Typo in the listing, ‘Hose’. The ‘in recent years’ is a bit vague and confusing, and no longer accurate. Seems to have maybe taken place in the 1990s? The history on the theater website is not terribly clear.
This is not demolished. The history needs a lot of work. This theater appears on the 1911 map. The 1900 map has it as a dry goods store, and the building was built sometime before 1883. The second floor was a lodge room, at least up until the theater operation started.
For some incredibly stupid reason, I did a terrible job covering this town, despite decent weather. I’ve added a Sanborn view, and a shot of downtown with the theater in the foreground. The building is in decent shape, aside from the typical ugly remodeled ground floor.
It was originally 4th from the corner, but a new bank built around 1910 (which is the white building to the right in the photo) replaced the earlier structures. You are correct about the Iowa’s location. This block has been pretty badly butchered, but the distinctive brickwork on the building to the left of the Iowa can still be seen. Address was indeed 106-108 for the opera house.
The original facade, before the nasty remodel, was that of the old Solon. Although most of this block was destroyed by the fire in June 1931, there was enough of the Solon left that the Spencer was one of the first buildings completed. When I passed through in Nov. 2009, there was also an entrance lobby in the Moore building to the south. I assume the other two screens were there.
The Spencer was able to open so soon after the fire because the facade of the Solon was able to be reused. That explains why they seem to be basically the same building.
Extremely poor listing. This has not been demolished. The address is 217 Grand Ave. It seems to have been a remodel of a garage/dealership which appears on the 1924 map. Definitely open by 1941. Now a law office.
I’m not sure this history is correct. The 1931 fire did destroy most of this block. The theater building seems to be on the 1924 map, but it has no label, except two small stores flanking the entrance. It appears to be a remodeling of a concrete block garage on the 1915 map. The 1941 map shows the Spencer with an identical footprint and layout. It’s possible this did not open until sometime during 1924. It is odd that the map has no label for that building. It may have been open since 1921, and there was an error where the surveyor forgot to label it.
Most of the pictures are wrong, including the main one. They show the Fraser, which is somewhere else. It’s very obvious from looking at the neighboring buildings.
Address is 201. Not sure if this has been demolished, but it was on Preservation Iowa’s most endangered list in 2018. A deadbeat owner had neglected it and failed to pay taxes, and it was seized by the city. Satellite view shows lots of holes in the roof.
The first movie was apparently shown in 1900, when a screening of a film of the Oberammergau Passion Play was screened here. May have been called the Storm Lake Opera House, or that may have been a way that people referred to it.
SethG
commented about
Airdomeon
Nov 22, 2023 at 12:54 pm
Fyock apparently became the manager of the World, and supplied the projection equipment. The World (later Empire, then Lake) opened late 1911, so this may have just been a one-season theater.
Another interesting note from the article: A very young Jack Benny played here on opening night. The theater was apparently not quite complete, which caused difficulties for the acts.
This opened Nov. 6, 1911 as the World. Owner and architect was J.M. Russell. Sometime in 1915, it was renamed the Empire. It may have closed in 1929, because the article this information came from says it ‘reopened’ in 1939 as the Lake. It closed in 1952 and became a store.
Much older than 1940. Appears on the Dec. 1914 Sanborn. Not on the 1909 map. Wide commercial block in yellow/orange brick. The stage tower is still up, but impossible to see from anything but the satellite view. Looks like the historical address was 108. Seems to be office space for the healthcare place at 112.
SethG
commented about
Theatreon
Nov 19, 2023 at 7:40 am
It’s crazy that such a tiny little town had so much going on. We may never be able to untangle it.
Was renamed the ‘Met’ by around 1944, when the lobby was redone, and a new marquee added. That still existed when the building was listed in 1975.
Typo in the listing, ‘Hose’. The ‘in recent years’ is a bit vague and confusing, and no longer accurate. Seems to have maybe taken place in the 1990s? The history on the theater website is not terribly clear.
This is not demolished. The history needs a lot of work. This theater appears on the 1911 map. The 1900 map has it as a dry goods store, and the building was built sometime before 1883. The second floor was a lodge room, at least up until the theater operation started.
For some incredibly stupid reason, I did a terrible job covering this town, despite decent weather. I’ve added a Sanborn view, and a shot of downtown with the theater in the foreground. The building is in decent shape, aside from the typical ugly remodeled ground floor.
Not a Fridley anymore. Website is: https://humotatheater.com/
Anyone found a picture before that disgusting remodel?
It was originally 4th from the corner, but a new bank built around 1910 (which is the white building to the right in the photo) replaced the earlier structures. You are correct about the Iowa’s location. This block has been pretty badly butchered, but the distinctive brickwork on the building to the left of the Iowa can still be seen. Address was indeed 106-108 for the opera house.
Maybe. This wasn’t a new building, but if they did extensive work on it, they might have referred to it as new.
Closed sometime in 2018, website now dating spam.
The original facade, before the nasty remodel, was that of the old Solon. Although most of this block was destroyed by the fire in June 1931, there was enough of the Solon left that the Spencer was one of the first buildings completed. When I passed through in Nov. 2009, there was also an entrance lobby in the Moore building to the south. I assume the other two screens were there.
The Spencer was able to open so soon after the fire because the facade of the Solon was able to be reused. That explains why they seem to be basically the same building.
Extremely poor listing. This has not been demolished. The address is 217 Grand Ave. It seems to have been a remodel of a garage/dealership which appears on the 1924 map. Definitely open by 1941. Now a law office.
Wrong theater. This is the Fraser.
Wrong theater. This is the Fraser.
Wrong theater. This is the Fraser.
This Fraser was a replacement of an earlier Fraser, destroyed in the 1931 fire which left this entire block in ruins.
I’m not sure this history is correct. The 1931 fire did destroy most of this block. The theater building seems to be on the 1924 map, but it has no label, except two small stores flanking the entrance. It appears to be a remodeling of a concrete block garage on the 1915 map. The 1941 map shows the Spencer with an identical footprint and layout. It’s possible this did not open until sometime during 1924. It is odd that the map has no label for that building. It may have been open since 1921, and there was an error where the surveyor forgot to label it.
Most of the pictures are wrong, including the main one. They show the Fraser, which is somewhere else. It’s very obvious from looking at the neighboring buildings.
Address is 201. Not sure if this has been demolished, but it was on Preservation Iowa’s most endangered list in 2018. A deadbeat owner had neglected it and failed to pay taxes, and it was seized by the city. Satellite view shows lots of holes in the roof.
The first movie was apparently shown in 1900, when a screening of a film of the Oberammergau Passion Play was screened here. May have been called the Storm Lake Opera House, or that may have been a way that people referred to it.
Fyock apparently became the manager of the World, and supplied the projection equipment. The World (later Empire, then Lake) opened late 1911, so this may have just been a one-season theater.
Another interesting note from the article: A very young Jack Benny played here on opening night. The theater was apparently not quite complete, which caused difficulties for the acts.
This opened Nov. 6, 1911 as the World. Owner and architect was J.M. Russell. Sometime in 1915, it was renamed the Empire. It may have closed in 1929, because the article this information came from says it ‘reopened’ in 1939 as the Lake. It closed in 1952 and became a store.
Much older than 1940. Appears on the Dec. 1914 Sanborn. Not on the 1909 map. Wide commercial block in yellow/orange brick. The stage tower is still up, but impossible to see from anything but the satellite view. Looks like the historical address was 108. Seems to be office space for the healthcare place at 112.
It’s crazy that such a tiny little town had so much going on. We may never be able to untangle it.
Also, this theater is not located at an intersection. This seems to be a common mistake by this contributor. It’s located well north of 5th.