Stanley Theatre
113 S. Main Street,
Galena,
IL
61036
113 S. Main Street,
Galena,
IL
61036
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Dreamland Theatre, Galena Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Dreamland Theatre opened in 1907 at 223 S. Main Street, and sat about 275. It closed temporarily in 1931, and reopened later the same year as the Stanley Theatre, and was now showing “talking pictures”. It closed on March 26, 1937.
A new 500-seat Stanley Theatre opened on March 27, 1937 with Fernand Gravet in “The King and the Chorus Girl”. It was located at 113 S. Main Street, it seated more than twice the amount of the old Stanley Theatre. It was designed in Art Moderne style, and had a large, triangular-shaped marquee, illuminated by neon lights.
The second Stanley Theatre operated until the late-1960’s, known as the Galena Theatre when it closed. The long-shuttered movie house had its final cinematic moment in the spotlight in 1989, when it was used in the movie “Field of Dreams” as “the Plaza Theatre”, complete with a temporary old-fashioned marquee.
The building last housed The Store Next Door, a home accessories shop.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
My wife and I visited Galena last week and we came across this building. It currently houses mostly crafts and art work for homes. This building could easily be converted back to a theater. The stage is still in place as well as the curtain. Much of the lighting seems to be in place as well. No seats are currently in what was the theater. Galena seems to be a place that would support a small art house theater. I think they are really missing the boat by not using this space as it was intended. My wife and I had to drive to Dubuque to see a movie – a good 15 miles away.
A friend just told me he was part of an effort to turn the Stanley into a legit theater. He said it was before Field of Dreams shot there, so it was probably the early to mid 80s. They poured their savings into restoring the place, which they called The Gallery Playhouse. As it turns out, an amusement park opened that summer just a few miles away, and all the tourists they were expecting went there instead. All the local businesses suffered. And The Gallery Playhouse quietly went out of business.
If the building hasnt been converted by 2014, I will be taking on the task of bringing the old theater back to life..It will have a Historical old clean look to it but it will be COMPLETELY DIGITAL PICTURE AND SOUND…“Its The Way Of The Future”
Kevin Patrick Dwyer/Santow
I do have current photos of the theater inside and out…I hope to post one when this site allows photos again.. or email me and il send you some.
It’s now 2014. Has the theater been brought back to life yet?
Circa 1931 photo added courtesy of Darla Zailskas.
The newer Stanley Theatre launched on March 27, 1937 with Fernand Gravet in “The King And The Chorus Girl” (unknown if extras added), featuring both Simplex projection and RCA High Fidelity sound. The older Stanley Theatre closed just one day prior to the newer Stanley’s opening.
Information about the newer Stanley as of 1937 goes as follows: The entirety of the theater is fireproof-erected, and the colored structural glass front is blue and gray made by Victrolite. The canopy measures 31ft wide includes two wings and extends across the front of the building and presents by night in effective color harmonizing of glass and painted heavy metal with three openings of metal. The sides were constructed of white flashed imported opal glass, and at night with the marquee’s 495 light bulbs, 270ft of colored neon and the colored traveling border which extends from the top above the canopy, down the front, and back to the box office presents a blaze of color.
The Stanley Theatre was also home to one of the largest cry rooms in the Midwest, housing 18 seats and is large that provides space for restless infants to move about without annoying the people. The new Stanley Theatre housed 500 HeyWood-Wakefield fully-upholstered deeply-cushioned seats, and were the same seats that were used in the cry room. The 21x20ft air conditioning unit was also presented at the rear of the theater building with all-year controlled temperature.