The Goetz Theater in Monroe WI

There are few buildings on Monroe’s historic Square as striking as the Goetz Theater. Built in 1931, the facade is an example of the Hollywood Spanish Revival style that had its heyday in the 1920s. Set against the 19th century red-brick functionality of neighboring warehouses, cheese factories and shopfronts, the Goetz stands out with its fluid, skyward design. Historian David Bordwell describes it:

“The brothers’ biggest triumph, however, was building the Goetz Theater. Opening on 2 September 1931, it was of semi-Moorish design, with faux balconies and moody cloud-and-star lighting on the ceiling. Light brown brick and darker brown terracotta inlays finished the outside. The lobby was forty feet high, with a gold finish and many trappings and fixtures.”

Bordwell has done useful work summarizing the current state of historical knowledge about the founding of the Goetz in this article:

Pandora’s digital box: The last 35 picture show

However, some of this information needs further clarification, which I’ll talk about in coming posts. Stay tuned!