BHS - at 2nd and College - as
it used to be
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The Old College |
BHS as it was in the 50s |
Elm Heights School - as it used to be
Extracted from "City of Bloomington Interim
Report Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory"; Bloomington Department
of Housing and Neighborhood Development; Bloomington, IN; April
2004
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Caption
reads: "The Elm Heights School has been a focal point of activity in the
neighborhood since 1926. Its current occupant, the Harmony School,
painstakingly acquired funding for a restoration of the building. This
photograph provided a clue as to the style and configuration of the original
windows. Photograph courtesy of the Shaw Starkes
Collection William Hammond Mathers Museum, Indiana
University." |
Top
Theaters
Extracted from
"City of Bloomington Interim Report Indiana Historic Sites and Structures
Inventory"; Bloomington Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development;
Bloomington, IN; April 2004
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Harris
Grand Theater
The caption for this read: "The Harris
Grand Theater, which was located on the corner of 7th and Walnut where the
Omega Building now stands, was Bloomington's preeminent performing arts venue.
Bob Hope and other appeared there in vaudeville shows. The Harris's (sic) and
the Vonderschmitts were Bloomington's most famous impresarios."
As a
side note, the Harris had fallen some in stature by the 70's, when Kerasotes
(which also owned the generally raunchy Cinema West drive-in) was running such
fare as "Deep Throat." The theaters last gasp as a performing venue was in '71
or '72 when, with great doubts about whether the projection screen -- immobile
for more years than anyone cared to remember -- would survive being raised for
a concert by John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The screen did
survive, and the sound in the theater was excellent!
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Indiana Theater
"The opening of the Indiana Theater in 1922, was anticipated with
excitement in the World Courier. Other older theaters like the Princess and the
Harris Grand arranged for updates and were remodeled in order to compete."
Photograph courtesy of the Shaw East Collection of the William H. Mathers
Museum, Indiana University
Impossible to read at this small size, the
marquee heralds "Big Bank Nite Friday." Big, according to the side, was $355.
But maybe that would have been enough to draw a crowd to see Herbert McHugh
Auer and "Marry The Girl."
Side note: behind the gent offering the
lady a firm and hearty handshake (while his buddy stokes his chin in deep
contemplation of her charms, no doubt) is what I remember as the Nickas's
Indiana Sweet Shop. (Looks like the lady has also drawn the attention of the
popcorn machine.) |
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Von Lee -
early
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Von Lee - late
Caption for this one reads: "Built in 1928, the VonLee (sic) Theater opened as
'the Ritz' and quickly closed because of the Depression. As late as the 1970's
(sic), the house around which the theater was built still stood as seen in this
photograph."
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The Princess ... or it
used to be. The marquee was removed in the '80s; the Mexican restaurant has
since closed.
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The Roxy ... the movie
came out in 1941?
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Top The Media
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| Steve Miller says: "
The Bloomington studio for WTTV has been mentioned several times on the mailing
list -- the latest being Tulle's and John's bouts with fame and Chesty potato
chips. I stumbled across this photo on the web. It obviously pre-dates their
visits, since the caption refers to the "Channel 10 studios" on Hillside Drive.
Yep, the venerable Channel 4 WAS previously assigned to Channel 10! ... I think
that's Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane to the right, having just gotten out of
the Nash station wagon (third vehicle from left). That's a '50 or '51 Ford to
the extreme left. Can't quite make out what the rest are, but that gives us an
approximate time frame for the photo. |
Downtown Bloomington
from the Air - 1930s
Extracted from "City
of Bloomington Interim Report Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory";
Bloomington Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development; Bloomington,
IN; April 2004
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Another
photo from Steve from his treasure book. He Says: "Actuelement, it didn't turn out so bad. And it's
really very interesting -- I tried to identify as many venues with
period-correct names, though some are id'd with current "historically-correct"
designations. I asked Steve about copyright, though being
a government report it would appear that is not a problem. Here is his
reply:
I doubt there should be any question of copyright violation, as
there is no copyright statement within the book. In fact, where you might
expect to find such statement, there is this text:
"Revisions to the
data in this Interim Report are encouraged. Information should be submitted to
City of Bloomington, Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, P.O. Box
100, Bloomington, IN 47402 or the Division of Historic Preservation and
Archeology, 402 West Washington, W274, Indianapolis, IN 46204."
The
book was published in April, 2004, and additional copy "may be available."
Contact the Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, P.O.
Box 100, Bloomington, IN 47402. Phone number for the Program Manager Historic
Preservation is 812-349-3401. There may be is more information at the city's
web site: www.bloomington.in.gov.
I found my copy on eBay -- with shipping, I paid a grand total of $7.25. Per
hour, that's a VERY cheap price for entertainment! ----- See
bloomington.in.gov/egov/docs/1067658789_573570.gif
for a map of the historic Bloomington neighborhoods. |
The Old
Library,
now The Monroe County History
Center
from a 2011 email from the Monroe
County History Center
Rose Hill Cemetery
Postcard and photo scans thanks to Steve
Miller, '67, Rose Hill tombstone photos by Margaret Olson, '52.
Top
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