2024.04.125

"An early theater was built by John Bannister about 1911 on what had been the Rogers & Bird boat yard property at the foot of Hoffman Street. It was an outdoor theater consisting of a roofless sloping platform with fixed seats and an elevated projection booth at the rear. Bannister sold it to Dale after its first year of use. Dale named it the Airdome. In the summer, he closed up the stuffy Edgewater and ran the open air show place. An obvious shortcoming of such a theater was the possibility of rain. In case of showers umbrellas were in order and if the elements persisted, the showing was temporarily halted until things cleared up. Rain checks were unheard of and no doubt many a customer went home dissatisfied with the short showing. Dale closed the Edgewater in 1916 but continued with the Airdome until 1920. By that time the Pavilion was producing all the entertainment. (Dale's old theater was immediately purchased by Charles Heistand and being on the river bank, became the nucleus of the boat livery which he was starting to develop.) The coming of the movie theater added another dimension to people's lives in those days. It was cheap, fascinating, always ready entertainment when one chose to take advantage of it." - "Saugatuck Through the Years" by James Sheridan, page 346 "Circa 1920 - Located at the foot of Hoffman Street at riverfront, this was Saugatuck's second movie theater—in the open air. Seats were salvaged from the nearby Big Pavilion movie theater during its renovation. Two silent movies, "Simon the Jester," and "Bludgeon," appear to have been showing at the time this photograph was taken. - "Snapshots: A Saugatuck Album: A photographic history of Saugatuck Michigan" by James Schmiechen and William Kemperman, 2003, page 62

Buildings: LostCommercial businessesTheater, plays, dramatic performing arts

Winthers, Sally

11/30/2024

03/25/2025