Central Wisconsin Cultural Center

LouRugani on September 13, 2018 at 3:42 pm

The PALACE Theatre was built of concrete block, faced with brick. The interior was in Spanish style, quite unusual for a small Midwest city in 1914. The ceiling was filled with twinkling lights, and during the movie, a cloud machine was turned on and the “stars” could be seen as the clouds passed overhead. There also was a grand Barton pipe organ, played by a local musician during silent movies.

There was a Saturday matinee for children, usually a cowboy show, and a double feature on Friday nights. The signal that the movie was about to begin was when a uniformed usher opened the curtain.

The Palace Theatre was owned by Robert A. McDonald until 1920. Early ownership is sketchy, but Frank and Henrietta Eckardt then took ownership. The couple owned three theatres in Wisconsin Rapids during the first half of the 20th century.

In 1957, Palace Recreation became the custodian, and there was a dance hall, lunch counter and pool room in the building. The slanted floor was made so it could be tipped up on one end to make a flat floor when needed.

In 1962, Ed-Syl Furniture occupied the building until Sears Roebuck and Co. moved in two years later. John Potter bought the building from the Kruger-Walrath Co. in the mid-1960s. After Sears left in 1972, the building was remodeled into separate stores. Kim’s Classic Shoe Rack was on the lower level and Mr. Image barber shop on the main level.

DeByle’s clothing store bought the building in 1980 and changed the interior into one store on two levels.

The building was owned by the Mead Witter Foundation since 2001 and became a home for the arts, the Cultural Center, Arts Council and community theater which filled the main floor, and musicians came in once a week to perform. On the lower level there was a meeting room and pottery and mosaic studios. Home-school students art met there once a week.

Interesting fact: Paul Gross of Wisconsin Rapids worked as a projectionist at all three theaters in Wisconsin Rapids.