Casino Theater - Boonville, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 58.494 W 092° 44.622
15S E 522201 N 4314022
Original building built in 1898, and had a theater in 1910-1919, remodeled for the Knights, this theater opened in 1933, had two fires and two deaths, and closed in the 1950s.
Waymark Code: WM153HA
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/09/2021
Views: 1
County of building: Cooper County
Location of building: Main St. & Chestnut St., NW corner, Boonville
Built: 1920
Architect/Builder: Ludwig Abt
Architectural Style: Neo-Classical
Original/Historic occupant: Knights of Pythias
Current Occupant: Buerky's BBQ & Morgan's Wine & Spirits
"46. Knights of Pythias Building, 415-417 Main Street, 1920. Built on a Neo-Classical style, the first story had two storefronts. The
three-story structure is brick with stone veneer and accents." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1920
Style/Design: Neo-Classical
The 1st floor of the building is divided into 2 storefronts. It has stone veneer around 3 entrances, each with a transom. The S bay entrance has an Art Deco canopy. The 2nd story has 3 central bays of 3 part windows with pedimented lintels. The end bays Photo have trabeated lintels. The 3rd story windows are l-over-l with soldier
course lintels. Corner pilasters and 4 columns across this façade run through the 2nd and 3rd stories. Over this is a large molded entablature with egg and dart and dentil motifs and a name panel. A high closed brick parapet acts as a crowning balustrade. On the N façade, the E bay repeats the motifs of the E façade. Other openings on the 1st and 3rd stories have no headers, the 2nd story has segmentally arched lintels. Windows exposed on the 3rd story S are paired with transoms. To the W, the 3rd story has a central projecting rectangular bay window and an entrance as the S bay. The 2nd story has 4 attenuated windows with double rowlock, segmentally arched lintels. The fenestration of the 1st story has been altered several times.
"The Knights of Pythias Buildings were significant architecture as well as the commerce of Boonville. The present building, which replaces an earlier structure was built in 1920. In that year the offices of the Farmers Trust Co. were located on the 1st story, offices on 2nd and the Knights of Pythias Hall on the 3rd. A large
vault used by the Farmers Trust Co. is still present at the 1st story level. In 1933 Marion Miller and her husband renovated the 1st story to house the Casino Theater, a movie house that was in operation into the 1950's. Mr. Miller and a young helper were killed in the fire of 1934. In 1937 the 1st floor S was the site of the Walz Jewelry Store while the 2nd floor was utilized for business and professional offices and the Laura Estell Myer Studio of Dancing and Dramatics. A 3rd fire during the 1950's again caused damage to the building, and after repairs, the 1st story S housed the Jones Watch Shop while City Tire and Electric was to the N. During the 1970's the 1st story housed both City Tire and Electric (N) and the Automobile Association of America (S). Presently the building is vacated and the present owners have plans to restore the 1st story into a twin theater movie house.
The original 1898 building was a 3½ story brick structure that dominated the Boonville skyline. An ornate stone entrance graced the center front façade and is now believed to be relocated at the Boonville Water Works building in Harley Park. Vertical and
semi-circular stone hoodmolds covered the 1st and 2nd story windows respectively. In its early days the 1st story was used for a dry goods store, the 2nd story as offices, the 3rd story as the Knights of Pythias Castle Hall containing parlors, kitchen, regalia and anterooms, and the top story was the Knights of Pythias club room. In 1910 a movie picture theater was in the S 1st story and a business school in the 2nd. In 1917 the S 1st story was used by an auto sales company with a capacity of 6 cars while the N was used for the sale of farm machinery and seeds. By 1919 the 1st floor S was the location of the Farmers Trust Co. of Boonville.
The Knights of Pythias Building replaces an earlier log structure that housed Jacob F. Gmelich's Jewelry Store, est. 1861. George Garthoffner operated his cigar factory in 1894 on the site along with barber and cobbler shops.
"The structure faces E onto Main St. There is an alley to the N & W. There are no outbuildings. A gravel parking area is to the W." ~ Boonville Historic Survey PDF pages 1907-1912