Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Capitol Theatre papers, 1868-1937
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Capitol Theatre (Logan, Utah)
- Title
- Capitol Theatre papers
- Dates
- 1868-1937 (inclusive)18681937
1916-1937 (bulk)19161937 - Quantity
- 1 box, (.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_CAINE COLL MSS 9
- Summary
- The Capitol Theatre collection consists of some of the financial and legal papers of the Consolidated Theatre Company of Logan, Utah. The remainder of the collection consists of owner B.G. Thatcher's personal papers.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Restrictions
Open to public research.
- Languages
- English.
- Sponsor
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Located in the block of Main Street and 100 South in Logan, Utah, the Capitol Theater was constructed with funding from local businessmen George and Guy Thatcher. The theater held its grand opening on March 29, 1923, with a pianist, singer, dancer, organist, and the "photo-play" Adam's Rib on the bill. Intricately decorated with "old rose and French gray" carpets, drapes, furniture, lighting fixtures, and stucco decorations, the theater was hailed by the Logan Journal as "the finest theater west of Chicago." Although the Capitol was the last theater in Logan built expressly for stage performances, by the mid-1950s it was used almost exclusively for movie showings. The city eventually purchased the aging theater, and in 1993, it was renovated by the Capitol Arts Alliance at a cost of $6.4 million. Now known as the Ellen Eccles Theatre, the old Capitol is managed by the Cache Valley Center for the Arts and is home to the Utah Festival Opera and a number of other musical and theatrical performances.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Capitol Theater Collection is composed of two major parts. The first half is related to the Thatcher Theater enterprise while the second half concerns business and correspondence of various Thatcher family members. The theater portion of the collection centers on the financial and legal movements of the Consolidated Theater company, an umbrella organization covering both the Capitol and Lyric Theaters. The Consolidated Theater Company was a co-partnership consisting of B.G. Thatcher, G.W. Thatcher, and William Spicker. Much of the theater material (including contracts of repayment, notes, receipts, payment protests, and bills) is dated sometime during 1923. This reflects the fact that heavy costs were incurred in the building of the Capitol Theater that year. Non-theater materials quite diverse in content. Most of it centers around Thatcher family members and includes correspondence ledgers, and legal documents. Also included are newspapers, pamphlets, an AAA auto emblem, and even a picture of an Elephant and Rhino!
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
CopyrightIt is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Permission to publish material from the Capitol Theatre papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Capitol Theatre papers, 1868-1937. (CAINE COLL MSS 9). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Department.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
All correspondence has been chronologically arranged and placed at the beginning of the collection. Material relating to the Thatcher theaters has been grouped together and follows in order after the correspondence. All other Thatcher and miscellaneous materials are held at the end of the collection.
Badly torn papers have been repaired using archival repair tape. Items damaged due to acid deterioration have been treated using Wei T'O spray, a de-acidifying agent. Several items have been encapsulated in Mylar to preserve and protect them.
Acquisition Information
The Capitol Theater Collection was purchased from a private individual during the summer of 1985. The acquisition was made possible due to a generous monetary gift from the Marie Eccles Caine foundation. This collection will join several others in Utah State University's Marie Eccles Caine Archives.
Processing Note
Before processing, the collection was stored in a single, early 20th century letter file box measuring 11.5"x12"x5". The material had not originally been placed in any sort of order. It was necessary, therefore, to impose an order upon the materials during their procession.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Capitol Theatre CollectionReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Correspondence |
1888 |
1 | 2 | Correspondence |
1893 |
1 | 3 | Correspondence |
1916 |
1 | 4 | Correspondence |
1917 |
1 | 5 | Correspondence |
1918-1919 |
1 | 6 | Correspondence |
1921-1923 |
1 | 7 | Correspondence |
1926-1927 |
1 | 8 | Correspondence |
1928-1929 |
1 | 9 | Correspondence |
1930-1933 |
1 | 10 | Correspondence |
1934-1937, 1978 |
1 | 11 | Correspondence |
undated |
1 | 12 | Assignment of lease from the Consolidated
Theater Co. to Thatcher Bros. Banking Company |
1916 November 21 |
1 | 13 | Proposal for a contract between Redfield-King,
Inc., an electric sign display company and B.G. Thatcher |
1918 May 20 |
1 | 14 | Ten year lease of the Capitol Theater by the
Consolidated Theater Co., a co-partnership consisting of G.W. Thatcher, B.G.
Thatcher, and William Spicker, from the George Thatcher Corporation |
1923 April 2 |
1 | 15 | Contracts of repayment and the canceled check
from an agreement between the Consolidated Theater Co. and the Salt Lake
Theater Supply Co |
1923 |
1 | 16 | Balance sheet from the Consolidated Theater
Company
Included on this sheet are names of companies owed, amounts owed in notes, and
interests and other charges due. These expenses were incurred in building the
Capitol Theater which opened in 1923. ALSO- Notes, receipts, payment protests,
of the Consolidated Theater Company, 1923.
|
1923 August 14 |
1 | 17 | Bills for work done on the Capitol Theater by
the Cache valley Electric Company |
1923 |
1 | 18 | Reminder notes from Zions Savings Bank and Trust
Company to the George Thatcher Corporation concerning monies (principal and
interest) owed and payable |
1925 November 13 to 1928 February 0XJ 4 |
1 | 19 | Credit and Debits Ledger, Thatcher and Sons |
1888 August 31 |
1 | 20 | Legal Assignment concerning the George Thatcher
Corporation and Zions Savings Bank and Trust Company |
1923 August 14 |
1 | 21 | Statement of receipts and disbursements of funds
of Mrs. Alley Thatcher |
1882-1887 |
1 | 22 | Final account of the administration of the
estate of Hezekiah Thatcher |
1881 November |
1 | 23 | Receipts - George W. Thatcher's receipt for 10
U.C.R.R. Company gold bonds from Brigham Young, April 3, 1876. B.G. Thatcher
Logan Temple receipt |
1918 May 20 |
1 | 24 | Governors Commission of George W. Thatcher as
Captain in the Logan Nauvoo Legion |
1968 February 21 |
1 | 25 | Resolution and Bond concerning lands owned by
Phillis Thatcher Spicker |
1922 August |
1 | 26 | Documents concerning the guardianship and estate
of Gladys Spencer West |
undated |
1 | 27 | Contract and Bond concerning the guardianship
and estate of Gladys Spencer West |
undated |
1 | 28 | Stock Certificate and a letter concerning same
from The Utah Funding Co. The certificate is in the amount of two shares dated |
1914 July 30 |
1 | 29 | Newspapers
|
1916-1935 |
1 | 30 | Pamphlets
|
1916-1917 |
1 | 31 | Miscellaneous material - Envelopes from the
collection, A.A.A. Auto emblem, picture of African wildlife |
undated |
Addenda to Capitol Theatre CollectionReturn to Top
Two photographs discovered with the addenda material were mounted on acid-free boards and placed in the USU Special Collections photographic file under numbers A-4521 and A-4577.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 1 | Correspondence |
1928, 1930 |
2 | 2 | Correspondence |
1937 |
2 | 3 | Correspondence |
1938 |
2 | 4 | Correspondence |
1939 |
2 | 5 | Twentieth Century-Fox materials
|
1935-1938 |
2 | 6 | Western Poster Company orders by the Capitol,
Lyric and Main Theaters |
undated |
2 | 7 | Certified Productions Company agreement to
supply the Lyric Theater with a number of movies |
1932 January |
2 | 8 | Astor Pictures Corporation agreement to supply
the movie "Killers of the Chaparral" to the Lyric Theater |
undated |
2 | 9 | Capitol Theater complimentary
tickets |
undated |
2 | 10 | Lyric Theater Logan City business license |
1929 |
2 | 11 | Consolidated Theater Company canceled checks
written t the Herald Journal |
1939 February |
2 | 12 | Consolidated Theater Company freight bills from
the Utah-Idaho central Railroad Company |
1928, 1930 |
2 | 13 | Capitol Theater Playbill |
1933 August 9 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Theatres--Utah--Logan.
Personal Names
- Spicker, Phyllis Thatcher.
- Thatcher, Alley.
- Thatcher, Brigham Guy, 1870-1939.
- Thatcher, George Washington, 1840-1902.
- Thatcher, George Washington, 1868-1950.
- Thatcher, Hezekiah, 1809-1878.
- Thatcher, Luna Caroline Young, 1842-1922.
- West, Gladys Spencer.
Corporate Names
- Capitol Theatre (Logan, Utah)
- Consolidated Theatre Company (Logan, Utah)
- Logan Nauvoo Legion (Logan, Utah) 1860-1940.
- Lyric Theatre (Logan, Utah)
- Salt Lake Theatre Supply Company.
- Zions Savings Bank and Trust Company.