Capitol Theatre papers, 1868-1937

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Capitol Theatre (Logan, Utah)
Title
Capitol Theatre papers
Dates
1868-1937 (inclusive)
1916-1937 (bulk)
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

Copyright

It 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
  • Mining, Oil and Industrial Record, December 4, 1916.
  • The Free Advertiser, May 10, 1935.
  • Tear Sheet: Machinery, January, 1917.
1916-1935
1 30
Pamphlets
  • Business, Politics and religion in Utah : The Utah-Idaho Sugar Company Versus the People of Utah and Idaho, by C.G. Patterson. 1916.
  • How The War Came to America, issued by The Committee on Public Information, June 15, 1917.
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
  • Sent to the Main, Capitol, and Lyric Theaters. Includes:
  • -Confirmations and bookings.
  • -Notices of designation of photo plays.
  • -Percentage contract for the movie "Poor Little Rich Girl."
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.