Upon entering Menomonie, we went to Acoustic Cafe to have lunch. (I highly recommend their beer cheese soup. [Only in Wisconsin!!]) While waiting for my food I picked up a tourism paper bragging of all the local attractions. Listed was the Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre. I recognized the amazing limestone facade as the same building I had been admiring moments before. The paper listed it as ranked as one of the 10 best historical theaters in the country. I wasn't necessarily impressed. It seems to me, almost every community and small town likes to brag of their "historic theatre" even if it only dates back to the thirties. However, Ira claimed it really was quite a nice place, so we decided to stroll over and take a self guided tour.
All I can say is, walking into this wonderful building blew my mind. It truly is a wonderful place. It was built by Andrew Tainter, an obscenely wealthy lumber baron, in 1889 to commemorate the death of his child Mabel.
Andrew Tainter's lumber company made most of its loot off the virgin white pine stands in the area so a lot of the wood carving was done in white pine (and then painted gold).
The most impressive thing about this building are the details. Everything is beautiful to look at even the radiators and door hinges are impressively detailed.
If you are ever in the area you have to check this place out!!
1 comment:
wow, that theater is really something. I must of have just had the same response that you did when you saw the inside. I scrolled down and simply went WOW! (marta)
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