Midway Theatre (Closed)
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

It's hard to drive past the Midway Theatre without slowing down for a closer look. The grand marquee and soaring clock tower still dominate the streetscape, giving the impression that this was once one of Rockford's most impressive places to spend an evening. Even with the passage of time, the building has a presence that's difficult to ignore.

UPDATE: The Midway Theatre is currently closed. Apparently a non-profit foundation is seeking funding and volunteers to help restore the theatre. See more at Cinema Treasures. Many thanks to Kelly Sullivan for updated photo. 08-10

When the Midway opened in 1918, it welcomed audiences for vaudeville and silent movies before making the transition into the sound era. It remained a familiar downtown landmark for generations, and even after a devastating fire in 1980, the theater managed to survive. For a number of years it found a new purpose as the home of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, proving the old building still had plenty of life left in it.

Today, the faded marquee and weathered facade tell a different story, but they also make the building even more fascinating. You can't help but wonder what it looked like on a Saturday night when every light was glowing, the clock tower stood watch over the block, and crowds gathered beneath the marquee for the latest feature.

Midway Theatre
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Kelly Sullivan

Some theaters disappear without anyone noticing. The Midway isn't one of them. Even standing silent, it's still one of those buildings that makes you stop, look up, and imagine what once was.

UPDATE: The Midway Theatre remains vacant, though its landmark marquee and clock tower continue to stand while efforts to determine the building's future continue. 07-26

Devon Theatre
Attica, IN
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

It's hard to drive through downtown Attica without noticing the Devon Theatre. The colorful neon marquee still reaches out to passing traffic just as it has for generations, inviting people inside for an evening at the movies. Seeing a theater like this still lit up feels a little like stepping back to a time when every small town had its own neighborhood cinema.

The Devon opened in the late 1930s with a sleek Art Deco design that still gives the building plenty of personality today. While countless theaters of its era have been divided into tiny auditoriums, converted into other businesses, or simply left to fade away, the Devon has quietly continued showing movies. Sometimes surviving is just as impressive as being restored.

There's something comforting about knowing places like this are still around. The marquee still glows after dark, the box office is still open, and moviegoers are still walking through the same doors their parents and grandparents once used. It's a reminder that not every piece of roadside Americana has to become a museum to be appreciated.

Devon Theatre
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

If you're passing through Attica after sunset, slow down for a minute. The Devon is exactly the kind of theater that reminds you why it's worth getting off the interstate once in a while.

UPDATE: The Devon Theatre continues showing first-run movies beneath its beautifully preserved neon marquee, remaining one of Indiana's best surviving small-town movie houses. 07-26