Comments about Metropolitan Theatre in Iowa Falls, IA

Joe Vogel on December 28, 2011 at 5:14 pm

This appears to be the correct spelling of the name of one of the architects of this theater: Didrik A. Omeyer. Somehow the NRHP document slipped an inapposite apostrophe into his surname. He was apparently of Norwegian ancestry, not Irish, and so was his partner Martin P. Thori. Their firm was located in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Chuck1231 on April 7, 2009 at 9:15 pm

1982 Night photo of the Met.
View link
1982 daytime photo of the Met.
View link

lostmemory on February 24, 2009 at 12:19 pm

From the National Register information, it might appear that O'Meyer & Thori were builders but they weren’t. Dietrich O'Meyer and Martin Thori were architects. This site claims that “In 1899 Ellsworth built the Metropolitan Opera House, a theater that was unsurpassed by any in the state.” It doesn’t mention anything about Ellsworth being an architect.

lostmemory on February 24, 2009 at 11:02 am

Your doing great. I keep a link to that National Register information otherwise I’d probably have trouble finding it too. :)

Chuck1231 on February 24, 2009 at 10:59 am

Thanks LM, I tried pulling that up but kept getting an error, I guess my brain is not fully functioning yet. But I am trying.

lostmemory on February 24, 2009 at 10:49 am

Chuck….Here is the National Register information:

Metropolitan Opera House (added 1975 – Building – #75000690)
Also known as Met Theatre
515 Washington St., Iowa Falls

Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: O'Meyer & Thori
Architectural Style: Renaissance, Other
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Specialty Store, Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Specialty Store, Theater

Chuck1231 on February 24, 2009 at 10:25 am

The Metropolitan Opera House was placed on the Register of Historic Place on 02-20-1975 Record No. 75000690
Here is a Flickr Photo of the Metropolitan Opera House
View link

kencmcintyre on October 12, 2008 at 12:19 pm

The additional information notes style is Italian Renaissance.

kencmcintyre on October 12, 2008 at 12:18 pm

Some additional photos here:
http://tinyurl.com/4dm2df

lostmemory on October 12, 2008 at 11:33 am

That link gives the name as Metropolitan Opera House.

kencmcintyre on October 12, 2008 at 11:30 am

There is a small photo of the Met on this site:
http://tinyurl.com/4qp59w

Metropolitan Theatre

515 Washington Avenue, Iowa Falls, IA 50126

515 Washington Avenue,
Iowa Falls, IA 50126