Hoosier Dusty Files - August 30, 1916 - Circle Theater Opened In Indianapolis

A Year of Indiana History - 2016

August 30, 1916 - Circle Theater Opened In Indianapolis
Local businessmen purchased a livery stable that stood on Monument Circle, tore it down and financed the new Circle Theater. Designed by architects Preston C. Rubush and Edgar O. Hunter, the theater was the first constructed in Indianapolis designed for the new motion pictures.
Preston C. Rubush and Edgar O. Hunter
Robush and Hunter was a prominent team of architects that designed many important structures in Indianapolis from 1905 to 1938. These buildings include:
Columbia Club, built 1925
Indiana School for the Deaf, built 1911
Indiana Theatre, built 1927
The National Register of Historic Places lists many of the buildings designed by the duo.
Circle Theater
With a seating capacity of 2712, the Neo-Classical Revival design is a classic example of the era's great movie palaces.  In addition to the silent movies of the day, the theatre also hosted live acting and musical productions. The Circle Theatre played the first movie with sound, Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer, in 1928. After a massive renovation, the Circle Theater became the home to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1982.

Indiana possesses a rich history that is fun to read and learn. This Hoosier Dusty Files is in an easy to read “this day in history format” and includes articles from the author's A Year in Indiana History series. Visitors may read the articles as they appear or purchase the book:
A Year of Indiana History - 2016
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© Paul Wonning