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Summary
UPTOWN THEATER
1426-1430 Washington Avenue, Racine, Racine County
Architect: Wade B. Denham
Date of Construction: 1928
Located in downtown Racine, Wisconsin, the Uptown Theater was built during the "golden age" of movie theaters, when studios and independent distributors built lavish showplaces. The Uptown's ornate Gothic Revival interior features elaborate cast plaster ornamentation including pointed arches, pinnacles, vaulted ceilings, and heraldic shields. Like many showplaces of its time, the Uptown housed both film and live performance, as illustrated by the large proscenium arch framing an expansive stage area. The 1200 seat interior's use of Gothic features, normally reserved for religious and collegiate architecture, created a cathedral of entertainment.
Sometime around the 1940s, the original front elevation was modernized to include a center unit of red brick trimmed in concrete and stepped brick details. The original front entrance doors have been replaced with plate glass and aluminum storefront inserts.
The Uptown Theater contains the last historic theater interior in the city of Racine. Although considerably deteriorated, its original 1928 interior is significant to the building. The Uptown Theater is a privately owned building and is not open to the public.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture |
| Period of Significance | 1900-1924 |
| Architectural Style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Architect | Denham,Wade B. |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | Business,Theater |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 1 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Mar 1, 1982 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jan 1, 1989 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
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826 N. Eighth St.
99001606
Located in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County
Kearney recalls early history of Racine in address at uptown business men's dinner
Dec 18, 1928
Racine Journal
