It took nearly a century for the lashings of Iowa weather to wear down the Art Deco façade of Charles City’s landmark 1935 movie theater. But a few summers ago, it became clear the terracotta tiles which rise in a carnival of red, blue and gold above the marquee needed repair.
“When water started coming in, you know, Mother Nature told us that it was time,” said Chuck Van Gilder, president of the nonprofit board which manages the theater.
Van Gilder said summer storms in 2024 exposed damage to the brickwork on the roof and weak points in the sealant and mortar which hold the ceramic façade in place.
The Charles Theatre Board, which manages the venue’s operations, and the Charles City Arts Council, which owns the building, learned addressing the damage and preserving the tilework would cost an estimated $250,000. That came as a major lift for the volunteer-run nonprofit — which charges $3 for a movie ticket and serves a northeast Iowa community of less than 10,000 residents.
But in October they completed the first phase of the building’s restoration and have secured half of the funds necessary for the project. They plan to resume work next spring, completing three additional phases.
The theater is a rare survivor from a wave of Art Deco movie palaces built across the state in the mid-to-late 1930s. It was designed by Des Moines architects Wetherell & Harrison. The firm designed similar theaters elsewhere in Iowa, including Burlington, whose Capital Theater retains a similar polychrome façade.
The theater was part of the Central State’s Theatre Corporation. It was run by the Blank family, a name now recognized for its association with Des Moines philanthropic efforts.
The building has enjoyed a dedicated following throughout its history. John Allen grew up in Charles City and started seeing films in the 1940s, when a ticket cost ten cents. His father ran a cafe nearby which bustled to the rhythm of the theater.
“The movies would start at 7, pretty much done by 9,” Allen said. “The dinner crowd would come, and they all leave by 7, go to the movie, and come back for ice cream sundaes. So, they had a big business after the movies.”
By the 1990s, the building had fallen into disrepair. Community members organized to salvage it. The theater reopened as a nonprofit in 1999.
At the time, they added a stage. The venue now hosts community theater, school functions and live music in addition to first-run cinema. A corps of roughly 40 volunteers keeps it operating.
Van Gilder credits community support with rescuing the cinema’s façade.
“We put an ask out for folks to help with some of the fundraising, and they came through in a big way. We raised about $30,000 from the community,” he said.
Those dollars helped fund the first phase of work completed in October. Deteriorating bricks were replaced along the roofline and the building was sealed to prevent further moisture from entry.
A close examination of the façade reveals chips, cracks and flaking paint. The bulk of the work will address that wear, restoring and reglazing the ceramic.
Charles City Arts Center Director Emily Kiewel said they are pursuing municipal grants and donations from private family foundations to help raise the remaining funds. If they meet their goal, the work could be completed next year.
The building is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located just outside an existing Main Street historic district.
“That complicates what you're able to do,” Kiewel said, noting if the building was added to the district, it could open more grant opportunities in the future.
But she said the community’s dedication to the theater remains the heart of the project.
“They really care about this building, and they've been very, very generous,” she said.
