Grand Theatre
313 Main Street,
Minatare,
NE
69356
313 Main Street,
Minatare,
NE
69356
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Additional Info
Functions: Daycare Center
Previous Names: Gauvain's Opera House, Minatare Opera House, Evans Opera House, New Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Minatare Opera House Block has survived more than 100 years in the diminutive Nebraska town. It opened as Gauvain’s Opera House on December 21, 1914 with live entertainment. Its drop curtain was painted by Albert Wright Atkinson who played professional baseball in the 1880’s in the Union Association and the American Association. At roughly the same time, the town was served by a new movie theatre, the Leafy Theatre.
The Opera House changed owners and its name changed from the Gauvin to the Minatare Opera House to Evans Opera House. The Leafy Theatre went out of business in 1920 and the Opera House switched more frequently to motion pictures. It was renamed New Theatre on May 23, 1925 opening with John Bowers in “When a Man’s a Man”. Likely at the end of a 10-year lease, the Opera House was taken over by the owner of the Harshman Building, E.O. Harshman, who changed its name to the Grand Theatre on June 18, 1925. Ernest Holcomb took on the thereon December 18, 1930 promising - though not delivering - sound films.
Movies were discontinued in 1931 and George W. Luce opened the Aladdin Theatre in the Harshman Building on August 27, 1931 with talkies. The Opera House had sporadic live events and serves as a daycare center in the 21st Century.
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The opera house was built on the site of a former block which had burnt down. Gauvin, a blacksmith, is reported to have paid $8,000 for its construction.
It currently functions as a Head Start Day Care Center.
Minatare did once suffer without a movie theater for several months after the Strand Theatre got destroyed by a fire in September 1924. The Opera House reopened as a movie theater following remodeling on May 23, 1925 as the New Theatre, reopening with “When A Man’s A Man” (unknown if extras added). It was named the New Theatre due to the management not giving the name yet at the time of opening.
It wasn’t until June 18, 1925 when a theater-naming contest was held, and a grand total of 31 people selected the Grand Theatre name, presented by Phil Fulton.