Home Theater - 113 S Main

It was located downtown in the 'Osborn Block' at 113 S. Main, it also housed grocery stores , an appliance store as well as restaurants; and which is now home to Cafe Max.

1919 March 12, - The Hand grocery stock has been sold to Warner Bros., who will make a closing out sale of it. The vacated room will be occupied by the new picture theatre.

1919 - Mar 5 - John Osborn is preparing to convert a room in the Osborn block into a picture Theater. It will have a modern front, raised floor, and aseating capacity of 400.

1921 - October 26 - Billy Link went to Chicago yesterday to order a second motion picture machine which will eliminate the waits between reels and furnish a continuous show.

1922 August 2 Another Picture Theater - Mont Foss has closed a five-year lease on the larger portion of the Osborn store room on Main Stree for a picture show. Equipment has alrady been bought and work on the construckton of the theater will begin at once. H. L. Werner's jewelry stone will occupy the southeast corner of the room.

1923 - Feb 14 - Billy Link Comes Up Town - Billy Link of the Libery Theatre has taken a six-year lease on the Main street Home Theatre owned by John Osborn, and will take pssession Saturday night.

1923 - Sep 26 - Mrs Billy Link Manage

1924 - jan. 30 - Closes Home Theater

Link Turns His Attention to the Culver Theater

The Home Theater will be Dark for the comming month at least for Billy Link has closed it doors and has decided to run his shows in the Culver Theater located near the depot. Mr. Links lease does not run out on the Home Theater until the first of March, so it will probably remain darkend for at least that amount of time.

Mr. Link Expects to show the same high class pictures in the Culver Theater that has been shown at the Home Theater. In addition, hexpects to put on road shows from time to time.

The greated trouble with the Culver Theatre was that it could no be kept warm. However, Mr. Link had over come that handicap by putting in a partion just inside of the main doors which does not allow the cold air in the main part of the theater.

The new location also enables him to have a larger crowd since the seating capacity is much larger.

1924 - Jun 4 - To Put Up Awning - John Osborn will in the near future place an awning over the entrance to the Home Theater to accomodate the crowd with the weather is bad. The shield will be twenty-for feet long and ten feet wide.

1927 - Jun 8 - John Osborn Plans to Remodel Theater

To Close June 14th

Show To Be Closed For Two Weeks

While Entire Interior Is Modernized

Keeping in step with the times Mr. John Osborn has completed plans to remodel the interior of his Home theater completely. The sctual work will start June 14th and will probably take about two weeks

The seting arrangement of the inside will be reveresed so that when entering, a person will come into the back of the house and will in no way interfere with the preformance.

The seating capacity will also be increased the the addition of fifty seats

THis will be accomplished by moving the west wall back to the alley. The Operator's booth will be taken out of this end and the screen will be placed there

The west part of the building that is now one story, will be raised to two stories, affording better ventilation and allowingg the machines to be placed at such an angle that practically all of the glare from the reflection will be removed.

Another improvement planned is the erection of a stage so that the spoken drama may be staged as well as the silent. A drop curtain will also be added.

These changes have all been approved by the state fire marshall and will give the movie fans a place that will compare favorably with those in any other town of this size.

Te re-opening date will be announced later. A special feature picture had been Scheduled for this occasion.

1928 - May 2 - Home Theater To Install New Muscial Instrument

John Osborn announces that he has purchased the latest in musical instuments for theaters, "Photone". It is rated better than the Vitaphone, says Mr. Osborn, and willbe a welcomed addition to the show. The machine has jsut been paced on the market and is all-electric in operation. It is to be installed this week.

1928 Jul 4 - Cooling System to be Placed in Home Theater

A "Blizzard" cooling system is being installed in the Home Theater which will give Culver one of the most comfortable theaters for a town this size in this part of the state.

This is but a continuance of the policy of John Osborn, the proprietor, who a year ago remodeled th theater, and just recently added the Photone, the last word in music for the small theater.

The new cooling system will make the Home Theater a popular place on warm nights just to keep cool.

1929 - Sep 4 - John Osborn, manager of the Home Theater-, is keeping up with the times by installing a talking movie machine, the first showing to be Sunday night

1935 March 17 - A modern front is to be built on the Home Theatre, according to John Osborn, owner. New lights will also be installed in the interior.

1935 - Jun 19 - Remodeled Home Theater Presents Modern Features

After an extensive remodeling the Home Theater will open in Culver on Sunday with "College Rythm".

The front of the theater has been expanded by removal of the Werner's Jewlery store and modern French doors on the outisde in addition to paneled doors on the inside will keep out street noises. This will help the acoustics of the theater, John Osborn, owner and manager points out, where echoes and unpleasantly sharp resonance have already been eliminated by disquised felt padding.


An arrangement of the seats witih a equal number on each side alloweds a separete free exit.

The complete overhauling includes new stong's light and rectifier in the projection room and all new lights in the box office, as well as outside and inside the theater. A ne lavatory and restrroms facilites habe been established.

The Blizzard cooling system supplies fresh air and an exhaust fan removes used air.

1936 - Rochester Man New Owner of Home Theatre

Robert Waltz, of Rochester, has purchased the Home Theatre of John Osborn and and took pocession on March 1.

He will operate the first show on Friday, March 6

Mr. Waltz is an experienced show man and promoises this community a first class theartre in every respect.

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