Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photos courtesy Ty Helbach
Standing across the street, it's easy to picture the Fox Theatre when it was still lighting up downtown Stevens Point. The old marquee, handsome facade, and classic proportions gave it all the ingredients of a neighborhood movie house, while the interior photos show that there was just as much to admire once you stepped inside.
The building's story actually began long before it became the Fox. It opened in the 1890s as an opera house, later welcomed vaudeville performers, and eventually settled into life as a movie theater. Like so many downtown theaters, it evolved with changing times while remaining one of the community's favorite gathering places for decades.
Fox Theatre Interior (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photos courtesy Ty Helbach
When the movies finally stopped, the future of the building looked uncertain. There was even a time when it seemed the old theater might be lost altogether. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and the historic structure was saved and given a new purpose. While the marquee no longer greets moviegoers, much of the building itself survives, allowing another generation to enjoy a place that has been part of Stevens Point for well over a century.
It's always encouraging when an old theater gets a second chance. Even without the movies, the Fox still has a story worth stopping for.
Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Stevens Point, WI Photo courtesy Ty Helbach
The Fox Theatre sat quietly along Main Street when this photo was taken, its marquee already gone but its handsome brick facade still hinting at better days. It was easy to imagine the crowds that once gathered here, even though the old theater had been closed for years.
The building had a long history before becoming the Fox. It began life in the 1890s as an opera house, later hosted vaudeville acts, and eventually settled into decades as a neighborhood movie theater. Like so many old downtown cinemas, it slowly fell silent and seemed destined to disappear altogether.
At the time, it looked like the Fox might never come back. Thankfully, that wasn't the end of the story.
UPDATE: The building was ultimately saved from demolition, restored, and reopened as The Opera House, an event venue that preserves one of downtown Stevens Point's oldest entertainment landmarks. 07-26
Princess Theatre (Demolished)
Beardstown, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
Seeing the Princess Theatre with a blank marquee made you wonder how much longer it would be around. The three-story brick building still had the look of an old downtown movie house, but the missing letters and quiet entrance suggested its best days had long since passed.
The theater opened in 1911 and entertained Beardstown audiences for more than sixty years before the movies finally stopped in the early 1970s. Even after closing, the Princess remained a familiar part of downtown, standing empty while time slowly took its toll.
Old theaters have a way of making you imagine what they once looked like on a Saturday night, with the marquee filled in and people lined up on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, not all of them get a second chance.
UPDATE: The Princess Theatre was demolished in 2020 after years of deterioration, leaving old photographs like this as one of the few reminders that it was ever there. 07-26
Salem Theatre
Salem, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Salem Theatre still has the kind of marquee that catches your eye as you roll through downtown. Even while restoration work was underway, it wasn't hard to imagine the place lighting up Main Street the way it had for generations.
The building first opened in 1922 as the State Theater before eventually becoming the Salem Community Theatre. Although movies gave way to live performances over the years, the old theater never lost its place as one of downtown's best-known landmarks. It's always encouraging to see a community rally around a building like this instead of letting it slowly fade away.
Theater restorations are never easy, but when they succeed, an entire downtown seems to get a little bit of its personality back.
UPDATE: Restoration has been completed, and the Salem Community Theatre & Cultural Center reopened in 2025 with a refreshed interior while preserving its historic character. 07-26
South Town Theatre (Closed)
Springfield, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The South Town Theatre still turns heads along South Grand Avenue with its streamlined Art Deco facade and distinctive side marquee. Even though movies haven't played here for decades, there's enough left to remind you that this was once the neighborhood theater.
The building first opened in 1915 as the Empress Theatre before receiving its Art Deco makeover and new South Town name in the late 1930s. After the final reel played in 1959, the theater found an unexpected second life as a stained glass studio. Somehow the old marquee always seemed right at home, even with colorful windows replacing movie posters.
It's always fun to come across buildings like this. Long after the popcorn is gone and the box office is closed, the architecture still tells you exactly what the place used to be.
UPDATE: The stained glass studio has since moved out, leaving the South Town Theatre vacant. Its historic marquee and Art Deco facade still survive as reminders of Springfield's neighborhood theater days. 07-26
Stadium Theatre
Mt. Vernon, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Stadium Theatre has one of those facades that refuses to blend into the block. Its bold Art Deco lines still catch your eye, making it easy to spot even though the movies have been gone for years.
When the theater opened in 1947, it gave Mount Vernon another modern movie house to enjoy. It remained a neighborhood theater for nearly fifty years before the final curtain fell in the mid-1990s. Rather than sit empty, the building found a second life as a church, allowing its distinctive exterior to remain a familiar part of the streetscape.
It's always nice when an old theater survives, even if it's serving a different purpose. The marquee may no longer advertise the latest feature, but one look at the building and you know exactly what it was built to be.
UPDATE: The former Stadium Theatre continues serving the community as a church, with much of its striking Art Deco facade still intact. 07-26
Granada Theatre
Mt. Vernon, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Granada Theatre is one of those buildings that immediately catches your eye. Its beautiful Art Deco facade still gives downtown Mount Vernon a touch of old Hollywood, making it easy to imagine the excitement of opening night back in 1937.
UPDATE: The Granada Theatre has been sold to a local developer. According to this news article, the non-profit organization that has owned the theatre from 2002 will be dissolved. Anticipation is that the theatre will be partially reopened in Fall of 2017 and reopened in spring 2018. 05-17
For nearly sixty years the Granada entertained moviegoers beneath its marquee before the final show brought the curtain down on its days as a neighborhood movie house. Like so many grand single-screen theaters, it seemed destined to become another casualty of changing times, leaving behind only memories of packed houses and Saturday nights at the movies. Fortunately, this story didn't end there.
UPDATE: After years of restoration, the Granada Theatre has found a new life as a performing arts and event venue. Its beautifully restored Art Deco exterior once again makes it one of downtown Mount Vernon's standout landmarks. 07-26
Fox Theatre (Rem.)
Fox Theatre Interior (Rem.)
Princess Theatre (Demolished)
Salem Theatre
South Town Theatre (Closed)
Stadium Theatre
Granada Theatre
