DeMarce Theatre
1320 Atlantic Avenue,
Benson,
MN
1320 Atlantic Avenue,
Benson,
MN
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1987 Night photo of the DeMarce Theatre.
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Another 1987 photo of the DeMarce Theatre.
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Ken your URL from Mar. 27, 2009 to the Dreamland no longer functions.
2003 photo of the DeMarce Theatre.
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Okay. I’ll add the Dreamland and when you get a chance you could post a link to the photo that you found. Thanks.
I have to go, so if you want to add the Dreamland please do so.
Pacific Avenue and Atlantic Avenue are obviously not the same. The Dreamland might have been a short lived theater but it still counts and should be listed here. Nice find.
The caption for the Dreamland says Pacific Avenue, while the DeMarce is on Atlantic Avenue, which might help.
I don’t know what the DeMarce Theater looks like so I can’t tell if it is the same theater as the Dreamland Theater.
This photo is supposed to be from 1917, so apparently there were two theaters in Benson at that time. The marquee’s front says Benson Opera House.
http://tinyurl.com/ddjbnv
Here is the website for this theater.
From the Benson Chamber of Commerce:
“A motion picture theater opened in Benson in the Aldrich House in 1916. In 1925, John DeMarce purchased the theater. Today, the DeMarce Theater, operated by Larry DeMarce, is the only movie theater in Swift County”.
If I’m reading this correctly, from 1916-1925 this was called the Aldrich House.
IF I have all the correct information? If I were to add all the theatres to this site with the correct data; there would be nothing for you or the other members to do. I prefer to leave the ‘legwork’ so to speak to others. It is a good learning experience for you. I will then make corrections as they are needed.
Tom again, I don’t understand if you have all the correct information why you are not listing all these theatres on CT. Then there would be no room for others to post incoreect information.
I am not trying to be condescending Charles. I am only pointing out incorrect data. Giving an opening date of 1911 when the true date was 1916 is obviously incorrect and misleading to other researchers. Different theatre publications show various seating counts for this theatre ranging from 440 seats to 510 seats. I will concede to your estimate of 400 seats.
Tom if you have so much information on all these theatres that you seem so interested in putting people down on, why have you not listed them. Then there would be no mistakes. The 1911 was a tying error but in the heading when I listed the theatre opening date I did so correctly at 1916. I normally have a thick skin but you seem to always be so condescending. The 400 seats was given to me when I was on my visit through Minnesota and the Dakotas on theatre research. If you look at a picture of the theatre I hardly believe from the size of the theatre there could be more than the 400 listed. Also look at the population, I am sure they could not support a theatre much larger than this.
The Swift County Historical Society shows the DeMarce Theatre as opening in 1916. Since it is their only theatre I presume they would not confuse its opening with another theatre. I will check further into this as I believe the seating of 400 is understated. The Benson Opera House had 400 seats. Perhaps you have the two confused.