Mozart Hall
Submitted by Tamara Kincaide
State St., Newburgh IN
Early on need was met with at MOZART HALL. It was operating in the
Riverview Inn on the second floor. Its entrance was shared by the
Masonic Lodge using a stairway facing State St.
A traveling stock company presented melodramas, JOSEPH JEFFERSON was seen in Rip Van Winkle and TOM THUMB was a crowd favorite. Dances also were held in the hall, A favorite among the young people. The young ladies were presented with a dance card program and the young men reserved a dance by filling in the card. The music was usually Polka and Waltz.
Mozart Hall was also the location of the first motion picture house
operated by HENRY SCHUMACHER. One evening the film operator NEIL MEDCALF
had a fire in the booth. Fearing safety. MR. SCHUMACHER realized the
potential for disaster relocated the motion picture house across the
street in a new building he constructed with the ground floor used as a
theatre.
