Apollo Theatre AC
104 N. State Street,
Belvidere,
IL
61008
104 N. State Street,
Belvidere,
IL
61008
2 people
favorited this theater
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Back in operation today (9/16) with a Mexican Independence Day event. Rock River Current story here.
That the Belvidere area was in the path of severe storms, high winds and possible tornadoes was forecasted days in advance. The concert could have and should have been postponed. And its not just the concert promoters who bear responsibility. Where were the municipal officials?
The personal injury lawyers will have a field day with this one.
The tornado was confirmed as an EF1. There were now 40 reported injuries.
Chicago Tribune link with 20 photos of collapse.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-belvidere-1-dead-40-injured-20230401-gjrnngxdafczdn5dtk72udtsre-story.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Breaking%20News&utm_content=861680372075
The Apollo opened on Wednesday, January 11, 1922.
This just came in a hour ago: The Apollo Theatre AC is now closed due to a roof and marquee collapse from damaging winds while all of Boone County at the time was under a Tornado Warning, along with Northern DeKalb and Western McHenry Counties. Multiple people were reported injured when the Apollo’s roof collapsed during a Morbid Angel concert, while the marquee suddenly falls to its side on the sidewalk possibly undamaged from the gust.
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/first-responders-called-to-belvideres-apollo-theater-on-reports-of-collapsed-roof-due-to-powerful-storm/
This theatre is open
Grew up in Marengo and went to the Apollo with my parents and my grandmother….fond memories…
Im not sure what date it is but inside of the apollo there’s a plaque where it has the name of the person who first owned it and build it and it also has the date of when it was built. Im not to sure of the history of it I just know its been there for a while. I think its so cool to go into places like this. I guess because it so historic.
A list of U.S. radio stations broadcasting as of May, 1923, includes station WOAG, located in the Apollo Theatre, Belvidere, Illinois. A chronology of early radio says that WOAG began broadcasting in October, 1922. The Federal government began licensing radio stations for commercial broadcasts in late 1920, so WOAG was one of the fairly early ones.
I’ve come across references to a late 19th-early 20th century theater in Belvidere called the Derthick Opera House. Some sources say that it was next to the river. I think it might have been on the same site as the Apollo. The November, 1917, issue of Safety Engineering reported that the “Dorthic” Opera House at Belvidere, Illinois, had been destroyed by fire on October 1, 1917. This publication also said that the theater was next to the river.
The December 6, 1913, issue of The Moving Picture World said that the Zimperhoff Brothers, of Chicago, had been negotiating a two-year leas on the “Derthofk” Opera House in Belvidere, with the intention of operating it as a movie house. I’ve been unable to discover if they got the lease, but given the state of the theater business in the 1910s, odds are good that the Derthick did show movies in its last years.
Not all of the seats we’re take off it still has the ones on top and inside is pretty nice. It has a pretty nice bar and its not a mexican dance club. Its a banquet hall. People can rent the place for weddings and sweet15 or 16 for any kind of party. And its also used for concerts. I know this because my husband’s uncle owns it and I’ve been there.
Well, I’m looking for some good space like a theatre for some plans I have for the surrounding community. This isn’t the only theatre I’m looking at. I know for a fact that the Midway theatre in Rockford is up for sale…it never hurts to ask…
Who said any of these buildings you are asking about are on the open market?
how much would it cost to purchase the theatre and what would the terms of use and service be?
Current photos of the Apollo
I rode by the Apollo today, and it looks a lot better than it does in the above photo. The marquee has a new-looking sign that says “Apollo Banquet Hall,” though the phone number is unchanged from before. The front of the building, including the ticket window, looks beautiful. Unfortunately, the windows are covered with black fabric, so one cannot see inside.
I’m not sure if the mural changed, but the one on the building now is in tribute to all Latin-Americans, not just Mexicans.
Ohhh, I remember the food drives. They used to do them for the all night fright fests on Halloween weekend also. The Dari-Ripple was good too. Drapers ran it when I was a kid. It’s still open. I was there a couple weeks ago and almost stopped. I have to drive down through Belvidere to pick up my wife at Ohare next week so maybe I’ll treat her to a Banana Split from Dari-Ripple. Remember Doc Knapps? It closed a few years ago, adn I just read a couple of weeks ago that Doc passed on. It bummed me out. He was great to those of us who couldn’t afford to stop much. He’d give us what he called “wonderful water” on our way home from school. It was really Sprite or 7up and it was alway great. Darn, I know your name. I went to school with a lowery boy back in the 1970s. Is he related to you?
I am glad to know the apollo is still standing. I grew up in Belvidere and walked to high school everyday passing the Apollo. I remember the owner used to let kids bring canned goods for the poor and letting us watch movies at Christmastime. A lot of very good memories from the movies to the dari ripple …
Ella (Lowery) Maggert
The Apollo Theatre Had A Wurlitzer Theatre organ It was a 4 rank piano style instrument and was played by Bertha Woods . I has been said that in the depression era that a manager of the house hung himself from the proceneum arch . JimG
I’m just glad to know the old building is still serving the people of belvidere even if it no longer serves its original prpose. I left Belvidere many years ago, but cannot imagine Belvidere without the apollo, the state street bridge, or the dairy ripple. Alogn with Doc Knapps, those entities are the essence of growing up in Belvidere. Does anyone remember Mr. Nickles with his cigars from the Apollo?
Jean,
The telephone number for the Apollo Activity Center (the current name for the building) is (815) 547-3400. Maria and Jesus Martinez are the owners of the building.
if anyone knows how i can get in touch with the owner of the building, please let me know.