Sioux City Orpheum
520 Pierce Street,
Sioux City,
IA
51104
520 Pierce Street,
Sioux City,
IA
51104
2 people
favorited this theater
The Sioux City Orpheum Theatre was designed by the nationally known Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp and constructed in 1927 as part of the Orpheum Circuit.
This opulent vaudeville and moving picture house boasted a large 2,650-seat, three-story auditorium complete with Wurlitzer pipe organ, half circle boxes, hand carved detailing, gilded ornamentation, several crystal chandeliers, and a hand painted ceiling.
Throughout the years, the Orpheum has been used for symphony performances, ballet, special attractions, and hosted entertainers such as Fred Astaire, Tallulah Bankhead, and Katherine Hepburn.
Beginning in 1999, the Orpheum was spectacularly restored to its original appearance, reopening in fall of 2001 after having been closed for nearly a decade.
Contributed by
Jeff Henjes
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2000
New Orpheum Theatre (added 2000 – Building – #00000919)
Also known as Orpheum Electric Building
520-28 Pierce St., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Person, Event
Historic Person: Sanford, Arthur
Significant Year: 1927
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Business, Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade
Current Sub-function: Business
Does anyone have any information on the old Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City? Apparently Rapp & Rapp designed a theatre in Sioux City around 1917.
This is a 2007 photo of the Orpheum Theater.
A Wurlitzer theater organ opus 1759 style 240 was installed in the Orpheum Theater on 10/19/1927.
The Fall 2008 issue of Classic Trains Magazine has a neat color photo taken in May 1948 of two Sioux City Service Co. trolley cars meeting at Turner and Villa streets. One car has on its front a poster ad for the Orpheum Theatre. Movies are Frank Sinatra in “The Miracle of the Bells” plus “co-hit” “My Dog Rusty”.
Here is a 1966 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6xum85
Another photo of the Orpheum is here.
Is the name of this theatre the Orpheum or the Sioux City Orpheum. Even their web site just says Orpheum.
1985 photo of the Orpheum Theatre.
View link
This is another 1985 photo.