Rialto Theater
National Register of Historic Places

Rialto Theater

Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming
Listed
February 11, 1993
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
93000037

About this property

The Rialto Theater (originally the New Lyric Theater) is a former movie theater in Casper, Wyoming built in 1921. It was constructed with 800 seats by Henry Brennan, who had a successful Vaudeville house, on which he based the new cinema. He sold the building in 1922 to E.J. Schulte, a Schulte invested $50,000 in a remodeling project designed by Casper architects William Dubois and Leon Goodrich. The reopening featured the William C. deMille movie Nice People, a silent film that was accompanied by the Chicago Netto Ladies Orchestra. In 1928, the Rialto began to show talkies. The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The Rialto measures 50 feet (15 m) by 100 feet (30 m) on a prominent corner site. The brick facade is plain in form but the brickwork is extensively detailed. A tall neon sign marks the corner, replacing the original metal sign, and a marquee was added, covering the original leaded glass transoms over the storefronts. A tall parapet adds to the apparent mass of the theater. Storefronts on both frontages house retail shops. On the interior, a balcony is reached by two curving stairs on either side of the lobby, replacing a single grand stair from the first design. The Rialto was sold in 2023 and re-opened as an event venue in the summer of 2024. It hosts ticketed and private events with a focus on stand-up comedy, music, and family-friendly events. Current ownership is marketing the venue in a partnership with the other downtown venues, including the America theater, which is expected to re-open in 2025.

Location

102 E. Second St.
Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming
42.84864, -106.31962

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
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

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Nearby Battles

Battle of Platte Bridge — Caspar Collins' Charge
1865Indian Wars
0.2 mi
Battle of Platte Bridge Station
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0.7 mi
Platte Bridge Fight 1865
1865Indian Wars
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rialto Theater listed on the National Register?

Rialto Theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 1993.

What type of historic resource is Rialto Theater?

Rialto Theater is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rialto Theater?

The period of significance for Rialto Theater is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1921.

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