Mabel Tainter Memorial Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mabel Tainter Memorial Building
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 Location in Wisconsin
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| Location | 205 Main St. Menomonie, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | Harvey Ellis |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000083 |
| Added to NRHP | 1974 |
The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts is a special historic building. It was first called the Mabel Tainter Memorial Building. People also know it as the Mabel Tainter Theater. This important place is in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
Building History: A Special Gift
The Mabel Tainter building was built to honor a young woman. Her name was Mabel Tainter. She passed away in 1886 when she was only 19 years old. Her parents, Captain and Mrs. Andrew Tainter, wanted to remember her. Mabel loved music and art. So, her parents decided to build a place for the arts. They spent a lot of money to make it perfect.
How the Idea Began
The Tainters were looking for a way to honor Mabel. In 1888, a minister named Henry Doty Maxson came to Menomonie. He was a Unitarian minister. The Tainters were also Unitarians. They talked to him about their wish. He suggested building a community center. This center would "deepen, broaden, heighten the entire round of life." This idea inspired them.
Construction Starts
Building began in April 1889. The site was in the middle of the business area. Captain Tainter already owned the land. It used to be a stable for horses. At first, people in town did not know what was being built. The local newspaper only said the stable was being torn down.
Public Learns the Details
In December, everyone learned about the new building. Captain Tainter wrote a note to the Unitarian Society. He explained his plan. He wanted to give the building to trustees. It would be for public use. The Unitarian Society would also have a place for their work. He hoped it would be ready by May.
The newspaper editor added more information. People had been guessing about the building. The editor said Captain Tainter worked in a quiet way. He did not tell everyone his plans right away. The editor shared that the building would have many things. It would have a free public library. There would be a reading room and an auditorium. It would also have parlors, game rooms, a dining room, kitchen, and offices.
Dedication Day
The building was officially opened on July 3, 1890. A ceremony was held in the theater. Captain and Mrs. Tainter were there. The mayor of Menomonie also attended. Mabel's brother, L. S. Tainter, was also present. He was the president of the Mabel Tainter Literary, Library and Education Society. Reverend H. D. Maxson gave a speech. He had helped the Tainter family with the idea for the building.
The Mabel Tainter Memorial Building cost about $125,000. Captain and Mrs. Tainter gave it to a private group. This group was the Mabel Tainter Literary, Library and Education Society. They would own and manage the building. The Tainters believed it was the best way to honor Mabel. They wanted to help the people living now.
Funding the Building
Captain Tainter paid for the building's costs until he died in 1899. When he passed away, he left $65,000 for the society. This money was called an endowment fund. By 1925, the fund grew to $105,000. Other Tainter family members and people also left money.
Building Features: A Look Inside
The outside of the building is made of special stone. It is called Dunnville sandstone. This stone came from the Red Cedar River. The building's design mixes styles. It has Richardsonian Romanesque features. It also has some Moorish influences.
The inside of the building is very fancy. The walls and ceilings have hand-painted designs. There are marble stairs and floors. You can see beautiful stained glass windows. There are four fireplaces and brass lights. The wood is made of walnut and oak.
The Pipe Organ
The building still has its original pipe organ. It was made by Steere and Turner. It has 1597 pipes and 28 stops! At first, water power made it work. Later, it was changed to electric power. It has been fully fixed up. The building has a fancy theater with 313 seats. It also had a reading room.
Home for the Unitarian Society
The building was meant to be the home for the Unitarian Society of Menomonie. The original agreement gave them free use of many rooms. This included the auditorium, assembly room, parlors, and club rooms. The society still meets there regularly.
Menomonie's Public Library
The building was also planned to be Menomonie's public library. It replaced an older library. The city library gave 745 of its books to the new library. Captain Tainter also gave his collection of 3,000 books. The city gave $200 a year to the new library. The Mabel Tainter Memorial Library opened on January 21, 1891. It had almost 4,000 books.
By 1925, the library had many more books. It had over 16,000 books. It also had many public documents and pamphlets. Any person in the county could use the library.
In 1986, the Menomonie Public Library moved. It needed more space and easier access. The old Reading Room is now the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts Box Office and Gallery Store.
Modern Updates
The Mabel Tainter Memorial Building still looks elegant and beautiful. But it has also been updated. New construction made it easier to access. It also added safety features. A new entrance and public elevator were installed. New wiring and a sprinkler system were added. These updates help the building last a long time.
Recognition and Today's Use
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is also a special member of the League of Historic American Theatres. It is a designated Wisconsin Historical Marker Site.
Today, the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts runs the building. It is a non-profit group. They offer many events. These include performing arts shows and comedy. They also have an annual arts and crafts fair. The Menomonie Theater Guild also performs many of its plays there.
Note: Some older information about the building's architect has changed. It was once thought Harvey Ellis designed it. But newer research suggests Edgar Eugene Joralemon was the architect. He worked in the same office.
