The Crump Theatre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Crump Theatre
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	423 Third Street, Columbus, Indiana
Built	1889, 1941
Architect	Charles Franklin Sparrell, Alden Meranda
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival, Art Deco
Part of	Columbus Historic District (ID82000059)
Added to NRHP	December 10, 1982

The Crump Theatre is a cool old building in downtown Columbus, Indiana. You can find it at 425 Third Street. It's part of the Columbus Historic District, which is a special area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical place!

The Columbus Capital Foundation owns the theatre. Sometimes, they use it for different events. You might see musicians, comedians, or even people who investigate ghosts there!

The Crump Theatre's Story

The Crump Theatre first opened in 1889. A man named John Smith Crump hired Charles Franklin Sparrell to add a theatre to a building that was already there. Later, in 1941, Alden Meranda updated the building. He gave it the cool, modern Art Deco look it has today.

How the Theatre Began (1871-1889)

Before it was the Crump Theatre, the building was called Keith's Arcade. It was built in 1871 by a lawyer named Colonel John A. Keith. It was called an "arcade" because of its design, which had many arches.

• The front of the building had a series of arches.
• The words "Keith's Arcade A.D. 1871" were carved into the top arches.

From 1871 to 1889, many different businesses used spaces in Keith's Arcade. The local newspaper, The Republic, even started there in 1872! You could find restaurants, shops, and offices in the building.

In 1888, Colonel John Keith had some health issues. His property, including Keith's Arcade, was sold to pay off his debts. John Smith Crump bought the building in 1889 for $6,000.

Crump's New Theatre (1889-1920)

After buying the building, John Crump quickly decided to build a theatre. He hired architect Charles Sparrell. Crump was very impressed by another theatre, the Grand Opera House in Madison, Indiana. He asked Sparrell to design his new theatre to look like that one.

• Construction started in April 1889.
• Crump hired famous companies to design the inside.
• Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio created the backdrops.
• Thomas G. Moses painted the main stage curtain.
• C. S. King built the special machines to move the scenery. These artists were known as the "finest in the country" back then!

While the theatre was being built, the old Keith's Arcade part was changed. The middle arch became the entrance to the theatre. The words "Keith's Arcade A.D. 1871" were removed. They were replaced with "Crump's New Theatre."

The Crump's New Theatre officially opened on October 30, 1889. The Norcross Opera Company performed a play called "The Pretty Persian."

A Fresh Look in 1903

The theatre got a new look in the summer of 1903. Henry Ranje oversaw the redecorating. A new stage curtain was made, and the auditorium was repainted in green, rose, and gold colors.

First Movies Shown

The Crump Theatre started showing movies! The very first motion pictures were shown on September 12, 1905. One movie was called "The World In Motion." Another short film showed workers leaving the Reeves and Company factory and the Columbus Fire Department driving down Washington Street.

Later, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1914, the theatre officially recognized showing movies. They showed "When Broadway Was A Trail" and "In The Lion's Den." By the late 1910s, movies were very popular at the Crump. John Crump planned to make the theatre bigger for more movie projectors, but he passed away in 1920.

Big Changes by Hege and Company (1920-1934)

After John Crump died, his children decided to continue his plans. In 1920, a company called Hege and Company started a huge renovation.

• They removed everything from the stage to the sidewalk.
• The front of the old Keith's Arcade building was taken down.
• What used to be two separate buildings became one big theatre.
• Stronger beams were added to support the balcony.
• A new second-floor area (mezzanine) was built.
• The ticket booth moved to the front center.
• New exits were added, and the floor was replaced.
• New carpet and seats were installed.

The theatre was closed for five months during this work. On October 3, 1920, over 3,000 people came to an open house to see the changes! The Crump Theatre officially reopened the next night, October 4, 1920. They showed "One Hour Before Dawn" and "An Eastern Westerner" starring Harold Lloyd.

Updates by Rembusch (1934-1935)

By 1929, a company called F. J. Rembusch Enterprises leased the Crump Theatre. When movies started having sound in 1929, Rembusch quickly installed new sound equipment. The first "talking movies" were shown on March 11, 1929.

In 1931, the Crump family sold the theatre to Louis Holwager. Later, in 1934, Truman Rembusch (Frank Rembusch's son) took over the lease. He started another renovation.

• A new, high-quality sound system was installed.
• A new movie screen was put in.
• Old sound panels were replaced with new acoustic tiles.
• More comfortable seats were added.
• New carpet was laid in the lobby.
• The air conditioning system was updated.
• The lobby walls were decorated with black glass tiles.

This renovation took five months, but the theatre stayed open for most of the work.

A New Name?

In November 1934, a contest was held to rename the theatre! Over a thousand names were suggested. The winning name was "Von Ritz." However, many people in the community felt it was wrong to change the name of the theatre's founder. So, the name "Von Ritz" was never used.

In 1935, the old canopy outside was replaced with a new, electric marquee. This new sign had hundreds of lights that flashed to show movie titles and showtimes. Inside, a new mezzanine with card tables was added off the balcony.

Soon after these changes, a famous singer named Ethel Waters performed on the Crump Theatre stage in April 1935.

The Meranda Renovation (1941-1942)

In late 1941, the Crump Theatre got its third major renovation. Truman Rembusch, who owned the Crump and two other local theatres (The Rio and The Mode), wanted the Crump to look as modern as the others. The Rio and Mode theatres had cool Art Deco fronts.

Rembusch chose architect Alden Meranda to do the work. Meranda had designed other theatres for him.

• A new, shiny vitrolite front was added.
• The old marquee was replaced with a new, two-piece one.
• Five-foot-tall letters spelling "Crump" were added vertically.
• Hundreds of lights on the marquee flashed to get attention.
• The ticket booth moved outside.
• The main lobby was made larger.
• The main restrooms moved upstairs.
• New, "magical" water fountains were installed. They shot out water when you bent over and broke a light beam!

The Crump Theatre (1942-2013)

After World War II, Columbus grew a lot. The Crump Theatre became very popular during this time, from the 1940s to the 1960s. But by the late 1960s, its popularity started to fade. New shopping centers and other movie theatres opened.

In 1979, a fire next door caused smoke damage to the Crump. Many historical items were lost. In 1987, the owners thought about tearing the theatre down. But Vernon Jewell bought it to save it!

Later, in 1994, the Columbus Capital Foundation bought the theatre. It was in bad shape, with part of the roof collapsed. A group called "Save The Crump" was formed. They raised $150,000 to help fix the building. They got a new roof, fixed the heating system, and repaired the front of the building.

In 1997, the Crump Theatre stopped showing movies.

Recent Shows and Events

Even though it stopped being a regular movie theatre, the Crump has hosted some exciting events!

• In 2008, famous musician John Mellencamp held a concert there for a TV show. He hadn't played there since 1976!
• There have been four New Year's Eve events with local and regional bands.
• The Ohio band Ekoostik Hookah has played there four times.
• In 2009, a concert called "Hoosier Dylan" featured musicians covering Bob Dylan's songs.
• Another tribute concert, "Hoosier Springsteen," featured artists covering Bruce Springsteen's music.

The Crump Theatre is also used for other things. In 2010, the play Arsenic and Old Lace (play) was performed there three times.

The Crump Theatre has even been investigated by ghost hunters! In 2006, Hoosier Paranormal Research found strange electronic voices. They later learned that a funeral home used to be next door. That area was later added to the theatre. The ghost hunters recorded the voices in that part of the building! The Crump Theatre also held a "Paranormal Fright Fest" in 2010.

Today, the Crump Theatre is not regularly open, and its doors are locked.

Future Plans for the Crump Theatre

Many people want to see the Crump Theatre open again. Several studies have looked at how to make the theatre work in the future.

In 2013, a company called Jones & Phillips Associates studied the theatre. They found some problems that meant the theatre couldn't reopen right away. The Fire Chief also said it couldn't reopen.

Jones & Phillips suggested different ideas for the theatre. These ideas ranged from making it smaller (for 300-350 people) to tearing it down and building a much bigger theatre (for 1,000-1,200 people). A special committee decided to try to get money to remodel the theatre for about 350 people. This plan would cost around $10.8 million.

On the Endangered List

In April 2019, the Crump Theatre was placed on Indiana Landmarks' "Top 10 Most Endangered List." This means it's considered a very important historical building that is at risk. Being on this list has brought more attention to the theatre. Many people now see it as a key part of making downtown Columbus lively again!