Movie Theater - The Orpheum Theater 1940 Light Switch Cover

Colorized photo from 1940, April Original title: Old Orpheum theater Photographer: John Vachon Location: 400 Main St., Dubuque, Iowa This location has a lot of history, in total it had three buildings all of which were a theater of some kind. In 1840, the site's first theater was built, they named it the Athenaeum Theater, which later became the City Hotel (which was also a theater) In 1860, it became the Peosta house, after they enlarged it. But in 1877 it burned down. In 1877, the Dubuque Opera house was built on this site, by 1896, the building was renovated and became known as the Bartell's Vaudeville house. In 1903, it was renamed to the Coates Opera House, and it changed names again in 1904, and renamed the Bijou. By 1909, the Bijou was extensively remodeled and then renamed to the New bijouin 1910, and like the other one, in 6 months it also burned down. A good lesson for people, do not renovate or it will burn down in 6 months. In 1910, the Orpheum (this building), was built. At that time it was originally called the Majestic Theater, and later the Spensley. The building is contracted in a Renaissance Revival style with French influences. In 1920, it was converted into a movie house, and in 1929it was renamed to Spensley Theater. After that it was renamed to the RKO Orpheum where it showed movies till 1969. In 1969, the building was in poor shape, and it was slated for demolition. It was a part of an urban renewal project, but no one wanted to see this building leave. In 1972, the local citizens and a group called the Five Flags Center project pulled funds together to rescue this building. The restoration started in 1975 and it opened as the Five Flags Theater in 1976. And this time it didn't burn down in 6 months, its in fact still in use right now. It's currently the home of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, high school musicals and the occasional concerts and ballet productions. Currently the theater looks like it did when it was built. They removed this sign and marquee, painted everything, and it looks new again in an old way. All the original molding is the same as well.