Garden Theater
39-41 Michigan Avenue W,
Battle Creek,
MI
49014
39-41 Michigan Avenue W,
Battle Creek,
MI
49014
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: W.S. Butterfield Theaters Inc.
Architects: Charles Howard Crane
Styles: Atmospheric, Gothic Revival
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A conversion of a Congregational Church which was designed in a Gothic style. The interior was designed in an Atmospheric style with twinkling stars in the ceiling and the walls had grape vines and hanging flower baskets. The Garden Theater opened on September 1913. It was equipped with a Kimball theatre pipe organ which was played by organist John Howard.
I found a photo of the Garden Theater on a library site. (Click below for the photo) In the photo, there is an advertisement on the right side that has the name “Lew Dockstadter” and on the left side of the photo by or on the bottom of the door there is a sign that says “Dan”. I did some checking and I could only find one movie listed for Lew Dockstadter and the title of that movie was “Dan”. Imdb lists that movie as 1914 so I would assume that this photo was taken close to that year.
The Garden Theatre was remodeled in the fall of 1917 to the plans of architect Charles Howard Crane. It was closed in the spring of 1929.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
A Kimball organ was installed in the Garden Theatre in 1913. Yet another Kimball was installed in 1922.
Here are updated links for the two Willard Library photos above:
http://tinyurl.com/2kt2oq
http://tinyurl.com/39hvay
Main Street is now called Michigan Avenue. The address for the Garden Theatre should be 39-41 Michigan Avenue West.
The Garden was one of seven theaters listed in the 1914 Battle Creek city directory. This timeline of events in Battle Creek says that the Garden Theatre opened in 1913.
An item appearing in the April 28, 1929 issue of Film Daily magazine noted that the Garden,a 13-year-old house, had closed and would be razed.
The Garden Theatre was remodeled in 1917. Construction was to start at once, according to the October 13 issue of Motography. Plans for the project had been prepared by C. Howard Crane.
The Garden showed W.S. Butterfield serious about bringing a movie palace to Battle Creek. It launched September 13, 1913 and the $5,000 Kimball pipe organ was played by John Howard… when they got it functioning a week later. A converted Congregational Church, the Gothic Revival interior was overlayed with atmospheric garden theme which included garden gate, atmospheric blue sky and - at movie time - twinkling stars, bay trees are seen at the top of the auditorium with grapevines prevalent and hanging flower baskets everywhere. A nice touch was a pergola effect including a gate.
Butterfield Theatres closed up on March 31, 1929 at end of lease with an Easter Sunday showing of “Red Lips” with Marian Nixon. It would not be wired for sound.