| Additional Information: | 2014-2015: This two-story theatre building exhibits a very modest Art Deco influence through its decorative patterned brickwork. Dark brown brick outlines the building and creates three bay divisions along the façade, lighter reddish-brown brick covers the remainder, except for two strips of stone veneer that remain to the north (left) and south (right). A series of modern metal and glass doors are located at the center of the first floor, above which is a projecting marquee. A single window, used as a ticket window, is located to the left of the entrance (south), while the original ticket window is situated to the north. Along the second level, a stone datestone inscribed with “1927” is located at the center; tall-and-narrow windows are located to either side of the datestone. A single, larger slider window is positioned at both the north and south ends of the entrance elevation.
The Falls Theatre was built in 1925. The first movie in River Falls, a silent film, was shown at the River Falls Opera House (no longer extant). The first permanent theatre buidling, remodeled from a former saloon, was opened by Ben Rosenberg in 1915. In 1921, Phillip Paynter and Roy Alton contemplated the construction of a “modern” theatre; however, they quickly realized that “one good one was enough” for the size of River Falls. Six years later, the subject facility was built by P.W. Ramer and E.B. Carisch. Construction of the $25,000 building began in January with Ole Ostness serving as contractor and John Probst as interior designer. As of the end of June, the local paper reported that painters were at work on the interior of the theatre, walls were to be finished with a panel effect and the lobby was to be decorated with a painted frieze. The heating system, which employed radiators concealed in two shafts on either side of the stage and the air being forced with fans, was unique.
The theatre opened on 29 August 1927, featuring the movie “Painting the Town,” which filled the 476-seat facility that featured leather seats, velour curtains and two restrooms, although without a concession stand. The theatre was leased by the George E. Miner Amusement Company of Rice Lake which, at the time, also had theatres in Spooner and Rice Lake. Within a few weeks of the opening of the Falls Theatre, Princess Theatre owner Rosenberg sold the theatre to Phillip Paynter. Shortly after, Paynter sold the business and equipment to G.E. Miner.
The Miner Amusement Company continued to run the theatre through 1952. In 1936, a neon lighted sign (no longer extant) was added to the front of the building. In 1965, the front of the theater was “modernized” and in 1972, the theatre was sold to George “Stan” McCulloch. When the theatre was last surveyed in 1990, the upper level was covered with metal, while the lower portion was sheathed with tile (presumably the 1965 alteration). At the start of the subject survey project in 2014, some of that metal had been removed and, by 2015, all later cladding, including the tile, had been removed and the original front exposed. |
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| Bibliographic References: | “The History of Motion Picture Theaters in River Falls,” Available online at www.fallstheatre.com/history-photos.html, Accessed June 2015; “A New ‘Movie’ House,” RFJ, 27 January 1921, 1/2; Newsbrief (re: Paynter and Alton give up on theatre), RFJ, 28 April 1921, 1/5; “Ramer and Carisch to Build $25,000 Theatre,” RFJ, 3 February 1927, 1/3; “”Work is Commenced on the New Theatre,” RFJ, 10 March 1927, 1/2; “Local Building Projects Are in Advanced Stages,” RFJ, 30 June 1927, 1/6; “New Theater to Open Monday Night Aug. 29,” RFJ, 25 August 1927, 1/3; “New Theatre Greeted By Capacity Crowds Monday,” RFJ, 1 September 1927, 1/1-2; “Paynter Buys Princess Theatre from Rosenberg,” RFJ, 29 September 1927, 1/4; “Miner Buys Out Paynter; Princess Theatre Closed,” RFJ, 6 October 1927; 1/3. |
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