Oriental Theatre
Milwaukee, WI Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Oriental Theatre is one of those places that makes you slow down before you even walk through the front doors. The glowing vertical sign is a Milwaukee landmark, but it's the incredible interior that really steals the show. Everywhere you look there's another ornate detail waiting to be discovered.
Opening in 1927, the Oriental was built to make a night at the movies feel like an event. Even after being converted into a multi-screen theater, it managed to keep the grand movie palace atmosphere that makes it so memorable. It's also become famous for its long-running midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Some theaters are worth visiting for the movie. The Oriental is worth visiting just to experience the theater itself.
UPDATE: The Oriental Theatre continues showing films and hosting special events beneath its beautifully restored marquee. 07-26
Du Page Theatre (Demolished)
Lombard, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
At first glance, the DuPage Theatre looks like it could open its doors for another Saturday night show. The beautiful Spanish-style facade and marquee gave downtown Lombard the look of a much larger city, making it easy to imagine moviegoers lining up beneath the lights.
Opening in 1928, the DuPage was an atmospheric theater where movies shared the stage with live entertainment. In its later years it became a popular discount theater before plans to save the building ultimately fell through. Despite years of preservation efforts, the theater was demolished in 2007.
Photos like this are a reminder of what once stood in downtown Lombard. For a brief moment, it still looked ready for the next feature, even though its final curtain wasn't far away.
UPDATE: The DuPage Theatre was demolished in 2007 after a lengthy preservation battle. Today, only photographs remain to remember one of Illinois' finest neighborhood movie palaces. 07-26
State Theatre
Logansport, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
The State Theatre still lights up downtown Logansport with the kind of marquee that makes you want to see what's playing. At a glance it looks like another classic neighborhood movie house that's been entertaining generations of local audiences.
The building became a theater in 1940 after beginning life as a dry goods store. For decades it showed first-run movies before the final film rolled in 2012. Fortunately, the story didn't end there. Local preservationists stepped in to save both the theater and its familiar vertical sign, giving the old building a new role as a home for concerts, comedy shows, live performances, and community events.
It's always nice to see a theater find a second act instead of fading away. While the movies may be gone, the lights are still on and people are still gathering beneath the marquee, just as they have for generations.
UPDATE: The State Theatre continues serving downtown Logansport as a restored nonprofit performing arts venue, keeping its historic marquee shining for a new generation. 07-26
Fountain Square Theatre
Indianapolis, IN Photo courtesy Emily Steele
The Fountain Square Theatre is one of those buildings that makes you want to pull over for a closer look. The classic marquee still lights up the neighborhood, a reminder of when this was one of Indianapolis' grand movie palaces.
Opening in 1928, the theater entertained audiences for years before movies gave way to a new chapter. Rather than disappearing, the building was restored and found new life as an entertainment destination, with the former theater now hosting concerts, weddings, and special events.
It's always nice to see a theater survive, even if the projector isn't running anymore.
UPDATE: The Fountain Square Theatre remains beautifully restored and continues serving as a centerpiece of the historic Fountain Square neighborhood. 07-26
Hub Theatre (Gone)
Rochelle, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Hub Theatre looked like the kind of place where a movie was always about to start. Sitting right along Lincoln Highway in downtown Rochelle, its Art Deco facade had the familiar look of the neighborhood theaters that once anchored so many small Midwestern towns. You could almost picture the marquee glowing after dark and families drifting in from nearby shops for an evening show.
Opening in 1931 as a single-screen theater, the Hub entertained generations of local moviegoers before eventually being divided into three auditoriums during the 1980s. It wasn't the biggest theater around, but that was never really the point. Places like this were part of everyday life. Saturday matinees, first dates, summer afternoons with the air conditioning running full blast, and the latest Hollywood blockbuster all played out beneath the same roof.
UPDATE: The Hub Theatre is no longer a "hub" for people these days as the theatre stands empty. According to The Theatre Historical Society of America, the Hub is currently up for sale for $225,000. Rochelle is called the "hub city" duty to rail lines that cross here. 07-11
One of the things that makes old neighborhood theaters so appealing is how naturally they fit into their downtowns. The Hub wasn't tucked away in a shopping center surrounded by acres of parking. It belonged on Main Street, where you could park once, stroll the sidewalks, grab a bite to eat, and catch a movie before heading home. That's a style of moviegoing that's becoming harder to find.
Hub Theatre (Gone)
Rochelle, IL Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan
The theater eventually closed, but unlike so many old cinemas, the building was given another chance. Today it has been thoughtfully transformed into a craft distillery, with much of the theater's character still evident inside. High ceilings and Art Deco details remain, giving visitors a glimpse of the building's former life even as it serves an entirely different purpose.
It's always satisfying to see an old theater survive, even when the projector has long since gone dark. Buildings like the Hub have a way of carrying their history with them, and if you look closely, it's still easy to imagine the crowds gathering beneath the marquee for another Saturday night at the movies.
UPDATE: The Hub Theatre closed in 2011 and now operates as Kennay Farms Distilling. While the marquee has been removed, parts of it were preserved by the Flagg Township Museum, and the beautifully restored building continues welcoming visitors in a new role. 07-26
Arcadia Theatre (Gone)
Olney, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Arcadia Theatre still looks like it ought to be showing movies. Sitting along Main Street in downtown Olney, its distinctive marquee continues to catch your eye, making it easy to imagine crowds gathering beneath it on a Friday night.
Opening in 1927, the Arcadia entertained local audiences for decades before eventually being divided into multiple screens to keep up with changing times. Like so many neighborhood theaters, it remained a familiar downtown landmark long after the glory days of the movie palace had passed.
The projectors may be silent today, but the old theater still has plenty of character. Buildings like this have a way of making you slow down and wonder how many Saturday nights began beneath that marquee.
UPDATE: The Arcadia Theatre closed in 2016 and remains vacant. Its marquee survives, though the original "ARCADIA" sign above it has been removed. 07-26
Town Theatre (Rem.)
Flora, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Town Theatre has one of those facades that says exactly what it is. Its bold lettering and streamlined design still stand out along the streets of downtown Flora, reminding you of a time when nearly every town had its own neighborhood movie theater.
Built in 1950 to replace Flora's older Roxy Theatre, the Town welcomed moviegoers for more than sixty years before the final film was shown in 2012. Fortunately, the building didn't stay dark forever. A local nonprofit stepped in to restore the theater, and today it has a new life as the Nostalgia Theatre, hosting live music, plays, and community events.
It's always nice to see an old theater continue bringing people together. The movies may be gone, but the marquee still points the way to an evening's entertainment.
UPDATE: The former Town Theatre continues operating as the Nostalgia Theatre while volunteers work to preserve and restore the historic building. 07-26
Oriental Theatre
Du Page Theatre (Demolished)
State Theatre
Fountain Square Theatre
Hub Theatre (Gone)
Arcadia Theatre (Gone)
Town Theatre (Rem.)
