North Theatre

The North Theatre was built in 1902 by the Columbus Auditorium Company for live productions. In 1916, the North Theatre added Type S Simplex projections and a Minusa Gold Fiber screen. It was taken over by William Swan, a pioneering local film exhibitor who continued with a mix of live acts and films.

Swan sold the North Theatre to Hostettler Brothers of Omaha in 1923. The Hostettlers continued the policy of motion pictures and vaudeville routines. However, on December 27, 1926, the Hostettlers repositioned the North Theatre as a full-time, sub-run discount movie theatre. The North Theatre closed in the Spring of 1927 and was revived one last time in November of 1927 still playing silent films.

William Swan bought the theatre in February of 1928 opting to convert the space so as not to compete with his Swan Theatre. It closed as a silent movie house becoming home to the Montgomery Ward Co. retail store. The building survived as a retail operation into the 21st Century.

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