Hyart Theater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hyart Theater
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| Location | 251 E. Main St., Lovell, Wyoming |
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| Built | 1950 |
| Architect | Hy Bischoff |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001304 |
| Added to NRHP | January 8, 2009 |
The Hyart Theater is a special movie theater in Lovell, Wyoming. It was built in 1950 by a man named Hyrum "Hy" Bischoff. This theater is a rare example of cinemas from the early 1950s in Wyoming. It stands out because of its cool turquoise metal screen over a pink front. It also has a tall, bright neon sign.
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History of the Hyart Theater
The Bischoff family were part of a Mormon group. They moved from Fountain Green, Utah, to settle in the Big Horn Basin area of Wyoming. Hy's father, Dan Bischoff, bought a theater called the Armada in Lovell in 1913. He turned it into a movie cinema.
When Dan passed away, his son Hy took over the family business. Hy ran two Armada theaters for a while. He then decided to build a brand new cinema. To get ideas, Hy traveled around the mountain states. He looked at many other movie theaters.
Designing the Hyart Theater
Hy was very impressed by the Villa Theatre in Salt Lake City, built in 1949. He decided to design the Hyart's lobby to look like the Villa's. Hy Bischoff designed the entire new theater himself. He also managed its construction.
Building the theater was a bit tricky. There was a shortage of steel during the Korean War. But Hy found a clever solution! He got old, salvaged rails from mines in Bearcreek, Montana. These rails were then shaped into strong steel roof supports for the theater.
Unique Design and Features
The Hyart Theater is a two-story building. It is about 224 feet (68 meters) deep and 70 feet (21 meters) wide. The front of the building faces Main Street. Its walls are made of strong clay tiles covered with bricks. The lower part of the front has small, brick-like stones. These stones are called rhyolite and came from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Outside Look
The upper part of the front is covered with pink metal sheets. An amazing diagonal screen of turquoise metal covers these sheets. There is an office and an apartment on the second floor. You can see eight windows behind the metal screen. Pink neon lights outline the front of the building behind the turquoise screen. A tall sign, called a pylon, stands out. It has a neon-lighted artist's palette and the word "HYART" lit up. This sign faces the street.
Inside the Theater
Inside, the theater still has its original carpeting. You can also see painted scrollwork above the wall panels. The Hyart Theater first had 1001 seats. Now, it has 940 seats. This includes a balcony with more than 200 seats. The theater even has a special soundproof "cry room". This room is for parents with babies who might cry during the movie.
Later Years and Recognition
In 1960, Hy's daughter, Loretta, took over running the theater. Hy Bischoff passed away in 1988. Loretta then closed the theater in 1992. But the story didn't end there! A group of people from the community worked together. They managed to reopen the Hyart in 2004.
The Hyart Theater is very important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. This means it is recognized as a special building that should be preserved.
