Rialto Community Theatre

Rialto Theater (added 1998 - Building - #98000124)
418 Main St., Dear Lodge
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Arnold & Van Hausen
Architectural Style: Beaux Arts
Area of Significance: Architecture, Social History
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Theater

Sadly, this theater was destroyed November 4, 2006. You can read an article from the Montana Standard by following this link.

http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2006/11/05/newsstate_top/20061105_newsstate_top.txt

Fire guts historic Rialto Theater


By John Grant Emeigh, of The Montana Standard - 11/05/2006

DEER LODGE — Fire destroyed Deer Lodge’s historic Rialto Theater late Saturday afternoon.
A fire that broke out somewhere inside the 85-year-old theater just before 6 p.m. sent massive flames licking through the roof as firefighters from three area departments battled the blaze.

The cause of the fire was unknown Saturday evening. The building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, and was the focus of an ongoing restoration effort.

So, so sad to see such a memorable building gone to fire. Hopefully with some of the fixtures and decor not effected, this site can be rebuilt so the next generations can enjoy the memories that we all have embedded in our hearts and minds. Please, lets pull together and ensure this gets rebuilt. Growing up in the Deer Lodge/Garrison area in the 50's has lots of great memories for me. When I return to visit, it brings a smile to my face to appreciate the 'foundation' my parents built for me growing up in a small town.
Linda Williams (Gerdts)
Parents owned and operated Gerdts Grocery in Garrison for many years.

Certainly (and tragically) this makes the status here "Closed" (at least!) or more aptly, "Closed/Demolished." Yet one more post mortem...

The status can be changed to closed for now. This 12/16/2006 article mentions the possibility of restoring the Rialto if enough money can be raised.

They are trying to restore the Rialto. Here is a 2/27/2007 article.

Here are photos of the fire last November:
http://tinyurl.com/yv7heu

Here is a December 29, 2007 article concerning restoration:
http://tinyurl.com/2dwopr

Here is an article about renovation dated 10/29/08:
http://tinyurl.com/6k3l7q

1980 photo of the Rialto Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c26%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=29379

1980 Photo

1986 Photo

Here is a photo of the Rialto.