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Transcribed
by
Ann Selvig, from:
Allerton, Iowa Centennial,
BIJOU
THEATRE
“Bijou Theatre” was built about 1883 when the
old Bank was built.
The theatre was located above the “D & D
Antique Store” which is now owned by David and
Dorothy Leeper.
We refer to it as the old “Opera House” where
many pleasant hours were spent.
The large room was lined with chairs,
fastened underneath with boards. A stage
was at the west.
In the 1800’s and early 1900’s the room was
used for graduation exercises for 10th
and 12th grades, plays, operettas,
concerts, Union Church Services, Show Troupes, etc. A piano
player “Blind Boone” was one who came with a show
troupe. “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin” and “Ten Nights in a Bar Room” were
presented here often.
Many years ago George Knerr, Jeweler, had a
shop below. He
also had stoves, harness and buggies. The
harness was kept on hooks at the back of the store
and an elevator was used to lift the stoves and
buggies to the second floor where they were stored.
In the early 1930’s, Claude and Lola Conklin
opened a skating rink in the theatre. It was
open on Tuesday and Thursday nights of each week. They
operated “Galfords Dry Goods Store” below. The Show
Building was next door south. They tore
out the stage in the old theatre and gave the
flood-lights to the school. The Legion
and Auxiliary had their meetings in the back rooms. In the
1940’s the Legion began sponsoring dances in the
theatre. When
Lawrence Welk was just starting up his band and had
about six members, he and his band played at
Allerton, along with many other good bands at that
time. Square
dances, Political Meetings and dinners, etc., were
also held there.
Claude and Lola closed the skating rink in
1959 and the theatre’s use was discontinued.
The Legion and Auxiliary now have their
meetings at the Civic Center. |