Garden Theatre
121 W. 3rd Street,
Davenport,
IA
52801
121 W. 3rd Street,
Davenport,
IA
52801
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Architect Frederick George Clausen retired in 1914, and it is likely that the 1915 Garden Theatre was designed by his son, Rudolph J. Clausen, who, on his father’s retirement, formed the firm of Clausen & Kruse with Walter O. Kruse.
The Garden Theatre launched September 22, 1915 as a new build theatre playing “Helene of the North.” Clausen & Kruse were the architects and the Mandel Brothers of Chicago handled the interior decoration. The theatre would add sound followed by a refurbishing in 1930.
The Garden Theatre closed for the summer on March 31, 1953 with plans to come back exclusively as a 3D theatre in the Fall. That never transpired. In July of 1954, the theater seats were removed and the floor leveled to become two different retail locations, one of which was a Posner’s retail store.
1931 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page.
March 1936 foyer promotion for Boris Karloff’s “The Walking Dead” added.
This opened on September 15th, 1915. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12057243/garden_theatre_opening/
1935 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page. Appears to be the original marquee & blade sign.
1940 photo added courtesy of the Retro Quad Cities Facebook page.
The Garden Theatre was advertised in the September 2, 1923, issue of the Davenport Democrat. Along with the Capitol and Family Theatres it featured Paramount productions.
There is a nice article about this theatre beginning on p.46 of the May 2013 edition of CLASSIC IMAGES magazine.
The ten story bank building in the photo is at 201 W. Third. The photo is looking west. It’s possible that the building in the foreground is the theater at 121:
http://tinyurl.com/2kcjrp