Garden Theatre
121 W. 3rd Street,
Davenport,
IA
52801
121 W. 3rd Street,
Davenport,
IA
52801
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: Rudolph J. Clausen, Walter O. Kruse
Firms: Clausen & Kruse
Nearby Theaters
The Garden Theatre was opened September 22, 1915. It was built by A.H. Blank, who by March 1929 had become a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Inc. It was closed March 31, 1953 and was converted into retail use. I has since been demolished.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
1940 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page.
1935 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page. Appears to be the original marquee & blade sign.
This opened on September 15th, 1915. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12057243/garden_theatre_opening/
March 1936 foyer promotion for Boris Karloff’s “The Walking Dead” added.
1931 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page.
The Garden Theatre launched September 22, 1915 as a new build theatre playing “Helene of the North.” Clausen & Kruse were the architects and the Mandel Brothers of Chicago handled the interior decoration. The theatre would add sound followed by a refurbishing in 1930.
The Garden Theatre closed for the summer on March 31, 1953 with plans to come back exclusively as a 3D theatre in the Fall. That never transpired. In July of 1954, the theater seats were removed and the floor leveled to become two different retail locations, one of which was a Posner’s retail store.
Architect Frederick George Clausen retired in 1914, and it is likely that the 1915 Garden Theatre was designed by his son, Rudolph J. Clausen, who, on his father’s retirement, formed the firm of Clausen & Kruse with Walter O. Kruse.
This theater was demolished decades ago.
The Garden was an A. H. Blank property from the beginning, as noted in this item from Motography of March 6, 1915: “A. H. Blank is going to erect a $50,000 moving picture theater seating 1,000 in Davenport. Sam Greenebaum is associated with him. The theater will be located on Third street between Brady and Main and will be known as the Garden.”
Taken over by A.H. Blank Theatres (a subsidiary of Paramount-Publix) in March 1929.