Reviewing the Past
118 Years Ago
First Airdome Theaters in Missouri
Airdome outdoor theaters became popular in the early 1900s. Opera houses or indoor theaters held plays, music, and other forms of entertainment, but they were hot and stuffy in the summer months. The indoor theaters became even more uncomfortable for patrons when motion pictures began to be shown in theaters and the theater windows had to remain closed because of lighting issues.
Outdoor stages had long been used for camp and Chautauqua meetings. Large outdoor theaters or “airdomes” allowed people to sit under starry skies. Airdomes were relatively inexpensive as promoters could easily set up a covered stage on vacant downtown lots and provide chairs in a fenced area. In the beginning, most of the airdomes offered plays produced by traveling and local drama groups. Motion pictures soon became an additional offering at the airdomes.
Airdome theaters were being constructed in Columbia, Sedalia, St. Joseph, and Webb City in 1906. The May 26, 1906 ST. LOUIS PALLADIUM described the airdome theater as “a decided novelty and certainly will be enjoyed during the hot nights of summer. It forms a perfect canopy and with electric lights above and the footlights in front will make the theater very attractive.” Two years later (1908) Nevada and Warrensburg had airdomes open to the public.[1],[2]
Clinton began erecting a new airdome on the Dorman lot west of the square in the spring of 1911. The Fry Brothers offered the use of the Clinton Airdome to churches wanting to use it for services on Sundays. The first two performances were given on April 19, 1911, and the HENRY COUNTY REPUBLICAN stated, “A large audience attended both shows and was well pleased with the vaudeville acts.”[3]
Charles Cornutt announced an airdome would be constructed in Windsor on the vacant lots next to the Windsor Hotel on North Main St. with plans to open by April 1, 1913. The airdome was to seat 1000 people and have a stage 16 x 20 feet to accommodate large performing groups. Mr. Cornutt planned “moving picture entertainments that will be educational, high class in every respect….The front of the airdome will be brilliantly illuminated and will be one of the beauty spots of the business section, both day and night.”[2]
The Windsor Airdome continued programs in 1914, and union church services were held on Sunday evenings during July and August. In 1915, Ed. T. Davies had purchased the Windsor Airdome, and in 1916, the name had changed to “The Leader Airdome.” Also, there was competition from the Windsor Opera House. Henry Greife had leased the Windsor Opera House in 1914. By 1916, the Opera House was now operating the “Opera House Annex” to present shows during the summer months. In case of rain, the show would be held in the next-door Opera House building on South Tebo Street. Only the Opera House Airdome was offering motion pictures during the summer of 1917.[2]
The Windsor Opera House continued airdome programs in the summer of next decades (1918 to 1927), offering popular motion pictures such as the 1920 Charlie Chaplin movie, “A Dog’s Life. Union church services continued to be held on Sunday evenings during the months of July and August.[2]
The airdome era ended for Windsor in 1928 when the Windsor Opera House no longer used the Airdome Annex because it had added overhead ceiling fans in March, 1929. The June 21, 1928 WINDSOR REVIEW advertised, “Opera House—Where the Cool Breezes Blow.”
Union church services were now being held in different churches during the summer months.[2]
A new era was commencing for theaters. “Talkies” would add sound for motion pictures in Clinton, Warrensburg, Sedalia, and Windsor by 1929, and indoor theaters cooled by overhead fans had replaced the outdoor airdomes used in the past two decades.
Sources: [1] ST. LOUIS PALLADIUM (1906). [2] WINDSOR REVIEW (1906-1929). [3] HENRY COUNTY REPUBLICAN (1906-1913).
