Martha Ellen Auditorium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Martha Ellen Auditorium
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Viewed from the east.
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Location | 706 C Ave., Central City, Nebraska |
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| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Col. William C. Shelton |
| Architectural style | One-Part Commercial Block |
| MPS | Opera House Buildings in Nebraska 1867-1917 |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000944 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 1988 |
The Martha Ellen Auditorium, now called the State Theatre, is a historic building in Central City, Nebraska. Central City is the main town in Merrick County, Nebraska. This building was constructed in 1916. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. It's a good example of an old "opera house" from Nebraska.
History of the Theatre
In the early 1900s, Central City and Nebraska were doing well. This was after a tough time in the 1890s. This good period lasted until World War I (1914–1918). The war made farm products more valuable. This led to many new buildings and businesses in Central City.
Back then, there was no radio or television. Silent movies were just starting to appear in small towns. People found entertainment in other ways. They enjoyed musical concerts, operas, and shows by traveling groups. They also liked vaudeville acts. But for these shows to happen, a good place was needed.
Colonel William C. Shelton built this opera house in 1916. He named it after his daughter, Martha Ellen. When the theatre opened, a local newspaper wrote about it. They said Colonel Shelton deserved thanks for giving the town such a great place. They felt his investment helped the whole community.
The new theatre offered many kinds of fun. In 1916 and 1917, it showed movies like The Birth of a Nation. It also hosted operas, talks, and plays. There was even a heavyweight wrestling match! Both local and traveling performers used the stage. For example, in December 1916, a company performed the opera The Bohemian Girl. A local school class also put on a play.
After World War I, opera houses started to decline. Train ticket costs went up, which hurt traveling groups. Even cheaper shows became too expensive for small towns. More people also started owning cars. This meant they could drive to bigger cities for entertainment. Because of these changes, the Martha Ellen Auditorium began showing mostly movies. It stopped being a place for live shows.
Sometime before 1988, the theatre's name changed to "State Theatre." A new sign was put on the front. This sign covered the original "Martha Ellen Auditorium" name. The State Theatre closed in 2013. The owners said it was too costly to switch from film to digital movie equipment. Later, a group called the State Theater Foundation raised money. They collected $100,000 to fix up and reopen the theatre. They used $45,000 to buy new digital projection gear.
In 1988, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed under its original name, "Martha Ellen Auditorium."
Building Features
The Martha Ellen Auditorium is in the middle of the business area in Central City, Nebraska. It's a brick building. It's about 80 feet long and 58 feet wide. The outside of the building has simple brick decorations. It also has large, sunken panels.
The building has a flat roof. Its sides are divided into sections called "bays." There are three bays on the front and five on the side. Tall brick columns, called pilasters, separate these sections. These columns support a wall cornice (a decorative molding). Above that is a parapet wall (a low protective wall). The building also has brick corbeling (decorative brickwork) on its front walls. The original windows on the second floor are still there. But they have been covered up. The shops on the ground floor used to have different stores. These included a barber shop. These storefronts and inside areas have been changed since the theatre was built. A new sign was added when it became the State Theatre.
The original "Martha Ellen Auditorium" sign is still on the building. But it's hidden behind the current "State Theatre" movie sign. You enter the auditorium through doors under the movie sign. The entrance area, called the lobby, is about 13 feet deep.
The lobby has been updated since the theatre was first built. From the lobby, you enter the main auditorium. This large room is about 51 feet by 56 feet. It has no windows. The walls on the sides of the stage, near the arch, are curved. There used to be special boxes there, but they are now covered. The box on the left side of the stage once held a barber shop.
The balcony is shaped like a horseshoe. It is about 9.5 feet deep on the sides. It goes all the way around to the stage walls. The sides of the balcony have three rows of seats. The middle-back part has six rows. Behind these six rows is a projection booth, about 13 feet deep. Two sets of stairs along the auditorium walls lead up to the balcony. There are pillars around the edges of the balcony. Many of the original opera chairs are still in the balcony. But on the main floor, the old seats have been replaced with regular movie seats. The walkways are carpeted. The pink-tinted peach colored plaster walls still have their first color.
The arch around the stage is about 22 feet wide and 14 feet high. The areas on the sides of the stage, called wings, are 17 feet long. They hold movie speakers. You can go backstage through a door on the far right of the stage wall. The stage itself is about 15 feet deep from the curtain to the back wall. The dressing rooms are no longer there. They used to be under the stage. Overall, the building's structure and history have been well kept.
