Rivola Theatre
202 High Avenue,
Oskaloosa,
IA
52577
202 High Avenue,
Oskaloosa,
IA
52577
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Built in 1921, the Rivola Theatre was closed in 1984. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places that same year.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
The Rivola Theatre seated 600 people.
Chains for this theatre:
HOSTETTLER AMUSEMENT COMPANY (1925)
A.H. THEATRES (Controlled by PARAMOUNT PUBLIX) (1950+?)
CENTRAL STATES THEATRES (1955-1984)
The Rivola had a 2 manual (keyboards)/5 ranks (sets of pipes) WURLITZER THEATRE PIPE ORGAN, Opus 1917. It had a shipping date from WURLITZER of July 7, 1928. In June of 1970 it was shipped to Palo Alto, California and was last reported to still exisit and be playable. It may have had other “homes” between Oskaloosa and Palo Alto and may not be in Palo Alto now.
Oskaloosa was named for a Creek princess named Ouscaloosa, which means “last of the beautiful”.
Here is a 1945 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6g63zm
1982 photo of the Rivola Theatre.
View link
Andrew Craig Morrison’s book “Theaters” identifies the Des Moines architectural firm Vorse, Kraetsch & Kraetsch as the designers of the Rivola Theatre. Norman T. Vorse was the lead architect on the project. The building which was remodeled to accommodate the new theater was built in 1874 for J.H. Green and Company, purveyors of agricultural implements. The Rivola Theatre opened on April 21, 1921.
In regards to the style 150 Wurlitzer that was originally installed in the Rivola, I bought the organ from James Chase in Sunnyvale, CA in 2003 and brought it to my home in Oregon. It is currently undergoing a full restoration with the retention of ALL electro-pneumatic components (console, relay, etc…) James told me it was removed from the theatre in the late thirties or early forties by the Wurlitzer factory and re-installed in the Oskaloosa in a Methodist Church. The console wears a small brass tag from the Church. During the re-installation in the church, the Wurlitzer Company removed the toy counter and added two ranks, a diapason and a dulciana. Both ranks played on single rank unit chests (with late model black cap magnets and braided cloth covered wiring, not black friction tape). Fortunately, the tuned percussions were retained during the re-installation. I hope to find a suitable public venue for the instrument to be enjoyed. If the theatre ever re-opened, I’d love to see it return home! There are a lot of orphan theatre organs out there.