No theaters at all on the 1919 map. Probably on the west side at the north end, and thus demolished. It could have been in one of the buildings on the east side just north or south of Davis Alley, since those have had the storefronts filled in. Broadway is called Kirtley on older maps.
The pictures from the NRHP listing show the building in very rough shape, with the marquee gone and the theater entry paneled in that metal-edged formica stuff. The original doors are still there. For whatever reason, the ticket booth and entry were destroyed by an ugly remodel sometime afterward, and the 2008 streetview shows a really depressing facade with a chintzy flat plastic marquee. By 2014, this had been replaced by a reproduction of the one shown in the photo above.
The Palace building was constructed in 1901, according to the NRHP listing for downtown (which also says it was known as the Queen, and that it operated into the ‘70s). It didn’t open until sometime after 1910, when the map shows a dry goods store occupying the entire structure. The 1923 map shows the theater sharing the building with a bottling plant. The address for the building appears to have been 121-123 vs. 119-121 in the '80s when the listing was written up, but the 1923 map shows the address as it is today.
The hotel was constructed sometime before 1896, and was originally called the Fleming House. The space where the theater was located was a later expansion, and appeared by 1903. The 1908 map notes the rear section as a hall, and says ‘To Have Stage and Scenery’. By 1927, the hotel seems to have closed. The front is used as stores, the rear is divided into two residential spaces. A ‘vacant theatre’ is noted on the second floor of the rear.
The hotel was constructed sometime around 1900, replacing an older wooden hotel, the Davies House, which burned May 5, 1899. The hall was a later addition. It does not appear on the 1903 map, but has been added by 1908. As can be seen from the map view, it was constructed entirely of wood.
Hotel was renamed the Main around 1950-60, and was torn down in 1982. Quite a good looking-building. The theater was still open in 1914, but had reverted to use as a hall by 1927.
Forgot to add the architect (and/or?) builder, William A. Hocking. Construction cost just over $1,500, which is just under $47K today, so still quite cheap.
The 1951 Sanborn shows a construction date of 1948. The entire block was built between 1948 and 1951, replacing a few wooden houses. After a paper mill opened in 1937, there was a huge increase in population (748 1920 to 6,437 1960).
Address is wrong. Looks like it’s 107 S Lynch. The 1921 map shows a single story general store in what looks like the same location. That may have been converted to the theater.
Before remodeling, this was the Iowa Automobile Company dealership, built in 1920 by the Woerpel brothers. The garage at rear, largely intact, became a tavern, which is the current use.
The address for the Lyceum is confusing. Elm St is called Main on the old maps. Main is also Main on those maps, except the block between Elm and Williams, which is called Elm. Anyhow, what is now Elm is all houses where a 101 would be, except a small old store on the corner with 7th, but it faces 7th.
Main Ave is very clearly not terribly ‘main’. On the old maps this area is a collection of mostly wooden buildings (a big lumberyard, the waterworks, livery stables, etc.). There was also a railyard with 5 tracks where the Rock Island, which ran diagonally behind downtown, met up with the CB&Q. Seems an odd neighborhood for a theater, but it would have had to have been 101 N, perhaps where the green shed is now. That entire half block is empty on the 1913 map, with the exception of the house at 111.
Looking through my pictures, I just noticed the little stone up at the top. I can’t quite make it out, but it looks like it might say ‘Cafe of Light’ with a ‘191x’ under it. Strangely, it doesn’t show up on the one older photo we have, which also shows the brick to be light with dark spots. Maybe that was a veneer? Was the roofline lowered before the tornado, or because of it.
This might be the Pitts, or the Lillian.
No theaters at all on the 1919 map. Probably on the west side at the north end, and thus demolished. It could have been in one of the buildings on the east side just north or south of Davis Alley, since those have had the storefronts filled in. Broadway is called Kirtley on older maps.
If it was converted to a market in 1951, it can’t have been open in 1957.
According to information on other Silco listings, this was definitely still open in the mid-‘60s.
This was possibly a segregated theater, given notes on older maps of this part of town.
The pictures from the NRHP listing show the building in very rough shape, with the marquee gone and the theater entry paneled in that metal-edged formica stuff. The original doors are still there. For whatever reason, the ticket booth and entry were destroyed by an ugly remodel sometime afterward, and the 2008 streetview shows a really depressing facade with a chintzy flat plastic marquee. By 2014, this had been replaced by a reproduction of the one shown in the photo above.
The Palace building was constructed in 1901, according to the NRHP listing for downtown (which also says it was known as the Queen, and that it operated into the ‘70s). It didn’t open until sometime after 1910, when the map shows a dry goods store occupying the entire structure. The 1923 map shows the theater sharing the building with a bottling plant. The address for the building appears to have been 121-123 vs. 119-121 in the '80s when the listing was written up, but the 1923 map shows the address as it is today.
The hotel was constructed sometime before 1896, and was originally called the Fleming House. The space where the theater was located was a later expansion, and appeared by 1903. The 1908 map notes the rear section as a hall, and says ‘To Have Stage and Scenery’. By 1927, the hotel seems to have closed. The front is used as stores, the rear is divided into two residential spaces. A ‘vacant theatre’ is noted on the second floor of the rear.
The hotel was constructed sometime around 1900, replacing an older wooden hotel, the Davies House, which burned May 5, 1899. The hall was a later addition. It does not appear on the 1903 map, but has been added by 1908. As can be seen from the map view, it was constructed entirely of wood.
Photo should be deleted. It’s not a picture of the theater, just a run-down old supermarket that replaced it.
Hotel was renamed the Main around 1950-60, and was torn down in 1982. Quite a good looking-building. The theater was still open in 1914, but had reverted to use as a hall by 1927.
Sanborn map says the building was constructed 1910, and gives the theater capacity as 750.
As can be seen from the photo, the address until at least 1951 was 408 Main. Not sure why odds and evens switched sides when they renumbered.
Forgot to add the architect (and/or?) builder, William A. Hocking. Construction cost just over $1,500, which is just under $47K today, so still quite cheap.
The address now is 110 N Main. That part didn’t need to be changed.
The 1951 Sanborn shows a construction date of 1948. The entire block was built between 1948 and 1951, replacing a few wooden houses. After a paper mill opened in 1937, there was a huge increase in population (748 1920 to 6,437 1960).
This theater is shown on the November 1938 Sanborn. It is still operating on the July 1951 map. The address during this period was 415 Main.
Address is wrong. Looks like it’s 107 S Lynch. The 1921 map shows a single story general store in what looks like the same location. That may have been converted to the theater.
Address should be 1828 1st St.
Note that at least up until the ‘40s, this part of Main was called Elmwood. Main began somewhere west of the square.
Based on information from Ken Roe, there was a Liberty listed in 1926, which may have been this theater if it was still in operation.
Demolished by 2014, looked really ugly by the end.
Before remodeling, this was the Iowa Automobile Company dealership, built in 1920 by the Woerpel brothers. The garage at rear, largely intact, became a tavern, which is the current use.
I will create a listing for the first Paramount.
The address for the Lyceum is confusing. Elm St is called Main on the old maps. Main is also Main on those maps, except the block between Elm and Williams, which is called Elm. Anyhow, what is now Elm is all houses where a 101 would be, except a small old store on the corner with 7th, but it faces 7th.
Main Ave is very clearly not terribly ‘main’. On the old maps this area is a collection of mostly wooden buildings (a big lumberyard, the waterworks, livery stables, etc.). There was also a railyard with 5 tracks where the Rock Island, which ran diagonally behind downtown, met up with the CB&Q. Seems an odd neighborhood for a theater, but it would have had to have been 101 N, perhaps where the green shed is now. That entire half block is empty on the 1913 map, with the exception of the house at 111.
Looking through my pictures, I just noticed the little stone up at the top. I can’t quite make it out, but it looks like it might say ‘Cafe of Light’ with a ‘191x’ under it. Strangely, it doesn’t show up on the one older photo we have, which also shows the brick to be light with dark spots. Maybe that was a veneer? Was the roofline lowered before the tornado, or because of it.