Hawkeye Theatre

205 W. Robins Street,
Graettinger, IA 51342

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SethG
SethG on October 27, 2026 at 9:59 am

Thanks! I’ve corrected the listing. We’ll need a listing for the Watson, with an address if you know it.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on October 27, 2026 at 9:16 am

I think you’ve conflated two different buildings. The new opera house building was built in 1911. Upon opening it was known as the Hawkeye Theatre on January 30, 1912 with “A Messenger Boy” with dance after. A number of locals bought stock in the theatre to help ensure its completion. It was the town’s second opera house. The theatre was transitioned to sound to remain commercially viable.

When the Watson Theatre was built in 1946, it was to replace the 24-year old Hawkeye. It closed on March 27, 1946 with “Wadnerer of the Wasteland” and “Senorita from the East.” Franz Fletter took on the Hawkeye / old Opera House for a conversion to apartments.

Sam Watson built the Watson Theatre. It was a $15,000, new-build facility that replaced a cabinet maker’s shop. It opened on a 25-year leasing agreement on March 29, 1946, two days after the Hawkeye had closed. The 406-seat theatre closed in January of 1955 to install widescreen projection for CinemaScope titles.

In December of 1956, the theatre’s was taken over by a consortium of business owners. It became the Graettinger Theatre under their watch. The Graettinger Theatre closed at the end its lecense on March 21, 1971 with “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.”