The only possible theater on the Jan. 1906 map is an opera house in the upper stories of 9-13 N Frederick. That is just a ‘Hall’ on the 1914 map, and the building is still there.
Dates are incorrect. This theater appears on the 1918 Sanborn as Nixon’s Academy Theatre, with a capacity of 1,070. The building itself is much older. It was built sometime before 1887 as the Baldwin Hotel, and contained from the beginning a theater space called the Academy of Music.
Sometime after 1910, the building was extensively remodeled into ‘The Arcade’. The 5th floor was added. The eastern portion got a more elaborate facade than the rest, and became a department store. The auditorium was extensively remodeled, becoming both wider and quite a bit deeper. It appears that a multi-layered set of balconies was replaced by a single, deeper balcony.
I have added both a 1910 and 1918 view, as a before/after.
Address is wrong, and this has been demolished. Downtown is completely trashed, so it was hard to figure out where this was. It was where the ugly modern bank is. The theater was at 8 N Frederick. The dates are also wrong, since the theater appears on the 1914 Sanborn (replacing a large wooden house on the 1906 map).
There are Sanborns from the mid-20s and early 40s, but I can’t find them online. We need someone with an Iowa State ID, I think. That would help fill in the gaps.
Yeah, I knew that Palace aka couldn’t be right. I know where the Opera House was. I’ll add it. Do you know anything more about dates, etc. for that one?
The NRHP listing, which seems meticulously researched, gave the end date. I thought it was odd that there was no name given for such a long tenure. They say it only had a few historical tenants - bank, theater, and Sears (which combined two buildings). There was new lighting/ceiling installed in 1948, which might show up in trade journals. Anyhow, I think you’ve got the name and capacity, and we know it was open as late as 1950.
Original architect was Louis H. Rust. Slight remodel in 1930, then a more major one in 1937, by Mortimer B. Cleveland. Modern remodel in 1972 cut the front off the stage, and seating was realigned. The lobby was also enlarged at this point, and the entrance remodeled. It was remodeled again sometime after 1990.
No, Open does not mean everything short of abandoned. Open means live performances. If it isn’t serving as some sort of theater or music venue, Closed is the proper status.
Portion to the left of the photo is still there, looking pretty shabby (everything to the right of the canvas awning is gone). The rest is a parking lot and solar array. Not sure why this is described as small. It was obviously massive, especially for a little town.
Saw a movie here in 2009, and about the only other people there were a boy scout troop who got a tour after the film. I tagged along. The auditorium is amazing, and was mostly original, with the seats maybe from the ‘40s or '50s. Lots of ornate plaster, and little light bulbs set into the front of the balcony.
Probably somewhere on W Main. There were two one-story and three or four two-story buildings where the bank and park are now. Only pictures I found were from the early 1900s.
SethG
commented about
Theatreon
Aug 8, 2023 at 8:15 am
Not that it really matters, but pictures from what seems like the mid ‘60s, going by the cars, show that the foundation was still empty, filled with trash from the gas station next door. I did find a vague reference to the building falling down.
This was a Masonic temple with the theater on the first floor. It does not appear on the January 1913 Sanborn. It must have been built to include the theater from the beginning.
The 1914 map is from February, so the first instance must have been very brief. The only vacant buildings on that map are two very small wooden shacks, so if it was elsewhere, it had already been replaced. The impression the 1917 article gives is that it was still known as the Majestic, and had only just closed for remodeling.
The only possible theater on the Jan. 1906 map is an opera house in the upper stories of 9-13 N Frederick. That is just a ‘Hall’ on the 1914 map, and the building is still there.
Perhaps the Orpheum is what later became the Ritz?
Then this was for sure the Gem. Orpheum must have been elsewhere, but it was not where the Grand is today.
Dates are incorrect. This theater appears on the 1918 Sanborn as Nixon’s Academy Theatre, with a capacity of 1,070. The building itself is much older. It was built sometime before 1887 as the Baldwin Hotel, and contained from the beginning a theater space called the Academy of Music.
Sometime after 1910, the building was extensively remodeled into ‘The Arcade’. The 5th floor was added. The eastern portion got a more elaborate facade than the rest, and became a department store. The auditorium was extensively remodeled, becoming both wider and quite a bit deeper. It appears that a multi-layered set of balconies was replaced by a single, deeper balcony.
I have added both a 1910 and 1918 view, as a before/after.
Picture incorrectly posted under another listing shows this theater was still open in 1925. Unknown when this was chopped down to one story.
Address is wrong, and this has been demolished. Downtown is completely trashed, so it was hard to figure out where this was. It was where the ugly modern bank is. The theater was at 8 N Frederick. The dates are also wrong, since the theater appears on the 1914 Sanborn (replacing a large wooden house on the 1906 map).
I bet that’s his garage/dealership right next door. Almost the entire block has now been laid waste for a parking lot.
There are Sanborns from the mid-20s and early 40s, but I can’t find them online. We need someone with an Iowa State ID, I think. That would help fill in the gaps.
Yeah, I knew that Palace aka couldn’t be right. I know where the Opera House was. I’ll add it. Do you know anything more about dates, etc. for that one?
The NRHP listing, which seems meticulously researched, gave the end date. I thought it was odd that there was no name given for such a long tenure. They say it only had a few historical tenants - bank, theater, and Sears (which combined two buildings). There was new lighting/ceiling installed in 1948, which might show up in trade journals. Anyhow, I think you’ve got the name and capacity, and we know it was open as late as 1950.
Capacity sounds right.
Added a 2016 photo of mine.
Thanks for that research. I think you found the name.
Original architect was Louis H. Rust. Slight remodel in 1930, then a more major one in 1937, by Mortimer B. Cleveland. Modern remodel in 1972 cut the front off the stage, and seating was realigned. The lobby was also enlarged at this point, and the entrance remodeled. It was remodeled again sometime after 1990.
No, Open does not mean everything short of abandoned. Open means live performances. If it isn’t serving as some sort of theater or music venue, Closed is the proper status.
Why is this listed as open?
Portion to the left of the photo is still there, looking pretty shabby (everything to the right of the canvas awning is gone). The rest is a parking lot and solar array. Not sure why this is described as small. It was obviously massive, especially for a little town.
Capacity must have been a lot larger, but the balcony is probably closed.
Saw a movie here in 2009, and about the only other people there were a boy scout troop who got a tour after the film. I tagged along. The auditorium is amazing, and was mostly original, with the seats maybe from the ‘40s or '50s. Lots of ornate plaster, and little light bulbs set into the front of the balcony.
Probably somewhere on W Main. There were two one-story and three or four two-story buildings where the bank and park are now. Only pictures I found were from the early 1900s.
Not that it really matters, but pictures from what seems like the mid ‘60s, going by the cars, show that the foundation was still empty, filled with trash from the gas station next door. I did find a vague reference to the building falling down.
Looks like the theater and owner’s name should be Coté, not Cote.
This was a Masonic temple with the theater on the first floor. It does not appear on the January 1913 Sanborn. It must have been built to include the theater from the beginning.
Has been renamed Town Theater, probably a while ago. Website here: https://towntheaterwaukon.com/. The old website is dead.
The 1914 map is from February, so the first instance must have been very brief. The only vacant buildings on that map are two very small wooden shacks, so if it was elsewhere, it had already been replaced. The impression the 1917 article gives is that it was still known as the Majestic, and had only just closed for remodeling.