Wisconsin Theatre
235 W. Grand Avenue,
Wisconsin Rapids,
WI
54494
235 W. Grand Avenue,
Wisconsin Rapids,
WI
54494
1 person
favorited this theater
Built in 1917 as a bank. The Wisconsin Theatre opened on February 1, 1939 with Eleanor Powell, Robert Young and George Burns in “Honolulu”. The original seating capacity was for 900 in its single screen, and the theatre was designed by local architect Donn Hougen.
It was owned by Mr & Mrs Eckart, who also operated two other theatres in Wisconsin Rapids, the Rapids Theatre and Palace Theatre. The Wisconsin Theatre was featured in the ‘Best Theatres’ edition of Motion Picture Herald on June 24, 1939.
The Wisconsin Theatre was demolished in February 1995.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre, Paul Goss
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
The Wisconsin was remodeled in 1939 to accommodate 900 patrons. It closed in 1984 and was demolished in the mid nineties.
This article is dated 9/15/60. If you’re only going to take $3, you might as well take some Raisinets at the same time:
Small Amount of Cash Stolen from Theater
Burglars entered the Wisconsin Theater, 235 W. Grand Avenue, some time after the second showing of Wednesday night’s movie, and took $3 in cash from the candy counter money drawer and an unidentified amount of change from a soft drink machine. Entry was made after a flat rock was inserted in the rear door lock mechanism, causing the door to remain unlocked when the theater was closed for the night, according to police.
Here is a May 1947 ad from the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune:
http://tinyurl.com/9x7zdh
From Paul Gross, former projectionist at the Wisconsin Theatre:
The Wisconsin opened February 2, 1939—not June.
The Wisconsin was built new—not remodeled.
Paul just had his 90th birthday and is working on a documentary movie to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Wisconsin Theatre.
Unfortunately, the site of the Wisconsin is now a park.
Ron Harris
This opened on February 1st, 1939. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
The Mead Witter Foundation announced on Sept. 6, 2018 its plans to demolish four buildings on the “Theater Block” in Wisconsin Rapids. The foundation’s first purchase in the Theater Block was the Wisconsin Theatre building that was left vacant by previous owners. The next purchase included the Palace Theatre building that had housed a clothing store that closed. Sieber’s Restaurant offered to sell its building, as did the Potter family who owned two parcels of land. That area became a private park in 2002.
1939 souvenir program.
http://content.mpl.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/mcml/id/18405?fbclid=IwAR0FulJkpBvf_m9XYY4agpToiFIpQ3V3FPozGfK0xvHDIhSrepKr6ZSRB-E
Seven images added.
The building which housed the Wisconsin Theatre was built in 1917 by A. Moorman & Company for the Citizens National Bank. It subsequently served other purposes until it was renovated to become the Wisconsin. I have uploaded an early photo showing the Citizens National Bank name.