Violet Theatre
2450 W. Vliet Street,
Milwaukee,
WI
53205
2450 W. Vliet Street,
Milwaukee,
WI
53205
1 person
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I lived two houses north of this theater. I do recall going to at least one movie there, although I was only about 5when it closed. After it closed it became a combination of a retail store on the first floor (Bardahl Oil Treatment) and apartments on the second floor. It remained that way until it finally demolished in the 1980’s, as I recall.
A Mighty WurliTizer Theater Pipe Organ, Opus 594 was shipped 640 miles from the factory in North Tonawanda, New York on October 28, 1922. It was a 2/4, manual/rank, keyboards/sets of pipes. It was a wonderful instrument with a total of 280 pipes, an attached 88 note piano (with mandolin attachment), cathedral chimes, xylophone, glockenspiel, brass drum, kettle drum, cymbal, snare drum, tambourine, castanets, chinese block, sleigh bells, horse hoofs, bird, auto horn, fire gong, siren, triangle, surf, train, fire gong, steamboat whistle, tom tom and door bell. Alas it was repossessed and sent 90 miles South to Chicago on January 30, 1932. It was installed in the Sacred Heart Church. I wonder if they installed all those sound effects? Anyone know what happed to the organ after that?
“Gee Dad, it was a WurliTizer!
The Western Builder of May 1910 states the architect as Albert B. Jewett. The article has extensive elevations and plans and also states the theater was already built at that time.