Name/Title
Airdome open air movie theaterEntry/Object ID
2024.04.125Description
Digital scan of b/w photo of Airdome theater that once stood on the NW corner of Hoffman and Water Streets. The theater has an archway over the ticket booth and entry. Two pairs of exit doors and movie posters flank the entry that faced Water Street. The theater was open to the air but had tall wooden walls around the outside.Photograph Details
Type of Photograph
Digital scanSubject Person or Organization
Airdome 1913-1920Context
"An early theater was built by John Bannister about 1911 on what had been the Rogers & Bird boat yard property at the foot of Hoffman Street. It was an outdoor theater consisting of a roofless sloping platform with fixed seats and an elevated projection booth at the rear. Bannister sold it to Dale after its first year of use. Dale named it the Airdome. In the summer, he closed up the stuffy Edgewater and ran the open air show place. An obvious shortcoming of such a theater was the possibility of rain. In case of showers umbrellas were in order and if the elements persisted, the showing was temporarily halted until things cleared up. Rain checks were unheard of and no doubt many a customer went home dissatisfied with the short showing. Dale closed the Edgewater in 1916 but continued with the Airdome until 1920. By that time the Pavilion was producing all the entertainment. (Dale's old theater was immediately purchased by Charles Heistand and being on the river bank, became the nucleus of the boat livery which he was starting to develop.) The coming of the movie theater added another dimension to people's lives in those days. It was cheap, fascinating, always ready entertainment when one chose to take advantage of it."
- "Saugatuck Through the Years" by James Sheridan, page 346
"Circa 1920 - Located at the foot of Hoffman Street at riverfront, this was Saugatuck's second movie theater—in the open air. Seats were salvaged from the nearby Big Pavilion movie theater during its renovation. Two silent movies, "Simon the Jester," and "Bludgeon," appear to have been showing at the time this photograph was taken.
- "Snapshots: A Saugatuck Album: A photographic history of Saugatuck Michigan" by James Schmiechen and William Kemperman, 2003, page 62Collection
Buildings: Lost, Commercial businesses, Theater, plays, dramatic performing artsCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2024.04Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionNotes
Image found on CD donated to SDHC by James Schmiechen. Source of image is unknown.Location
* Untyped Location
Digital data in CatalogItGeneral Notes
Note
Air dome [misspelling]Create Date
November 30, 2024Update Date
August 11, 2025
