Orpheum Theater | 406-408 Main Street
History of the Building
Built in 1914 and originally home to the Orpheum Theater, 406-408 Main Street has served the Menomonie community in numerous ways over the past century. The Orpheum Theater was initially owned by William and Frederick Smith whose focus was on showing “A” movies made in Hollywood. In order to make a profit, they sold advertising opportunities that were projected before and after movies. Uniquely, these advertisements were projected through a glass lantern. In the 1950’s, new owners took over and moved the theater to a new facility, the State Theater on Main Street.
Downtown Menomonie is full of unique architecture that captures the different popular styles of building through history. The Orpheum Theater was designed in a style known as Art Moderne popular from 1925 to about 1940. Next time you are downtown, take a look at the historic building, you will see a three-panel frieze accented by teal diamond shapes.
Art Moderne and Art Deco, also popular during the time period, feature modern, geometric architecture. While these styles were often used in conjunction with one another on commercial buildings, they certainly had their distinct differences. Art Moderne features more horizontal, functional styles with smooth, rounded walls, flat roofs with a roofline ledge, and asymmetrical façades. As the name suggests, Art Deco is more decorative with zigzag and chevron lines, towers and vertical projections, and smoother walls made from materials such as metal, stucco, or stone.
Fast forward over 100 years and the Orpheum Theater building still stands as is the home of Toppers Pizza overlooking Lake Menomin.
Local Stories & Lore
This is a history series in partnership with the Dunn County Historical Society where we will be featuring historic downtown buildings each month, sharing their history and unique features. Our intention is that these blogs will be added onto throughout time as stories are shared and more history is discovered.
Do you have family stories about the Orpheum Theater building? Is there a fun memory of a unique business that existed in the space in the past? Do you have a spooky story about the building? We would love to hear about them! Email director@downtownmenomonie.org with your stories, lore, or memories.
Glossary:
Frieze: A horizontal band that runs above doorways and windows, or below the cornice. A Frieze may be decorated with designs or carvings reflecting the time period.
Three-Panel Frieze: A frieze divided into three distinct panels.
Cornice: The uppermost section of moldings along the top of the building, just below the roof.