Fargo Theatre Building

The significance of the Fargo Theatre is derived from its continuing association with the community as a social and entertainment center, its unique blend of architectural styles, and the forces and events that contributed to both.

Constructed in 1926, the building was owned by T. F. Powers and Peter Elliott, prominent Fargo businessmen. Architects for the project were Buechner and Orth, a Twin Cities firm that had gained a reputation in the state by designing no less than 13 county courthouses.
The Fargo Theatre was considered at the time of its construction to be the finest of nearly 100 theatres operated by the St. Paul firm of Finkelstein and Ruben, a vanguard in the motion picture industry. When uniformed attendants opened the doors on March 15, patrons were greeted with "brilliant lights, bewitching architectural beauty, and symphonic music." Booked for the auspicious opening was a custom blend of stage and screen entertainment, enhanced by the theatre's 10piece concert orchestra. Since motion pictures had not yet learned the art of talking, a large new Wurlitzer Theatre organ allowed a talented organist the ability to interpret any mood or expression of the silent "photoplays."

The theatre continued to offer a variety of shows through the years. In addition to silent movies (accompanied by the incomparable Hildegard on the mighty Wurlitzer), the Fargo accommodated numerous vaudeville acts, music reviews, high wire acts, and personal appearances by Hollywood stars. Notables featured include Babe Ruth, Boris Karloff, Lyle Talbot, Alan Dinehart, Glenda Farrell, Gig Young, and Robert Young. Western star, Tom Mix, delighted audiences by appearing on stage with his horse.

In addition, the popular WDAY radio show, "Barndance," was broadcast live from the theatre. The swells and tremolos of Hildegard's music were captured in homes and businesses throughout the area, filling in between a variety of talk, music, and comedy routines.
The advent of "talkies," however, coupled with the economic conditions of the depression, caused the grand theatre to undergo numerous changes in the 1930s. Hildegard now played only preludes to the new films with a sound of their own. Also, manager Ed Krause finally conceded to the sale of concessions when dwindling attendance demanded that new sources of revenue be sought. Krause had been resisting the trend for years, arguing that it was not conducive to the proper movie palace atmosphere.

But the major change in the theatre did not take place until 1936, when a new owner, the Minnesota Amusement Company, attempted to breathe new life into it by renovating its interior. To accomplish this, the owners commissioned the firm of Liebenberg and Kaplan, Minneapolis architects, who were already well known as movie theatre designers.

Jack Liebenberg, the design principle of the partnership, began his career while in Minneapolis working on the front doors of the Lemington Hotel for his employer, a Milwaukee sash and door manufacturer. Learning of the new Department of Architecture being established at the University of Minnesota, Liebenberg registered as its first student in 1912. Earning a graduate degree from Harvard, he won the coveted Prix De Rome but was unable to study in Europe due to the outbreak of World War I. Returning to Minneapolis, Liebenberg taught at the University of Minnesota and set up a practice with Mr. Kaplan. Together they designed a reported 200 theatres in sixteen states.

Although the primary intent of the Fargo Theatre renovation was to better accommodate the technological advances of the preceding eleven years, it must be noted that major changes had also taken place in the practice of architecture during that short time. It is not surprising that a well-trained architect such as Liebenberg would embrace the new theories of the modern movement. It is even less surprising he would put them to use in buildings such as movie theatres, where new technology and a new aesthetic could easily go hand in hand. The Fargo Forum of March 26, 1937 reads:

"From the critical point of view, Mr. Liebenberg states that the design of the new theatre is the forerunner of architectural expression in which the basic functional elements of the theatre have been brought into close harmony with good proportion, large mass, exquisite color, and unique lighting effects.

"No simple problem," said Mr. Liebenberg, 'was this transformation in which an architectural orge of the past belonging to the ancient hierarchy of the architectural baroque was treated and ministered to in the fountain of architectural youth, commonly called the international or modern style."

There is little doubt that the relative austerity of the modern streamlined design was seen by the public as a sign of the times. Conversely, it was recognized by some as an exciting preface to new and better times. The same issue of the Forum, in describing the integration of lighting in the design, states:

"In this particular achievement alone, the architects of the Fargo have paved the way for much that will be new for some time to come."

Today the theatre has won the acclaim of historians studying the art deco style. Early drawings are part of an exhibition of Liebenberg and Kaplans' work currently traveling the region. Herbert Sherers of the University of Minnesota states that the theatre is a "masterpiece" of the art deco style and is particularly enthused about its grand scale, as most deco theatres are smaller. Sherer considers it "one of the most exciting projects completed by L & C," and Liebenberg himself is said to have viewed it as a triumph.
More importantly, however, is the association the theatre continues to maintain with the community. WDAY utilized its exceptional acoustics for broadcasting and for talent shows well into the 1960s. As the only remaining general attraction theatre on Broadway, the Fargo is admired and enjoyed by many.

In the 1970s the local chapter of the American Organ Society painstakingly restored the real "soul" of the Fargo Theatre, the mighty Wurlitzer. Today members of the Society, including "the incomparable Hildegard" revive the theatre's past by playing preludes to current attractions and by promoting frequent "silent movie nights."

In 1926, firm star, Coleen Moore, sent a telegram to Fargo on the theatre's opening night stating:

"Heaps of success to you and the new Fargo Theatre. Wish I could be there but I must keep busy and make some more pictures for your screen."

More than a half-century later Coleen Moore appeared on the theatre stage as a guest for silent movie night. Clearly, the Fargo Theatre continues to lend continuity to entertainment in Fargo.