Theatre (Dodgeville) 66 Dodgeville 65; Auditorium 65 Donna Theatre (Sturgeon Bay) 227 Door Theatre (Sturgeon Bay) 227 Dorchester 66; Opera House 66 Doryn Theatre (Brodhead) 45 Doty Theatre (Neenah) 176 Douglas Theatre (Racine) 200 Downer Theatre (Milwaukee) 148 Downing 66; Civic Hall 66 Downsville 66; I.O.O.F. 66 Dreamland Theatre (Fall Creek) 78 Dreamland Theatre ( Jefferson) 101 Dreamland Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Dreamland Theatre (Racine) 200 Dreamland Theatre (Wayside) 247 Drummond 66; Drummond Theatre 67 DuPont Club (Washburn) 237 Durand 67; Durand Theatre 67 Duroy Theatre (Phillips) 192 Eagle River 67; Eagle Theatre 67, 68 Eagle Theatre (Milwaukee) 148 Eagle Theatre (Redgranite) 205 East Side Theatre (Madison) 124 East Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 East Troy 70; Troy Theatre 70 Eastwood Theatre (Madison) 123 Eaton Opera House (Lodi) 120 Eau Claire 70; Eau Claire Regional Arts Center 72 Ebert Theatre (Butternut) 47 Edgar 73; Edgar Theatre 73; Edgar Village Hall 73; Opera House 73 Edgerton 73 Egyptian Theatre (Milwaukee) 149

Index 8th Avenue Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 8th Street Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Elcho 74; Elcho Theatre 74 Elderon 74 Electric Joy Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Electric Park Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Electric 10 Theatre (Kilbourn) 112 Electric Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Electric Theatre (Pardeeville) 188 Electric Theatre (Richland Center) 208 Electric Theatre (Soldiers Grove) 219 Electric Theatre (Viola) 233 Electric Theatre (Waupaca) 242 Elite Theatre (Appleton) 25 Elite Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Elite Theatre (New Holstein) 178 Elite Theatre (Oconto) 181 Elk Mound 74; Elk Mound Hall 74; Legion Movies 74 Elkhart Lake 75 Elkhorn 75 El Lago Theatre (Rice Lake) 207 Ellis Theatre (Beloit) 35 Ellsworth 76; Ellsworth Theatre 76 Elm Park Theatre (Elkhart Lake) 75 Elmwood 76; Auditorium 76 Elroy 76; Elroy Theatre 76 Embassy Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Emerald 77; Opera House 77 Empire Theatre (Cudahy) 61 Empire Theatre (Fort Atkinson) 82 Empire Theatre (Hartford) 94 Empire Theatre (Manitowoc) 130 Empire Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Empire Theatre (Racine) 200 Empire Theatre (Two Rivers) 232 Empire Theatre (Watertown) 239 Empire Theatre (Waukesha) 241 Emporium Theatre (Milwaukee) 149

270 Empress Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Empress Theatre (Turtle Lake) 232 Ephraim 77; Village Hall 77 Erwin Theatre (Tomah) 230 Eskin Theatre (Richland Center) 208 Esquire Theatre (Madison) 124 Esquire Theatre (Milwaukee) 149 Ettrick 77; Movies 77 Evansville 77 Fair Play Theatre (Madison) 125 Fairchild 77; Fairchild Theatre 78 Fall Creek 78 Falls Cinema (Black River Falls) 39, 40 Falls Theatre (Chippewa Falls) 52, 53 Falls Theatre (Menomonee Falls) 139 Falls Theatre (River Falls) 210, 211 Falls Theatre (St. Croix Falls) 212 Falls Theatre (Sheboygan Falls) 217 Family Theatre (Oshkosh) 184 Family Theatre (Winter) 253 Fay Theatre (Oshkosh) 184 Fennimore 78 Fenway Theatre (Fennimore) 78 Fern Theatre (Milwaukee) 150 Festival Theatre (St. Croix) 212 Fifth Avenue Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Fish Creek 79; Gibraltar Town Hall 79 Fisher Theatre (Oshkosh) 184 Flom Theatre (Madison) 125 Florence 79 Fond du Lac 79; Amory Hall 79; Fond du Lac Theatre 14, 79, 80 Fond du Lac Electric Theater (Milwaukee) 150 Ford Opera House (Lake Geneva) 116 Fort Atkinson 82; Fort Theatre 82; Opera House 82 Fountain City 83; Auditorium 83 Fox-Bay Cinema Grill (Whitefish Bay) 252

Fox Lake 83; Fox Electric Theatre 83 Fox Theatre (Appleton) 25 Fox Theatre (Black River Falls) 40 Fox Theatre (Fond du Lac) 80 Fox Theatre (Green Bay) 90 Fox Theatre (Marinette) 132 Fox Theatre (Marion) 133 Fox Theatre (Merrill) 141 Fox Theatre (New Lisbon) 178 Fox Theatre (Osseo) 187 Fox Theatre (Sheboygan) 214 Fox Theatre (Stevens Point) 224 Franklin Theatre (Milwaukee) 150 Frederic 84; Auditorium 84; Frederic Theatre 84; Village Hall 85 Fuchs Opera House (Marion) 133 Fuller Opera House (Madison) 125 Fusion Theatre (Fond du Lac) 80, 81 Gail Theatre (Mauston) 135 Galesville 85; Gale Theatre 85 Gard Theatre (Spring Green) 221, 222 Garden Theatre (Milwaukee) 150 Garden Theatre (Phillips) 192 Garden Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Garfield Theatre (Milwaukee) 150 Garrick Theatre (Madison) 125 Garrick Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Gateway Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Gayety Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Gays Mills 86; Gays Mills Theatre 86 Gem Theatre (Amery) 22 Gem Theatre (Bloomer) 42 Gem Theatre (Clinton) 55 Gem Theatre (Cornell) 59 Gem Theatre (Frederic) 85 Gem Theatre (Gillett) 87 Gem Theatre (Hudson) 98 Gem Theatre (Madison) 125 Gem Theatre (Milltown) 142 Gem Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Gem Theatre (New Lisbon) 178 Gem Theatre (New Richmond) 179

271 Gem Theatre (Oconto) 181 Gem Theatre (Osceola) 183 Gem Theatre (Phillips) 192 Gem Theatre (Platteville) 192, 193 Gem Theatre (Racine) 200 Gem Theatre (Rice Lake) 207 Gem Theatre (Shullsburg) 219 Gem Theatre (Turtle Lake) 232 Gem Theatre (Waupaca) 242 Gem Theatre (Webster) 247 Genoa City 86; Genoa Theatre 86 German Kino (Milwaukee) 151 Germania Hall (Medford) 137 Gerold Theatre (Weyauwega) 251 Gillett 86 Gilman 87; Gilman Theatre 87 Gleason 87 Glen Theatre (Ashland) 29 Glenwood City 87; Glen Theatre 88 Glidden 88 Globe Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Globe Theatre (Stoughton) 226 Goetz Junior Theatre (Monroe) 173 Goetz Theatre (Monroe) 171, 172 Golden Nugget Theatre (Fairchild) 78 Goodman 88; Community Hall 88 Goodwin Opera House (Beloit) 35 Gordon 88 Grace Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Grafton 89; Grafton Theatre 89 Granada Theatre (Milwaukee) 151 Granada Theatre (Racine) 201 Grand Cinemas (Milwaukee) 152 Grand Open Air Theatre (Racine) 201 Grand Opera House (Ashland) 29 Grand Opera House (East Troy) 70 Grand Opera House (Eau Claire) 71 Grand Opera House (Fond du Lac) 80 Grand Opera House (New London) 179 Grand Opera House (Oshkosh) 184, 185

Grand Opera House (Rhinelander) 206 Grand Opera House (Stevens Point) 224 Grand Opera House (Wausau) 7, 244 Grand Theatre (Beaver Dam) 34 Grand Theatre (Beloit) 35 Grand Theatre (Chetek) 51 Grand Theatre (Clintonville) 55 Grand Theatre (Durand) 67 Grand Theatre (Grantsburg) 89 Grand Theatre (Green Bay) 90 Grand Theatre (Hayward) 96 Grand Theatre (Madison) 125 Grand Theatre (Marinette) 132 Grand Theatre (Menomonie) 140 Grand Theatre (Milwaukee) 152 Grand Theatre (Necedah) 176 Grand Theatre (New London) 179 Grand Theatre (Oconto) 181 Grand Theatre (Oconto Falls) 182 Grand Theatre (Port Washington) 194 Grand Theatre (Racine) 201 Grand Theatre (Sheboygan) 214 Grand Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Grand Theatre (Wausau) 244 Grantland Theatre (Lancaster) 118 Granton 89; Opera House 89 Grantsburg 89 Gratiot 89; Opera House 89 Green Bay 89; Green Bay Theatre 90 Green Lake 91 Green Theatre (Spring Green) 222 Greendale 92; Greendale Theatre 92 Greenfield Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Greenwood 92; Opera House 92 Hallie Park Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Hammond 93; Hammond Theatre 93; Lodge Theatre 93 Hancock 93; Hancock Theatre 93

Index Happy Hour Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Hartford 93; Hartford Theatre 94; Opera House 94; Turner Hall 95 Hartland 95 Haugen 96; Movies 96 Hawkins 96; Hawkins Theatre 96 Hayward 96; Hayward Theatre 96 Henry Boyle Theatre (Fond du Lac) 80 Highland 97; Opera House 97 Hilbert 97; Opera House 97 Hillsboro 97; Hill Theatre 97 Hixton 97; Hixton Hall 98 Hollywood Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Hollywood Theatre (Kenosha) 104 Hollywood Theatre (La Crosse) 113 Hollywood Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Hollywood Theatre (Wausau) 245 Holmen 98; Hall Theatre 98 Home Theatre (Antigo) 23 Home Theatre (Fox Lake) 84 Home Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Home Theatre (New Lisbon) 178 Home Theatre (Portage) 194, 195 Horicon 98 Hotel Theatre (Mukwonago) 175 H.S. Miller Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Hudson 98; Hudson Theatre 98; Opera Hall 98 Humbird 99; Humbird Theatre 99 Hummingbird Theatre (Gleason) 87 Hurley 99 Hustler 99; Hustler Theatre 99 Idea Theatre (Beaver Dam) 34 Idea Theatre (Fond du Lac) 80 Idea Theatre (Watertown) 239 Ideal Theatre (Bloomer) 42 Ideal Theatre (Mazomanie) 136 Ideal Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Ideal Theatre (Rice Lake) 207 Ideal Theatre (Somerset) 220 Ideal Theatre (Wabeno) 236

Index Ideal Theatre (Wisconsin Rapids) 254 Idle Hour Theatre (East Troy) 70 Idle Hour Theatre ( Jefferson) 101 Idle Hour Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Idle Hour Theatre (Neenah) 176 Idle Hour Theatre (Owen) 187 Idle Hour Theatre (Phillips) 192 Imperial 5 Cents Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Imperial Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Imperial Theatre (Racine) 201 Independence 99; Legion Theatre 99; Opera House 99 Ingram 100; Hall Theatre 100 Iola 100; Iola Theatre 100 Iola Electric Theater (Milwaukee) 153 Iris Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Iris Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Iron Belt 100 Iron River 100 Isle Theatre (Cumberland) 61, 62 Isle Theatre (Minocqua) 169 Jackson Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Janesville 100 Jefferson 101; Jefferson Theatre 101, 102; Opera House 101 Jeffris Theatre ( Janesville) 100, 102 Juliar Theatre (Baraboo) 33 Juneau 102; Juno Theatre 102 Juneau Theatre (Milwaukee) 153 Kaukauna 102 Kennan 103; Opera House 103 Kenosha 103; Kenosha Theatre 104, 105 Kersten Opera House (Wittenberg) 255 Kewaskum 109; Kewaskum Theatre 110 Kewaunee 110; Bohemian Hall 110; Kewaunee Theatre 110 Kickapoo Theatre (Gays Mills) 86 Kiel 110; Kiel Theatre 111 Kilbourn 112 Klondike 112

272 Knapp 112; Community Hall 112 Kosciuszko Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 LaBelle Theatre (Oconomowoc) 180 La Crosse 113; La Crosse Theatre 113, 114; La Crosse Community Theatre 113, 114 Ladysmith 115 La Farge 115 Lake Cinema (Baileys Harbor) 31, 32 Lake Geneva 116; Geneva Theatre 116 Lake Mills 117; Lake Theatre 117; Opera House 118 Lake Theatre (Chetek) 51 Lake Theatre (Fox Lake) 84 Lake Theatre (Green Lake) 92 Lake Theatre (Kenosha) 105, 107 Lake Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lake Theatre (Pewaukee) 190 Lake Theatre (Washburn) 237 Lake Theatre (Winneconne) 252, 253 Lakeland Cinemas (Woodruff ) 255 Lakeshore Cinema (Manitowoc) 130, 131 Lakeside Amusement Company (Racine) 201 Lancaster 118 Laona 119; Club House 119 Layton Park Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 LeChateau Theatre (Cadott) 47 Legion Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Legion Theatre (Whitehall) 252 Lena 120; Kobes Hall 120 Leota Theatre (Evansville) 77 Lexington Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Liberty Moving Picture Company (Waupaca) 242 Liberty Theatre (Adell) 20 Liberty Theatre (Cadott) 47 Liberty Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Liberty Theatre (Pardeeville) 188 Liberty Theatre (Princeton) 199 Liberty Theatre (Walworth) 236 Library Opera House (Berlin) 37

Lincoln Theatre (Kenosha) 105, 106 Lincoln Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lincoln Theatre (Sheboygan) 214 Lisbon Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Little Chute 120; Little Chute Theatre 120 Little Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Locust Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lodi 120; Lodi Theatre 120 Loop Theatre (Chippewa Falls) 52 Lorraine Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lovell (Pardeeville) 188 Loyal 121; Loyal Theatre 121 Luck 121; Luck Village Hall 121 Luxemburg 122; Opera House/Legion Theatre 122 Lyceum Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lyric Theatre (Beloit) 35 Lyric Theatre (Cameron) 48 Lyric Theatre (Columbus) 58 Lyric Theatre (Cornell) 59 Lyric Theatre (Dallas) 63 Lyric Theatre (Denmark) 65 Lyric Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Lyric Theatre (Fort Atkinson) 82 Lyric Theatre (La Crosse) 114 Lyric Theatre (Laona) 119 Lyric Theatre (Madison) 125 Lyric Theatre (Marinette) 132 Lyric Theatre (Milwaukee) 154 Lyric Theatre (Osceola) 183 Lyric Theatre (Oshkosh) 185 Lyric Theatre (Peshtigo) 190 Lyric Theatre (Richland Center) 208 Lyric Theatre (Stevens Point) 225 Lyric Theatre (Stoughton) 226 Lyric Theatre (Superior) 228 Lyric Theatre (Tomahawk) 231 Lyric Theatre (Watertown) 239 Lyric Theatre (Waupaca) 242 Lyric Theatre (Wausau) 245 Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre (Menomonie) 140 Madison 122; Madison Theatre 125 Magee Theatre (Evansville) 77 Magnet Theatre (Milwaukee) 155

273 Majestic Theatre (Algoma) 21 Majestic Theatre (Appleton) 25 Majestic Theatre (Ashland) 29 Majestic Theatre (Bangor) 32 Majestic Theatre (Barron) 34 Majestic Theatre (Beloit) 36 Majestic Theatre (Black River Falls) 41 Majestic Theatre (Cudahy) 61 Majestic Theatre (De Pere) 64 Majestic Theatre (Elroy) 76 Majestic Theatre (Kenosha) 106 Majestic Theatre (La Crosse) 114 Majestic Theatre (Lake Geneva) 116 Majestic Theatre (Lake Mills) 117, 118 Majestic Theatre (Madison) 126 Majestic Theatre (Mauston) 135 Majestic Theatre (Mazomanie) 136 Majestic Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Majestic Theatre (Neillsville) 177 Majestic Theatre (New Holstein) 178 Majestic Theatre (Oshkosh) 185 Majestic Theatre (Plymouth) 193 Majestic Theatre (Racine) 201 Majestic Theatre (Reedsburg) 205 Majestic Theatre (Rhinelander) 206 Majestic Theatre (Rice Lake) 207 Majestic Theatre (Sheboygan) 214, 215 Majestic Theatre (Stevens Point) 225 Majestic Theatre (Watertown) 239 Majestic Theatre (Wausau) 245 Manawa 128; Manawa Theatre 129 Manchester 129; Manchester Hall 129 Manitowoc 129 Marathon 131; Village Hall 131 Marinette 132; Marinette Theatre 132 Marinuka Theatre (Galesville) 86 Marion 133; Marion Theatre 133

Markesan 134; Markesan Theatre 134 Mars Theatre (La Farge) 115 Mars Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Marshfield 134 Mauston 135 Mayville 136; May Theatre 136 Mazomanie 136 Medford 136 Mellen 137 Melrose 138; Rose Theatre 138 Menasha 138 Menomonee 140 Menomonee Falls 139 Mercer 140; Opera House 140 Mer Mac Theatre (Neenah) 176 Mermac Theatre (New London) 179 Mermac Theatre (West Bend) 248, 249 Merrill 140 Merrill Park Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Merrill Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Met Theatre (Mellen) 137 Metro Theatre (Prairie du Chien) 197 Meyer Theatre (Green Bay) 90 Mid City Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Middleton 142; Middleton Theatre 142 Midget Movie Theatre (Hillsboro) 97 Midget Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Midway Theatre (Prairie du Sac) 197 Midway Theatre (Wausau) 245 Mikadow Theatre (Manitowoc) 130, 131 Miller Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Milltown 142; Milltown Theatre 142 Milton 142 Milwaukee 142; Milwaukee Theatre 155 Milwaukee Opera House (Brillion) 45 Miner Theatre (Ladysmith) 115 Mineral Point 168; Mineral Point Opera House 168 Minocqua 169 Miramar Theatre (Milwaukee) 155 Mirth Theatre (Milwaukee) 156 Mission Theatre (Kilbourn) 112

Index Mission Theatre (Wisconsin Dells) 254 Mitchell Theatre (Prairie du Chien) 197 Mode Theatre (Oshkosh) 185 Mode Theatre (Waterloo) 238 Modjeska Theatre (Milwaukee) 156 Mojuvate Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Mondovi 170; Mondovi Theatre 170 Monroe 171; Monroe Theatre 173 Montello 173; Montello Theatre 173 Montfort 173; Fort Theatre 173 Montreal 173; Hamilton Club 173 Moon Theatre (Prescott) 198 Mosinee 174; Mosinee Theatre 174 Mt. Horeb 174; Mt. Horeb Opera House 174 Mozart Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Mukwonago 174 Murray Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Muscoda 175; Muscoda Theatre 175 Myers Theatre ( Janesville) 100, 101 Mystic Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 National Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 National Theatre (Racine) 201 Necedah 175; Opera House 175 Neenah 176; Neenah Theatre 176 Neillsville 177; Amory/Opera House 177 Nekoosa 177 Nelson 178; Opera House 178 New Electric Theatre (Racine) 201 New Garrick Theatre (Fond du Lac) 80 New Glarus 178; New Glarus Theatre 178 New Holstein 178 New Lisbon 178 New London 179 New Palace Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 New Peoples Theatre (Oshkosh) 186

Index New Regent Theatre (Prairie du Chien) 197 New Richmond 179 New Star Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 New Theatre (Prairie du Chien) 197 Newsreel Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Niagara 180; Club House 180 Nicolet Theatre (De Pere) 64 Nicolet Theatre (Elroy) 77 Nicolet Theatre (Stanley) 223 Norge Theatre (Kenosha) 106 North Fond du Lac 180 Northern Lakes Theatre (Phelps) 191 Norton Cinema (Chilton) 52 Norway Theatre (De Forest) 63 Norwood Theatre (Phillips) 191, 192 Oakland Theatre (Cudahy) 61 Oakland Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Oasis Theatre (Milwaukee) 157 Oconomowoc 180 Oconto 181; Oconto Theatre 182 Oconto Falls 182 Odeon Theatre (Beaver Dam) 34, 35 Ogden Theatre (Milwaukee) 158 O’Klare Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Old Gem Theatre (New Richmond) 179 Olympia Theatre (Milwaukee) 158 Olympic Theatre (Ashland) 28 Olympic Theatre (Madison) 126 Olympic Theatre (Milwaukee) 158 Omro 182; Omro Theatre 182 Onalaska 183 Orfordville 183; Star Opera House 183 Oriental Theatre (Milwaukee) 158 Orpheum Theatre (Beloit) 36 Orpheum Theatre (Burlington) 46 Orpheum Theatre (Darlington) 63 Orpheum Theatre (Eau Claire) 71 Orpheum Theatre (Fond du Lac) 81

274 Orpheum Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Orpheum Theatre (Hartford) 95 Orpheum Theatre ( Jefferson) 101 Orpheum Theatre (Kenosha) 106 Orpheum Theatre (Lancaster) 119 Orpheum Theatre (Madison) 125, 126, 127 Orpheum Theatre (Manitowoc) 131 Orpheum Theatre (Mellen) 138 Orpheum Theatre (Menasha) 138 Orpheum Theatre (Menomonie) 140 Orpheum Theatre (Milwaukee) 158 Orpheum Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Orpheum Theatre (Racine) 201 Orpheum Theatre (Richland Center) 208 Orpheum Theatre (Wausaukee) 246 Orton Theatre (Madison) 128 Osceola 183; Opera House 183 Oshkosh 184; Oshkosh Theatre 186 Osseo 187 Our Theatre (Niagara) 180 Owen 187; Owen Theatre 187 Owl Theatre (Milwaukee) 159 Owl Theatre (Pewaukee) 190 Ozaukee Theatre (Port Washington) 194 Pabst Theatre (Milwaukee) 159 Packer Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Palace Theatre (Antigo) 23, 24 Palace Theatre (Ashland) 28 Palace Theatre (Crandon) 60 Palace Theatre (Kewaunee) 110 Palace Theatre (Lake Mills) 117 Palace Theatre (Madison) 128 Palace Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Palace Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Palace Theatre (Racine) 202 Palace Theatre (Shawano) 214 Palace Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Palace Theatre (Spooner) 221 Palace Theatre (Superior) 228 Palace Theatre (Watertown) 239 Palace Theatre (Waupaca) 242 Palace Theatre (Wisconsin Rapids) 254

Palmyra 187; Myra Theatre 188 Pantorium (Watertown) 239 Paquet Opera House (Medford) 137 Paradise Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Paradise Theatre (West Allis) 248 Paramount Theatre (Kiel) 111 Paramount Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Pardeeville 188; Pardee Theatre 188 Paris Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Park Falls 188; Park Theatre 188, 189 Park Opera House (Cambridge) 48 Park Place Cinemas ( Janesville) 101, 102 Park Theatre (Hayward) 96 Park Theatre (Manitowoc) 131 Park Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Park Theatre (Racine) 202 Park Theatre (Waukesha) 241 Park Theatre (Wautoma) 246 Parkway Theatre (Greenwood) 92 Parkway Theatre (Madison) 128 Parkway Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Parkway Theatre (Mt. Horeb) 174 Parkway Theatre (Union Grove) 233 Pastime Theatre (Delavan) 65 Pastime Theatre (Horicon) 98 Pastime Theatre (Kiel) 111, 112 Pastime Theatre (Madison) 128 Pastime Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Pastime Theatre (Poynette) 196 Pastime Theatre (Sun Prairie) 228 Patch Grove 189; Opera House 189 Pearl Theatre (De Pere) 64 Pearl Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Peerless Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Penny Arcade (Milwaukee) 160 Peoples Theatre (Racine) 202 Peoples Theatre (Superior) 228 Pepin 189; Opera House 189 Peshtigo 190 Pewaukee 190 Phelps 191 Phillips 191 Photoplay Company Theatre (Menasha) 139

275 Picture Garden Theatre (Cassville) 48 Pix Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Pix Theatre (Waukesha) 241 Pix Theatre (Whitehall) 252 Plainfield 192; Plainfield Theatre 192 Platteville 192 Player Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Plaza Theatre (Burlington) 46, 47 Plaza Theatre (Milwaukee) 160 Plaza Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Plum City 193; Community Building 193 Plymouth 193; Plymouth Theatre 193 Pola Negri Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Popularity Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Port Washington 194; Port Washington Opera House 194 Port Wing 194; Opera House 194 Portage 194; Opera House 194; Portage Theatre 194, 195, 196 Post Commack Theatre (Spring Green) 221 Poynette 196 Prairie du Chien 196 Prairie du Sac 197 Prairie Farm 198; New Prairie Theatre 198 Prentice 198; Show Show 198 Prescott 198 Princess Theatre (Ashland) 29 Princess Theatre (Bayfield) 34 Princess Theatre (Cambridge) 48 Princess Theatre (Chilton) 52 Princess Theatre (Crandon) 60 Princess Theatre (Kenosha) 106 Princess Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Princess Theatre (Oconto) 182 Princess Theatre (Plymouth) 194 Princess Theatre (River Falls) 210 Princess Theatre (Stoughton) 226 Princess Theatre (Superior) 229 Princess Theatre (Watertown) 239 Princeton 199; Princeton Theatre 199

Pulaski 199; Pulaski Theatre 199 Pulaski Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Purtell Theatre (Rio) 209 Queen Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Racine 199; Racine Theatre 202 Radio Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Radisson 205; Hall Theatre 205 Rainbow Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Ramsdell Opera House (Marion) 133 Range Theatre (Hurley) 99 Rapids Theatre (Wisconsin Rapids) 254 Raulf Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Redgranite 205; Redgranite Theatre 205 Reeds Opera House (Lancaster) 119 Reedsburg 205 Regal Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Regent Theater (Milwaukee) 161 Relda Theatre (Marshfield) 135 Retlaw Theatre (Fond du Lac) 81 Rex Theatre (Beloit) 36 Rex Theatre (Berlin) 38 Rex Theatre (Chippewa Falls) 53 Rex Theatre (Clear Lake) 54 Rex Theatre (Colby) 58 Rex Theatre (Evansville) 77 Rex Theatre (Frederic) 85 Rex Theatre (Glidden) 88 Rex Theatre (Hudson) 98 Rex Theatre (Iron River) 100 Rex Theatre (Mauston) 136 Rex Theatre (Milwaukee) 161 Rex Theatre (North Fond du Lac) 180 Rex Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Rex Theatre (Park Falls) 188 Rex Theatre (Racine) 202, 203 Rex Theatre (Sheboygan) 215 Rex Theatre (Spring Green) 222 Rex Theatre (Washburn) 237 Rex Theatre (West Salem) 249 Rhinelander 206 Rhode Opera House (Kenosha) 106, 107 Rialto Theatre (Edgerton) 73

Index Rialto Theatre (Fairchild) 78 Rialto Theatre (Hawkins) 96 Rialto Theatre (Kaukauna) 103 Rialto Theatre (Marinette) 132, 133 Rialto Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Rialto Theatre (Nekoosa) 177 Rialto Theatre (Racine) 203 Rialto Theatre (South Milwaukee) 220 Rialto Theatre (Thorp) 229 Rib Lake 207; Lake Theatre 207 Rice Lake 207 Richland Center 207; Richland Theatre 209 Rio 209; Reo Theatre 209 Rio Theatre (Appleton) 25 Ripon 209; Ripon Theatre 210 Ritz Theatre (Greenwood) 93 Ritz Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Ritz Theatre (Wausau) 245 River Falls 210 Riverside Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Riviera Theatre (La Crosse) 114 Riviera Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Rivoli Theatre (Cedarburg) 49, 50 Rivoli Theatre (Chippewa Falls) 53, 54 Rivoli Theatre (Hurley) 99 Rivoli Theatre (La Crosse) 114 Rivoli Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Rivoli Theatre (Two Rivers) 232 RKO Main Street Theatre (Racine) 203 Robert & Archer Theatre (Beloit) 36 Rock River Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Rogers Cinema (Greenwood) 92 Rogers Cinema (Marshfield) 135 Rogers Cinemas (Wisconsin Rapids) 254 Rogers Theatre (Wausau) 245 Roosevelt Theatre (Kenosha) 108 Roosevelt Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Rosa Theatre (Waupaca) 242, 243 Rose Opera House (Hillsboro) 97 Rose Theatre (Milwaukee) 162

Index Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse (Wauwatosa) 246 Roxy Theatre (Milwaukee) 162 Royal Theatre (Ashland) 30 Royal Theatre (Fond du Lac) 82 Royal Theatre (Hillsboro) 97 Royal Theatre (Iron Belt) 100 Royal Theatre (Madison) 128 Royal Theatre (Milwaukee) 163 Royal Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Royal Theatre (Saxon) 212 Royal Theatre (Stratford) 227 Rudalt Theatre (Columbus) 58 Ruka Opera House (Boscobel) 42 St. Croix Theatre (Prescott) 199 St. Croix Falls 211; Auditorium 211 Savoy Theatre (Milwaukee) 163 Savoy Theatre (Park Falls) 189 Savoy Theatre (Superior) 229 Savoy Theatre (Watertown) 239 Saxe Theatre (Milwaukee) 163 Saxon 212 Sayner 212; Sayner Theatre 213 Scherer Opera House (Palmyra) 188 Schultz Electric Theater (Milwaukee) 163 Scott Opera House (Marinette) 133 Scott Theatre (Black River Falls) 41 Seymour 213; See-More Theatre 213 Shadow Theatre (Lodi) 121 Shawano 214; Shawano Theatre 214 Sheboygan 214; Sheboygan Theatre 215, 216 Sheboygan Falls 217; Opera House 217 Shell Lake 218; Lake Theatre 218 Sherman Theatre (Milwaukee) 163 Shorewood 218; Shorewood Theatre 218 Show (Milwaukee) 163 Shubert Theatre (Milwaukee) 163 Shullsburg 218; Burg Theatre 218 Silver City Gem Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 Siren 219; Opera House 219 Slinger 219

276 Soldiers Grove 219 Solon Springs 220; Village Theatre 220 Somerset 220 South Milwaukee 220 Spang’s Opera House (Dodgeville) 66 Spanish Garden Theatre (Osceola) 184 Sparta 220; Sparta Theatre 221 Spooner 221 Sprague Theatre (Elkhorn) 75 Spring Green 221; Ferris Hall 221; Post Opera House 222 Spring Theatre (Solon Springs) 220 Spring Valley 222; Community Hall 222; Valley Theatre 222 Spruce 223 Square Theatre (Menasha) 139 Stanley 223; Stanley Theatre 223 Star Electric Theatre (Oconto) 182 Star Theatre (Argyle) 28 Star Theatre (Beloit) 36 Star Theatre (Blair) 41 Star Theatre (Eau Claire) 72 Star Theatre (Fox Lake) 84 Star Theatre (Frederic) 85 Star Theatre (Madison) 128 Star Theatre (Menasha) 139 Star Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 Star Theatre (Minocqua) 169 Star Theatre (Mondovi) 171 Star Theatre (Osceola) 184 Star Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Star Theatre (Racine) 203 Star Theatre (Sheboygan Falls) 217 Star Theatre (Stanley) 223 Star Theatre (Tomah) 231 State Theatre (Beloit) 36 State Theatre (Burlington) 46 State Theatre (Eau Claire) 72 State Theatre (Hartford) 95 State Theatre (Menomonie) 140 State Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 State Theatre (Racine) 203 State Theatre (Rhinelander) 206 State Theatre (Sheboygan) 216 State Theatre (Tomah) 231 State Theatre (Waupaca) 243 Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts (Sheboygan) 216 Stephenson Opera House (Marinette) 132

Stevens Point 224; Rink Opera House 224 Stockholm 225; Hall Theatre 225 Stoughton 226; Stoughton Opera House 226; Stoughton Village Players Theatre 226 Strand Theatre (Beloit) 37 Strand Theatre (Boscobel) 42 Strand Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Strand Theatre (Kenosha) 109 Strand Theatre (La Crosse) 114 Strand Theatre (Madison) 128 Strand Theatre (Manitowoc) 131 Strand Theatre (Marinette) 133 Strand Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 Strand Theatre (Mt. Horeb) 174 Strand Theatre (Oconomowoc) 180 Strand Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Strand Theatre (Plainfield) 192 Strand Theatre (Racine) 203 Strand Theatre (Sheboygan) 217 Strand Theatre (Slinger) 219 Strand Theatre (Waterford) 237 Strand Theatre (Whitewater) 252 Stratford 226; Opera House 227; Stratford Theatre 227 Strum 227; Opera House 227; Strum Theatre 227 Stuart Theatre (Wausau) 245 Studio Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 Sturgeon Bay 227 Sun Prairie 228; Prairie Theatre 228; Sun Theatre 228 Sun Theatre (Brodhead) 45 Superba Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Superior 228; Superior Theatre 229 Suring 229; Suring Theatre 229 Syndicate Electric Theater (Milwaukee) 164 Telenews Theatre (Milwaukee) 164 Temple Theatre (Viroqua) 233, 234, 235 Temple Theatre (Washburn) 237 Theater Delight (Milwaukee) 164 Theatorium (Milwaukee) 164

277 Theatre Delight (Hudson) 99 Third Avenue Playhouse (Sturgeon Bay) 227 Thorp 229; Thorp Theatre 229 Thrasher Opera House (Green Lake) 92 Three Lakes 230; Three Lakes Theatre 230 Tigerton 230; Opera House 230 Time Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Time Theatre (Oshkosh) 186 Time Theatre (Pepin) 189 Times Cinema (Milwaukee) 164 Times Theatre (Clintonville) 56 Tivoli Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Tomah 230; Tomah Theatre 231 Tomahawk 231; Tomahawk Theatre 231 Tosa Theatre (Wauwatosa) 246 Tower Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Tower Theatre (Superior) 229 Town Theatre (Darlington) 63 Towne Theatre (Florence) 79 Towne Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Towne Theatre (New Holstein) 178 Towne Theatre (Watertown) 239 Towne Theatre (Whitewater) 252 Toy Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Trag’s Theatre (Neillsville) 177 Trempealeau 232; Opera House 232 Triangle Theatre (Orfordville) 183 Trinz Electric Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Trio Theatre (Marshfield) 135 Trio Theatre (Whitehall) 252 Trowbridge Theatre (Milwaukee) 165 Turtle Lake 232; Turtle Lake Theatre 232 Two Rivers 232 Uneeda Theatre (West Salem) 249 Union Electric Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Union Grove 232 Unique Electric Theatre (Black River Falls) 41 Unique Electric Theatre (Milwaukee) 166

Unique Theatre (Arcadia) 27 Unique Theatre (Eau Claire) 72 Unique Theatre (Hayward) 97 Unique Theatre (Holmen) 98 Unique Theatre (Ladysmith) 116 Unique Theatre (Luxemburg) 122 Unique Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Unique Theatre (Tomah) 231 Unique Theatre (Waukesha) 241 Universal Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Uptown Theatre (Eau Claire) 72 Uptown Theatre (Fort Atkinson) 83 Uptown Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Uptown Theatre (Racine) 204 Valley Theatre (Menasha) 139 Van Der Vaart Theatre (Sheboygan) 217 Varsity Theatre (Appleton) 26 Varsity Theatre (Madison) 128 Varsity Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Vaudette Theatre (Kaukauna) 103 Vaudette Theatre (Manitowoc) 131 Vaudette Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Venetian Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Venetian Theatre (Racine) 204 Venus Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Vernon Theatre (Sayner) 213 Vernon Theatre (Viroqua) 235 Vic Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Victor Theatre (Hartland) 95, 96 Victor Theatre (Minocqua) 169, 170 Victor Theatre (Watertown) 240 Victoria Theatre (Milwaukee) 166 Viking Theatre (Appleton) 26 Viking Theatre (Loyal) 121 Vilas Theatre (Eagle River) 69 Villa Theater (Milwaukee) 166, 167 Viola 233; Community Hall 233 Violet Theatre (Milwaukee) 167

Index Virginian Theatre (Kenosha) 109 Viroqua 233 Vista Theatre (Mukwonago) 175 Vogue Theatre (Arcadia) 26, 27 Vogue Theatre (Kenosha) 109 Wabeno 235; Wabeno Theatre 236 Wagner Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 Walworth 236; Walworth Theatre 236 Warner Theatre (Augusta) 31 Warner Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 Warren Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 Washburn 236; Opera House 237; Washburn Theatre 237 Washington Island 237; Town Hall 237 Washington Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 Washington Theatre (Racine) 204 Waterford 237; Ford Theatre 237 Waterloo 238; Community Theatre 238 Watertown 238; Concordia Opera House 238; Turner Opera House 239 Waukesha 240 Waupaca 242; Waupaca Theatre 243 Waupun 243; Opera House 243 Wausau 243; Wausau Theatre 245, 246 Wausaukee 246; Wausaukee Theatre 246 Wautoma 246 Wauwatosa 246 Wauwatosa Theatre Delight (Milwaukee) 167 Wayside 247; Wayside Theatre 247 Webster 247; Webb Theatre 247 Welcome Theatre (Cashton) 48 Weneeda Theatre (Milton) 142 Werner Opera House (Black River Falls) 41 West Allis 247; Allis Theatre 247 West Bend 248; West Bend Theatre 248, 249

Index West Salem 249; Salem Theatre 249, 250 West Side Turn Hall (Milwaukee) 167 West Theatre (Green Bay) 91 Westby 250; Opera House 250; Westby Theatre 250 Westfield 251; Westfield Theatre 251 Weyauwega 251 White Front Theatre (Berlin) 39 White Front Theatre (Stoughton) 226 White House Theatre (Cudahy) 61 White House Theatre (Hartford) 95 White House Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 White House Theatre (Racine) 205 White Theatre (Beloit) 37 White Theatre (Mellen) 137 Whitefish Bay 251 Whitehall 252; Whitehall Theatre 252

278 Whitewater 252 Whiting Theatre (Waupun) 243 Wilson Theatre (Beloit) 37 Winneconne 252 Winter 253; Auditorium Theatre 253 Wisconsin Dells 253; Dells Theatre 254 Wisconsin Rapids 254; Rapids Theatre 254 Wisconsin Theatre (Beaver Dam) 34, 35 Wisconsin Theatre (Eau Claire) 73 Wisconsin Theatre (La Crosse) 115 Wisconsin Theatre (Milwaukee) 167 Wisconsin Theatre (Sheboygan) 217 Wisconsin Theatre (Spring Green) 222 Wisconsin Theatre (Wisconsin Rapids) 254 Withee 254; Community Theatre 254

Wittenberg 254 Wonderland Scenic Theatre (Milwaukee) 168 Wonderland Theatre (Berlin) 39 Wonewoc 255; Opera House 255 Woocks Opera House (Abbotsford) 19 Woodruff 255; Johnson’s Hall 255 Woods Theatre (Woodruff ) 255 Woodville 255; Village Hall 256 World Theatre (Milwaukee) 168 World Theatre (Superior) 229 Wright Theatre (Milwaukee) 168 Zachow 256; Opera House 256 Zenith Theatre (Milwaukee) 168 Zim-Zim Theatre (Cumberland) 61, 62