Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photos courtesy Ty Helbach
The Fox Theatre gave downtown Stevens Point a proper movie-house welcome for decades. Its marquee and substantial brick frontage made it easy to spot along Main Street, while the interior offered plenty more to admire. These views capture a theater whose story reaches well beyond its years showing Hollywood features.
It opened in 1894 as the Grand Opera House, commissioned by local merchant G.F. Andrae and designed by theater architect Oscar Cobb. Traveling theatrical companies, vaudeville performers, and community gatherings filled the building. It even housed the beginnings of the Stevens Point Public Library in 1895.
Fox Theatre Interior (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photos courtesy Ty Helbach
One young performer who appeared here was Harry Houdini, who entertained audiences on April 7 and 8, 1897, before becoming an international name. The building later reopened as the Majestic in 1920 following an extensive remodeling. A Barton organ arrived in 1923, adding musical accompaniment during its silent-picture years.
The Fox name followed in the late 1920s, and a new marquee was installed in 1939. Moviegoing wasn't always a quiet business here: students picketed a ticket-price increase in 1953, prompting the introduction of reduced student admission. The theater continued operating until 1985, when its long entertainment run finally ended.
Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photo courtesy Ty Helbach
Preservation efforts followed, but the building wasn't saved intact. In 2019, deterioration led to demolition of the rear two-thirds, including the auditorium. The remaining street-facing section survived for redevelopment. That distinction matters—the familiar frontage escaped, but the theater interior shown in older photographs did not.
UPDATE: The surviving portion is being adapted into The Opera House event complex. An adjacent space called The Annex allowed a partial opening in 2023 while renovation continued. It's a smaller survival story than saving the entire Fox, but part of this downtown landmark is finding another way to welcome a crowd. 07-26
Princess Theatre (Demolished)
Beardstown, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Princess Theatre looked as though it was waiting for someone to put another title on the marquee. Its three-story frontage at 111 East Fourth Street gave downtown Beardstown a proper movie-house landmark, even after the ticket window had gone quiet.
Opened October 19, 1911, the Princess seated about 820, including a balcony. Its final movie was Drag Racer, shown on March 31, 1973. The building then outlasted its moviegoing years by decades, gradually deteriorating while the blank attraction board offered little encouragement about another show.
UPDATE: The Princess was demolished in 2020. The theater and its projecting marquee are gone, ending a story that stretched from the silent-picture era to the early 1970s. Unfortunately, this was one hometown movie house that never found another use. 07-26
Stadium Theatre
Mt. Vernon, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Stadium Theatre brought a bold new movie-house front to Mount Vernon when it opened on May 15, 1947. Its strong vertical lines still stand apart from the surrounding storefronts, making this one worth a look even without a feature listed outside.
The site had already entertained audiences as the Majestic and Royal theaters before a 1945 fire led to rebuilding. The resulting Stadium was designed by architect Samuel W. Bihr Jr. It later became a twin-screen cinema in 1985, extending its moviegoing career into the multiplex era.
UPDATE: The former Stadium has found another use as a church. Its distinctive exterior remains a reminder of the postwar years when a modern downtown theater was something to show off. The program has changed, but the building escaped the wrecking ball and continues providing space for people to gather. 07-26
Salem Theatre
Salem, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Salem Theatre has a more unusual opening-night story than most. On January 2, 1938, cowboy singer Tex Ritter appeared onstage while 45 Fathers played on the screen. That's quite a welcome for a new neighborhood picture show.
Designed by O.W. Stiegemeyer, the theater's Egyptian Art Deco styling suited Salem's position as the “Gateway to Little Egypt.” An explosion and fire damaged the building in 1942, but it survived. After its later years as a twin-screen dollar theater, Kerasotes sold it to the city in 1999 for just one dollar.
UPDATE: The building continues as Salem Community Theatre & Cultural Center, with preservation work remaining an ongoing effort. Volunteers removed the old auditorium seats in July 2025 as part of another renovation campaign. Fortunately, Salem has kept both its theater and a place for local performers to take the stage. 07-26
South Town Theatre (Closed)
Springfield, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The South Town Theatre still looks like a movie house along Springfield's South Grand Avenue. Its streamlined marquee and Art Deco frontage give away its former occupation, even though nobody has bought a movie ticket here for decades.
Opened as the Empress on February 7, 1915, it received its remodeled appearance and South Town name in July 1937. Movies ended in 1959, but Walch Studio Stained Glass moved into the building in 1981. The facade and neon received restoration work in 2007, giving the old theater a little more time in the spotlight.
UPDATE: The stained-glass studio left in 2024, and the building is vacant. The marquee survives with damage to its projecting front section. Hopefully, another occupant can put this distinctive storefront back to work without losing the features that still announce its movie-house beginnings. 07-26
Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Fox Theatre Interior (Rem.)
Princess Theatre (Demolished)
Stadium Theatre
Salem Theatre
South Town Theatre (Closed)
