
Coronado - Rockford, Illinois
Posted by:
BruceS
N 42° 16.419 W 089° 05.568
16T E 327420 N 4682280
Historic former "movie palace" in Rockford, Illinois.
Waymark Code: WM404A
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 06/15/2008
Views: 61
"The period from 1910-1930 was an exuberant, exploratory time for the arts in
America. A significant development was the transformation of movie
theatres from modest nickelodeons to glamorous "movie palaces" presenting stage
shows, symphony orchestras and pipe organ music along with films.
Rockford's Coronado theatre opened at the very apex of this cultural phenomenon
on Oct. 9, 1927. Though built in a moderate size city, this ambitious
theatre, which cost $1,500,000, had all the trappings of a major metropolitan
movie palace including an elaborately decorative interior in the atmospheric
style and a large Barton organ. The Coronado remains a movie theatre and
also houses live performances although these do not accompany films as in the
days of silent movies. It is one of the best preserved movie palaces in
the country, retaining its original atmosphere, and was at its inception among
the finest of its type." -
National Register
Nomination Form
The Coronado continued as a movie theater until 1984. The building
underwent a $18.5 million restoration between 1999 and 2001. The
Coronado is now a site for live performances and is known as the Coronado
Performing Arts Center.