“Dan Higgins, a Decatur police officer, opened a silent movie theatre 110 years ago tonight, on Christmas Eve, in 1913. Located at 1234 East Eldorado Street, Higgins branded it as "The Paris Theater”. Higgins was an efficient traffic cop who directed at the busy corner of East Main and Water Streets. His profession and focus on safety were reflected in his design for the theatre: it was the only one in town where the customers faced the exit. The projection booth was then the usual source of theatre fires. The electrical codes were more rudimentary, and the film projectors ran hot. In case of a fire in the projection booth, the customers would then exit AWAY from the fire.
Higgins was born in Hamilton, Illinois, in 1870. He came to Decatur at age 14 and remained here for the rest of his life. Before his employment as a peace officer, he had worked for the Wabash Railroad as a wheel inspector, where he developed an excellent reputation for his attention to detail.
Higgins sold the theatre in 1920. He died in 1922 at age 51. By 1923 the theatre had closed, and the building was repurposed for commercial use. Today, the site is an empty lot just east of the recently razed union hall building at the corner of Jasper and Eldorado."
Correct address is 234 W. 2nd Street, and was still standing as of the September 2021 street view.
Address confirmed via the below City of Madrid November 2017 request for bids to remove it.
Address was 1113 Boundary Street and has been Demolished.
Below description credit JeAnais Mitchell:
“The Palm Theatre was contracted by Mr. J. Young who used "Lay-Mor concrete blocks, made here in Beaufort.. in this modern little theatre.” It seated about 300. It was managed by Mr. Earl Smith, the brother of Ira Smith.“
JeAnais Mitchell’s website below also has multiple other Beaufort theatres that will need CT pages created for them.
Repeat image from an unknown book added, offers a different timeline on renovations and re-openings.
It claims renovated in 1978, but didn’t reopen until 1983.
Closed again in 1999.
Renovated again to restore it’s art deco look, some of which was lost in the previous renovation.
Opened as Lyric Theatre Thursday Night October 29, 1925. Prior day newspaper image added announcing Gala Opening the following night. Reopened as Crest Theatre with “Lady and the Tramp” and “Almost Angels” per an October 1962 news post, image added.
Original rendering image added credit Benjamin Gravel. August 2025 street view shows it to be for sale. Satellite view shows it has no roof and is in a stay of decay.
From the City of Rockford Government Facebook page:
“CAPITAL THEATER UPDATE: The City is excited to share progress on the former Capital Theater at 1122 S. Main Street - an important step toward revitalizing this historic landmark.
We have taken action to preserve the building’s iconic front facade, commercial storefronts, and second-floor apartments, positioning the property for future redevelopment. The structure’s most notable features, including its terra-cotta medallions, deep red Spanish tile roof, and the sculpted faces of Anton Rubinstein, William Shakespeare, Enrico Caruso and Giuseppe Verdi, will all remain part of the neighborhood’s architectural character.
To support redevelopment potential, the City has:
• Completed asbestos abatement across the entire structure
• Initiated brownfields environmental assessments to increase marketability
• Ensured the property remains eligible for significant incentives, including historic tax credits
Only the severely deteriorated rear theater portion - long vacant and structurally compromised - is being removed so the remainder of the building can be safely stabilized and marketed to investors.
This partial demolition and preservation plan was approved by both the City’s Finance & Personnel Committee and the full City Council in August 2025.
These steps reflect our commitment to protecting historic assets while paving the way for new investment and opportunity along South Main Street.”
Re-Opened in November 2025 as The Ingersoll, a live music & dinner theatre venue.
Official Website, Facebook page and KCCI news piece below.
(The venue has 187 seats downstairs and 44 seats in the club level, which has a private bar, private restroom, and an elevator.)-KCCI
For the record there was a third, short lived theatre in Cedarburg called the Scenic Theatre located in the Bodendoerfer Store Building. But I’ve yet to find an address or years of operation.
CT Admins likely won’t change the status to Open until it actually does.
They usually change it to Renovating per my experience.
But here is the new Facebook page for the 400 via the Alderwoman Maria Hadden’s page.
For the record there was a third, short lived theatre in Cedarburg called the Scenic Theatre located in the Bodendoerfer Store Building.
But I’ve yet to find an address or years of operation.
Full history credit History of the Heartland:
“Dan Higgins, a Decatur police officer, opened a silent movie theatre 110 years ago tonight, on Christmas Eve, in 1913. Located at 1234 East Eldorado Street, Higgins branded it as "The Paris Theater”. Higgins was an efficient traffic cop who directed at the busy corner of East Main and Water Streets. His profession and focus on safety were reflected in his design for the theatre: it was the only one in town where the customers faced the exit. The projection booth was then the usual source of theatre fires. The electrical codes were more rudimentary, and the film projectors ran hot. In case of a fire in the projection booth, the customers would then exit AWAY from the fire. Higgins was born in Hamilton, Illinois, in 1870. He came to Decatur at age 14 and remained here for the rest of his life. Before his employment as a peace officer, he had worked for the Wabash Railroad as a wheel inspector, where he developed an excellent reputation for his attention to detail. Higgins sold the theatre in 1920. He died in 1922 at age 51. By 1923 the theatre had closed, and the building was repurposed for commercial use. Today, the site is an empty lot just east of the recently razed union hall building at the corner of Jasper and Eldorado."
Correct address is 234 W. 2nd Street, and was still standing as of the September 2021 street view. Address confirmed via the below City of Madrid November 2017 request for bids to remove it.
https://madridiowa.org/bids-for-movie-theater-removal/
Address was 1113 Boundary Street and has been Demolished. Below description credit JeAnais Mitchell: “The Palm Theatre was contracted by Mr. J. Young who used "Lay-Mor concrete blocks, made here in Beaufort.. in this modern little theatre.” It seated about 300. It was managed by Mr. Earl Smith, the brother of Ira Smith.“ JeAnais Mitchell’s website below also has multiple other Beaufort theatres that will need CT pages created for them.
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8b7078a7ef2d4fe99aa5058e095eefc7
Repeat image from an unknown book added, offers a different timeline on renovations and re-openings. It claims renovated in 1978, but didn’t reopen until 1983. Closed again in 1999. Renovated again to restore it’s art deco look, some of which was lost in the previous renovation.
Remodeled and reopened by John Michael King in 1995 as The Old Princess Theatre a live music venue. Print ad and tickets added. Unknown closure date.
Listing courtesy it’s current owners. Copy and paste to open.
https://lacdb.com/listings/6a138dae-446-vallette-st/?fbclid=IwY2xjawO5e8BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFxYlQ0enpMTG41S01sVWZ6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhzh3DLsKvZtlzvpw1mrPQnVfcnhoWKKH9ASPKnWnsRGXCkz3k9P2sZ8wauY_aem_1TfieICZ7w_KNKvUKhBvZQ
Circa 1958 photo credit Archive Of American Television / EyesOfAGeneration.com
1960 photo credit Ed Roseberry, UVA Alumni Association.
Update: 1960 photo credit Ed Roseberry, UVA Alumni Association.
Update: Photo credit Historic Alexandria Foundation.
Opened as Lyric Theatre Thursday Night October 29, 1925. Prior day newspaper image added announcing Gala Opening the following night. Reopened as Crest Theatre with “Lady and the Tramp” and “Almost Angels” per an October 1962 news post, image added.
Crisper version.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122192712494435279&set=g.1574918839849023
Building to be auctioned off.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/15/cinema-chatham-building-once-one-of-the-south-sides-few-movie-theaters-is-up-for-auction/?utm_content=buffer30f54&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwY2xjawOtiPRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeJdR0urQ8EaMq8csLHCtklcmIZJO3d3N6vMTCvmYnQ0CHlvD5FDrik5K9P04_aem_WtcQeRnRXlyVJB8_XpD4rw
Mercury Studio Collection.
https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/p16614coll2/id/2/rec/2
Mercury Studio Collection.
https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/p16614coll2/id/1/rec/1
Address was 111 N. 6th Street. Circa 1915 photo added credit Charles Adams, courtesy Springfield Rewind.
Original rendering image added credit Benjamin Gravel.
August 2025 street view shows it to be for sale.
Satellite view shows it has no roof and is in a stay of decay.
From the City of Rockford Government Facebook page:
“CAPITAL THEATER UPDATE: The City is excited to share progress on the former Capital Theater at 1122 S. Main Street - an important step toward revitalizing this historic landmark. We have taken action to preserve the building’s iconic front facade, commercial storefronts, and second-floor apartments, positioning the property for future redevelopment. The structure’s most notable features, including its terra-cotta medallions, deep red Spanish tile roof, and the sculpted faces of Anton Rubinstein, William Shakespeare, Enrico Caruso and Giuseppe Verdi, will all remain part of the neighborhood’s architectural character. To support redevelopment potential, the City has: • Completed asbestos abatement across the entire structure • Initiated brownfields environmental assessments to increase marketability • Ensured the property remains eligible for significant incentives, including historic tax credits Only the severely deteriorated rear theater portion - long vacant and structurally compromised - is being removed so the remainder of the building can be safely stabilized and marketed to investors. This partial demolition and preservation plan was approved by both the City’s Finance & Personnel Committee and the full City Council in August 2025. These steps reflect our commitment to protecting historic assets while paving the way for new investment and opportunity along South Main Street.”
Re-Opened in November 2025 as The Ingersoll, a live music & dinner theatre venue. Official Website, Facebook page and KCCI news piece below. (The venue has 187 seats downstairs and 44 seats in the club level, which has a private bar, private restroom, and an elevator.)-KCCI
https://www.theingersoll.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579515766491
https://www.kcci.com/article/historic-ingersoll-theater-in-des-moines-set-to-reopen-in-november/66115333?fbclid=IwY2xjawOn0ZNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFzOEFrY25ITXV1MU5Ja0h4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo_-DekS5JYCgCe0u2RkHZagPoRXtAqnRDMfnaotcn9q_pvdHajcBFhI9tv2_aem_bJVd079ZcC9apZ-T3SadrQ
Opened on Friday December 1, 1939, not December 2. Here is the official Harpos Concert Theatre Facebook page with all it’s social media links.
https://www.facebook.com/officialharposdetroit
For the record there was a third, short lived theatre in Cedarburg called the Scenic Theatre located in the Bodendoerfer Store Building. But I’ve yet to find an address or years of operation.
Variety review of the re-opening with Cynthia Erivo.
https://variety.com/2025/music/news/cynthia-erivo-plaza-theatre-palm-springs-reopening-concert-1236597526/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
CT Admins likely won’t change the status to Open until it actually does. They usually change it to Renovating per my experience. But here is the new Facebook page for the 400 via the Alderwoman Maria Hadden’s page.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583980296254
For the record there was a third, short lived theatre in Cedarburg called the Scenic Theatre located in the Bodendoerfer Store Building. But I’ve yet to find an address or years of operation.