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Photo, Print, Drawing Anaconda Historic District, Washoe Theater, 305 Main Street, Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, MT

[ Photos from Survey HABS MT-53-B  ]

More Resources

[ Data Pages from Survey HABS MT-53-B  ]
[ Photo Captions from Survey HABS MT-53-B  ]

About this Item

Title

  • Anaconda Historic District, Washoe Theater, 305 Main Street, Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, MT

Names

  • Historic American Buildings Survey, creator
  • Priteca, B Marcus
  • Forseen, Gus
  • Washoe Amusement Company
  • Smythe, Nat
  • Painters Local of Anaconda
  • Bell Telephone Laboratories
  • Hawley, Monica E, historian
  • Lowe, Jet, photographer

Created / Published

  • Documentation compiled after 1933

Headings

  • -  theaters
  • -  brick buildings
  • -  theatrical productions
  • -  Montana -- Deer Lodge County -- Anaconda

Notes

  • -  Significance: Designed by B. Marcus Priteca, Architect, and built by Gus Forseen, Missoula contractor, the Washoe Theater opened to the public on September 24, 1936. Both the Theater's structural architecture and elaborate interior decor are outstanding examples of the contemporary art deco style. Construction of the 1,000 seat theater began in 1931, and was financed by the Washoe Amusement Company at a total cost of $200,000. Completion of this structure was delayed until 1936, due to retarding effects of the depression. Hollywood artist Nat Smythe prepared the designs and watercolor sketches for the interior and the original drawings are still maintained by the current owner. Aside from the murals, executed by three expert decorators, decorative wall and ceiling work throughout the theater was the work of members of the Painters Local of Anaconda under Smythe's supervision. The applied decor employs pastel colors with eight shades of gold leaf in addition to burnished gold leaf on relief elements. When first opened, the Washoe employed the latest projection equipment, and was the only theater in Montana to install a Western Electric Microphone (stereophone) sound system, first developed in 1933 by Bell Telephone Laboratories. The interior decor also included draperies, a carpet, opera chairs, hardware, and sandblasted glass door panels all carefully selected to compliment the art decor scheme.
  • -  Survey number: HABS MT-53-B
  • -  Building/structure dates: 1931-1936 Initial Construction

Medium

  • Photo(s): 11
  • Color Transparencies: 8
  • Data Page(s): 3
  • Photo Caption Page(s): 2

Call Number/Physical Location

  • HABS MONT,12-ANAC,1-B-

Source Collection

  • Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

Repository

Control Number

  • mt0105

Rights Advisory

Online Format

  • image
  • pdf

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  • Call Number: HABS MONT,12-ANAC,1-B-
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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, B Marcus Priteca, Gus Forseen, Washoe Amusement Company, Nat Smythe, Painters Local Of Anaconda, Bell Telephone Laboratories, and Monica E Hawley, Lowe, Jet, photographer. Anaconda Historic District, Washoe Theater, 305 Main Street, Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, MT. Montana Deer Lodge County Anaconda, 1933. Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mt0105/.

APA citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, C., Priteca, B. M., Forseen, G., Washoe Amusement Company, Smythe, N., Painters Local Of Anaconda [...] Hawley, M. E., Lowe, J., photographer. (1933) Anaconda Historic District, Washoe Theater, 305 Main Street, Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, MT. Montana Deer Lodge County Anaconda, 1933. Documentation Compiled After. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mt0105/.

MLA citation style:

Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, et al., photographer by Lowe, Jet. Anaconda Historic District, Washoe Theater, 305 Main Street, Anaconda, Deer Lodge County, MT. Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/mt0105/>.