Capitol Theatre
1122 S. Main Street,
Rockford,
IL
61101
1122 S. Main Street,
Rockford,
IL
61101
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened on February 4, 1928, the Capitol Theatre was designed in Spanish Colonial style on South Main Street, faced with buff-colored brick, a set of four arched windows over the main entrance, terra-cotta medallions just under the cornice and a deep red Spanish tile roof.
It closed as a theatre during the 1970’s, and the former Capitol Theatre now serves as a billiard hall and Mexican restaurant, Taco Loco.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
I believe this theatre closed prior to the 1970s. I grew up in Rockford in the 1960s and don’t recall ever hearing of it. There were a number of downtown area theatres still going then, but not the Capitol.
Does anyone know the name of the theater that was almost right next door to Virgili’s Supper Club on S. Main? It closed, I think, in the 1960s … there was a rather sensational murder years later, in which the body was found in the upstairs of the building. I can’t think of the name. Thanks for any help.
Bryan
The Historic Movie Theatres in Illinois book lists that it opened in 1931 and closed in 1970.The exterior photo from digital past features cars from either 1930’s or 1940’s,they definitely don’t look like vehicles from the 1920’s.
Here is a re-post of Bryan’s 1928 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2beu5z
Do you think that car has been sitting in front of the theater since 1928? It may have picked up a few tickets since then.
how much would it cost to purchase the theatre and what would the terms of use and service be?
The Capitol had a three manual, nine rank Kilgen theatre organ, Opus 4008. Ranks were Bourdon/Concert Flute, VdO, Diapason, VdO Celeste, Saxophone in the Main (probably right)chamber; and Tibia, Tuba, Kinura and Vox Humana in the Solo chamber on the other side of the theater. Percussions included Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Marimba and Chimes. Traps on Accompaniment (bottom) manual keyboard were Snare Drum, Tambourine, Castanet, “Chinese” Wood Block and Sand Block. Traps on Pedal keyboard were Bass Drum/“Tympani” Roll and Cymbal. Only the Accompaniment manual had second touch. Another Kilgen model UO 20, nearly identical to the Capitol’s is still playing where originally installed, the Canton, Ohio Palace Theater. The Kilgen organ from Rockford’s Capitol Theater is still playing in a private residence in nearby Pecatonica, IL.
This opened on October 4th, 1928. I have posted its grand opening ad as well as two photos in this theatre’s photo section.
The opening ad states it opened on 4 Feb 1928.
If this theatre actually operated until 1970 I would be very surprised. I was going to movies a lot in the late 1960s and I don’t recall it being open then. To my recollection, downtown had the Coronado, the State, the Times, and the Midway.