National Register of Historic Places

Star Theatre

Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin
Listed
November 7, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000154

About this property

Star Theatre, also known as Partridge Hall, is a shop/meeting hall/theater built in 1878 in Argyle, Wisconsin, in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Alanson Partridge was a carpenter who moved from New York to Wisconsin in 1856. In 1878 he built the north wing of the building, with his carpentry shop on the first floor and a large hall above. It was called Partridge Hall, and rented for meetings, dances, and meals. Partridge himself sponsored some events like a Christmas Ball, and advertised it with barkers in the streets. Partridge advocated temperance, so alcohol was not served there. Some time after 1881 he added the south wing. The building is two stories, frame covered with clapboards. Most of the windows have curved tops and the east gable is decorated with a bell-shaped fascia. The hall on the second floor had a stage. In 1908 Partridge sold his hall to Argyle's Modern Woodmen of America. They continued to rent out the hall, and it remained a social center of the community, hosting meetings, proms, lectures, roller skating, and basketball games. In 1920 the hall was renamed the Star Theatre, and began to show motion pictures: silent films and talkies. In 1945 the movies stopped and the building sat idle. For a while it was used as a hatchery. Around 1980 it was restored to house shops and a restaurant.

Location

200 S. North St.
Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin
42.69989, -89.86721

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Pecatonica Battlefield
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Cadiz Township Joint District No. 2 School
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Hefty-Blum Farmstead
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Darlington Carnegie Free Library
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Lafayette County Courthouse
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Nearby Battles

Battle of Pecatonica (Horseshoe)
1832Early Republic
8.7 mi
Battle of Pecatonica
1832Early Republic
10.5 mi
Pecatonica Battle / Battle of Horseshoe Bend
1832Early Republic
13.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Star Theatre listed on the National Register?

Star Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Star Theatre?

Star Theatre is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Star Theatre?

The period of significance for Star Theatre is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Star Theatre?

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