MONON — The Monon Civic Preservation Society has been working diligently for 10 years to bring the old theater back to its former glory. It has been a long tedious journey with many repairs to be done before the remodel and restoration could take place. The building was built in the early 20th century as an auto repair garage, and became a theater in 1938.
The first theater in Monon caught fire and burned to the ground so the Howard family, owners of that theater, bought the garage and turned it into a movie theater. They sloped the floor, and added the facade in the front. It had seats for 200.
The theater closed in 2005 and was already in “precarious” condition, according to society member Jim Davis.
It was on the verge of collapse, and the group had to decide if it should be torn down or if it was feasible to resurrect it into a theater once again.
When the preservation society took ownership, the whole interior needed to be gutted and all 200 seats were removed and sold for scrap. They were beyond restoration. A similar theater in Fowler was replacing their old seats and offered them to Monon but after receiving them, the group decided they weren’t in much better shape than the originals so they sold them to help raise money for the construction.
Davis said he sold the theater seats online for $5 a piece and also sat them outside the theater and people bought them.
In the mean time, the building was stripped to the outer walls, a new roof and rafters had to be installed. Then a storm blew through and what had been fixed had to be fixed again, but that did not stop the members with a vision to breathe new life into the old building.
Through grants and donations, the work is progressing, slowly, but it is progressing.
A new marquee in bright yellow adds to the ambience of the old days, and the ticket booth has been restored with glass blocks for a base. They chose to put the marquis up first so people would know what’s happening on the inside.
With new framework nearly complete, and a stage rebuilt, the building will soon be ready for drywall. First the roof will have a membrane laid over the top and any exterior screws will be sealed.
There are two store fronts on either side of the theater entrance, one will be used for the society’s office, the other they hope to rent to a business. There is also an apartment upstairs that also needs restoration, and the hope is it too will be rented eventually.
The society holds fundraising events throughout the year, including managing concessions stands at local little league parks, sponsoring and staffing after school movies at the North White schools, hosting a Christmas Bazaar, holding tag sales at the theater and the Monon Food Fest, and a crowd favorite, BYOC (bring your own chair) events at the theater or at the gazebo across the street.
The BYOC events are quite popular and people were happy to come in and see what the interior of the building looks like and to listen to some live music and entertainment. Outdoor concerts at the gazebo are also popular among the residents.
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Through the many fundraisers, Debbie Vandervort, president of the society, wrote in a letter to the community, “These fundraisers not only help our budget, but bring awareness of our mission to the community.”
Phase 1 of the project is coming to an end, and with the annual meeting in April, plans are to have the spray foam and drywall up in time for it. As more work in done, the more people can envision what comes next. The seats will be retro-syle, and the interior design will be art deco. A concession stand will be front and center as people enter the theater.
Julie Gutwein, secretary for the society, said people have been very generous. “It’s nostalgic. People with those memories of all the businesses in town have been very encouraging and supportive,” she said.
Vandervort, said, “We want today’s population, including the Hispanic population, to come together.” They want to have Spanish movies and entertainment on stage to include these members of the community too.
Not only will the theater show movies, but will also have live entertainment. The theater will be available for rent for receptions and meetings with room at the front for tables and chairs. The possibilities are there for the future of generations to come.
The Tippecanoe Arts Federation has been helpful with several grants. White County Tourism, the Community Foundation of White County and REMC have also contributed grants to help with the restoration. “They’ve been very generous and supportive,” Vandervort said. With their help, the outdoor front lighting and glass showcases were completed. New windows have been installed in the front and storefronts.
Former president Dick Stimmel passed unexpectedly last year, and Vandervort stepped in with much support and assistance from the board of directors, volunteers and the community.
The North White Building Trades classes will be assisting in the restoration work, giving them experience and learning while also helping the society control costs. Vandervort said the experience gives the students a sense of ownership, as they become a part of the historic restoration project.
The Civic Preservation Society will host their annual meeting on April 16, at 2 p.m. at the Civic Center. There will be a tour of the theater at that time. Also, at the meeting, Monon resident Mike Morris will present a mystery story that “rocked” the town nearly 100 years ago. The story is about Carl Middlestadt, a bank cashier who was a trusted citizen, family man and successful businessman, philanthropist and pillar of the community who became known as the “missing cashier” of the bank, that is now the Civic Center. Intrigued, come to the meeting and hear the story that took place a century ago.
The Monon Civic Preservation Society (MCPS) offers annual individual and family memberships, small business and corporate memberships and lifetime memberships for individuals and families. They also accept donations for memorials or gifts in honor of a person or persons.
They also have an adopt-a-seat program, which can be used as a memorial or honor gift as well.
Follow the MCPS on Facebook to view photos and stories of Monon history.
