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Auditorium
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W Main Ave & N Post St
Spokane WA
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| Record #33124 |
Opened: 1890
Closed: Yes (date unknown)
Demolished: 1934
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Capacity: 1750 seats
Architect(s): Herman Preusse
Architectural Style(s):
National Register:
Current Organ: none |
| Also Known As: |
Information for this tour was contributed by James Hulsey. The Auditorium on the northwest corner of Main and Post was built in 1890 and torn down in 1934. The stage was deliberately built extra-large -- in fact, it was the largest in the world when it was built. The architect, Herman Preusse, deliberately made it one foot deeper than the Chicago theater that held the record.
The 1,750-seat theater had three balconies and a number of what we would today call "luxury boxes." Sarah Bernhardt sang there; so did Al Jolson. And the 14-year-old Bing Crosby worked there as, in his own words, a "flunky in the prop department."
Yet, as early as 1924 it was being used mostly as a movie house. This premier Spokane landmark was torn down in 1934. The site became a Pay Less drug store for a while and is now River Park Square.
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Last featured 4/19/2009. Last edited 4/19/2009.
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