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The first motion picture theatre in Fennville was started by a Mr. Brown, according to old accounts, and was "rather unsuccessful." About 1912 Hutchins and VanBuren started another show in an old wooden building located on the north side of Main Street in the middle of the block about halfway between Maple and Elizabeth streets, utilizing a structure built some years earlier that was used for a timeas a skating rink by Horace Hutchins. Less than a year later the business was taken over by Post and Naughtin and soon Ward W. Post became sole proprietor. The Herald in 1916 chronicled the beginnings of movies in Fennville. "When the present manager W.W. Post took over the Dreamland Theatre in 1913, his show house was located in Hutchins Hall upstairs. Poor pictures, dirty room, poor ventilation and fear of fire kept many away. After about a month of this the new fire laws took effect and the theatre moved downstairs. Conditions there were better. Gradually, the need for cleaner pictures was felt and as other things improved, the need of more seating capacity warrented Mr. Post in taking the west room of the building." In 1916, he acquired from John Crane, a brick store on the north side of Main Street, east of Maple, which had been occupied by the H.L. Reynolds dry goods store. Reynolds closed his store in 1916 to become editor-publisher of the "Fennville Herald. The March 3, 1916, Herald reported: "Mr. Post has been trying for some time to get hold of suitable property more in the center of the business section of town for the Dreamland Theatre. He had previously planned on the erection of a new building, but the opportunity to secure this store appealed to him and the deal was made. When the plans for reconstruction are carried out, he will have a theatre which will conform in every way to the requirements of the state and one taht will undoubtedly appeal to hiis many patrons." The new structure was designed to seat 200 theatre-goers in new opera seats. A special feature was an inclined floor "so a view of the screen will not be obstructed from any position in the hall." Business grew quickly at the new location and "Ward's Movie Show," as it was known coloquially became very popular. The theatre had some competition, especially in the summer from the Big Pavillion movie theatre at Saugatuck, which changed features daily, but bolstered their share of the audience with merchant prize giveaways and baby contests. In 1917, on the first anniversary of the move, Herald editor H.L. Reynolds landed Post on his selection policy: "The public scarcely realized the effort necessary to keep films always above reproach, they have been so at the Dreamland with few exceptions. Your families are thus protected against trash imposed upon the public by so many film exchanges." In 1919, the business was modernized with the addition of ventilation and new electric fans, and in 1924, the Dreamland was sold to Clarence Pratt of Chicago, who had been proprietor of the old Bassage farm near Peachbelt. "Mr. Post has operated a picture show here for about nine years and has built up a fine business by offering a good line of pictures and conducting an orderly show house." the Herald reported. "Fennville is a good show town and will respond to a clean high class line of entertainment." In the days of silent pictures, music was provided by Bill Steanburg on a player piano. During part of this time he was also projectionist and would start the film, then rush to the main floor and begin pumping the old piano. The entertainment business did not fare well during the depression and the theatre was closed for a time. In March of 1931 members of the Fennville Commercial Club (an early Chamber of Commerce) pledged themselves to purchase advertisments on the screen and the Dreamland reopened with J.E. Nickerson as manager and shows on Saturday only--two showings nightly and a matinee. The opening feature was Buster Keaton in "Doughboys." an all-talking picture. Nickerson who ran an electric shop in town revised the film showing equipment adding a new sound screen. "The new sound screen brings out the picture much clearer on the screen and the sound now becomes from directly behind the screen, which is better than the old method of speakers on each side of the screen. Mr. Nickerson says he also has coming a new set of lenses for the projectors which will show a much larger picture. He is also working on a new ventilation system for the theatre." |
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Updated on 11/20/2022
By Lynn Matt