Ramona Theatre

Here is another view of the Ramona Theatre building, which also shows the building next door, location of the former Fox (or Rex, or both) Theatre.

An article from the Twin Falls Daily News on September 2, 1927 said that Harris-Voeller Theatres had purchased the Wade building, Which adjoined the Fox Theatre, for the purpose of converting it into a modern $65,000, 800-seat playhouse. The building occupied by the Fox would be converted to a store once the new theater was completed. The new theater would be extended 30-feet to give it one of the best stages in that part of the state. The front of the building would have a deep entrance similar to theaters in the larger cities. There was no explanation of the Fox name or if there was any relationship between theater magnate William Fox and Harris-Voeller. I found it strange that Fox would have a theater in this small farm Community in 1927.
A Times-News article on May 20, 1928 said the 700-seat (the seating seems to have been changed from the earlier story) Spanish-style Harris-Voeller playhouse was nearing completion and would be opened in June. The name ‘Ramona’ was selected from a contest that received 150 entries.
Before he partnered with I.H. Harris, C.C. Voeller was superintendent of schools in Evanston, Wyoming, where he probably gained his knowledge of building construction. He then came to Buhl to make a permanent home and later became mayor. Mr. Voeller passed away in 1952.

Irvin Harris, son of the other Harris-Voeller founder, I.G. Harris, remembers in the Idaho State Historical Society oral history program that the Ramona was formerly a grocery store. Mr. Harris also said that cutting the floor joists; lowering it and placing it on blocks gave the auditorium its desired slant. (Of course this wouldn’t stand up to the building codes of today and even Idaho has been known to have earthquakes, but then again this was 1928.)

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ywkqp9