212-214 S Michigan - State Theater_Survey Card

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212-214 S. Michigan Street legal description 56-57 O.P. S 1/2 lot 57 and 20 ft. 8 3-4 1 inches N. side lot 56 O.P. South Bend Key Number: 1-03-18/3-4+7 1-03-18/3-48 historical notes On Friday, January 28, 1921, the Blackstone Theater Corporation directors held an informal opening of the new auditorium at 212-218 South Michigan. Invited guests were city officials, clergy, press, and stockholders. They were enter- tained with the showing of the photo drama "once To Every Woman" starring Dorothy Phillips. A seventeen piece orchestra performed under the direction of Angelo Vitale. The Kimball pipe organ was played by Professor Grenville Tompsett. By January 31, 1921, 15,236 South Bend area people had attended this magnificent theater called the "Pride of South Bend." The Blackstone Theater project was initiated November of 1918 by Chicago interests represented by Jacob Handelsman, department manager of the W. W. Kimball Co. of Chicgo, Illinois. z.:id by Charles E. Potts, general superintendent of Inland Steel Mills, Indiana HArbor, Indiana. They secured a ninety-nine year lease to the pro- perty from John McGill who was engaged in a furniture business at this location. They also secured a ninety-nine year lease for the property at 216, 218 South Michigan owned by Frank C. Toepp, St. and leased by him to seven small businesses. An article in the News Times, December 17, 1918, announced that the "City Will Have a New Movie House". A picture of the front elevation of the theater to be erected appeared in the newspaper around this time. The architects were listed as Rapp and Rapp of Chicago. These plans were not the ones that were adopted. 0n the 9th of January, 1919, the Blackstone Theater Corp. filed incorporation papers in the State of Indiana. They listed capitol stock at $600,000 or 6,000 shares at $10.00 a share. The new corporation received the ninety-nine year leases for lot 56 and 57, 0.P. from Jacob Handelsman and Charles Potts. In June of 1919, the building on the McGill property was razed, but one of the tenants that had leased from Frank C. Toepp, St. filed a restraining order against the Blackstone Theater Corporation and the case was not settled until August of 1919. The Blackstone Theater Corporation placed an ad in the South -Bend Tribune, Sept- ember 4, 1919, announcing a limited stock offer. The corporation reminded the people of the area that the building of the theater was a home project and the Blackstone Theater Corporation wanted home capitol to share all the profits. Enough money must have been raised to get the project started because on the 22nd of September, 1919, the city issued a building permit. continued on white sheet) source of information See white sheet for source of information)