Fort Theatre

LouisRugani on August 12, 2010 at 12:04 am

October 25, 1968)
Sprague Theater Sold at Elkhorn

ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.

Trolleyguy on August 28, 2009 at 9:30 pm

A recent picture of the former Fort Theater front is here.

http://tinyurl.com/ngchpe

THe “tunnel” you refer to actually was the entrance to the parking lot until the buildings on both sides of the theater were demolished. Today it serves as an access to the public restrooms.

Trolleyguy on May 4, 2009 at 11:48 pm

The “facadectomy” that was done on the building left nothing recognizable to suggest that it was formerly a theater. On the lower level are public restrooms and the upper floor has storage rooms for the Chamber of Commerce.

Chuck1231 on April 24, 2009 at 6:44 pm

LM, the front of the building is still there with the auditorium demolished and the buildings to each side are gone and a parking lot in their place. They have restored the front of the thetaer building but it don’t say what occupies the building.