1722--1726 Main St.
Historic Name: | Bijou Theatre Building |
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Reference Number: | 93000159 |
Location (Address): | 1722--1726 Main St. |
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County: | Marinette |
City/Village: | Marinette |
Township: |
Bijou Theatre Building 1722-1726 Main Street, Marinette, Marinette County Date of Construction: 1905 The earliest theaters used for the showing of motion pictures were often housed in buildings constructed for other purposes. Such is the history of the Bijou Theatre. It was built as a combination retail store and vaudeville theater in 1905 for Frank Lauerman, Marinette's most prominent retail merchant. Lauerman's new Classical Revival style-influenced building was initially a success; however, its construction coincided with a nationwide trend away from live vaudeville productions, hastened by the advent of motion pictures. Consequently, after a few years the Bijou was transformed into a movie theater, but its small size (383 seats) put it at a disadvantage when newer and larger movie theaters were built nearby. By 1918, there were eight movie theaters operating in the twin cities of Marinette and Menominee, Michigan. As a result, in 1924 the Bijou building was transformed into commercial office and retail space. This use continues to the present. The Bijou is now one of Marinette's most intact early twentieth century commercial buildings. It is also the sole survivor of the eight theaters that once competed for the area's movie audience. The building is used for private businesses. Please respect the privacy of the tenants. |
Period of Significance: | 1900-1924 |
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Area of Significance: | Architecture |
Applicable Criteria: | Architecture/Engineering |
Historic Use: | Commerce/Trade: Specialty Store |
Historic Use: | Recreation And Culture: Theater |
Architectural Style: | Classical Revival |
Resource Type: | Building |
Architect: | Unknown |
Historic Status: | Listed in the National Register |
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Historic Status: | Listed in the State Register |
National Register Listing Date: | 03/11/1993 |
State Register Listing Date: | 02/08/1993 |
Number of Contributing Buildings: | 1 |
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Number of Contributing Sites: | 0 |
Number of Contributing Structures: | 0 |
Number of Contributing Objects: | 0 |
Number of Non-Contributing Sites: | 0 |
Number of Non-Contributing Structures: | 0 |
Number of Non-Contributing Objects: | 0 |
National Register and State Register of Historic Places, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |