Mishler Theatre

Mishler Theatre
	Front of the theater
Address	1208 12th Avenue; Altoona, Pennsylvania; United States
Owner	Blair County Arts Foundation
Designation	National Register of Historic Places
Construction
Opened	February 15, 1906
Rebuilt	1907
	Mishler Theatre
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	1208 12th Ave., Altoona, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°32′59″N 78°24′7″W / 40.54972°N 78.40194°W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1906
Architectural style	Beaux Arts
NRHP reference No.	73001592
Added to NRHP	April 11, 1973
Years active	1906 – present
Architect	Daniel Connaughton
Website
	www.mishlertheatre.org

The Mishler Theatre is a Beaux-Arts stage and movie theater located at 1208 Twelfth Avenue in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It was designed by Albert E. Westover and built by local theatre owner and manager Isaac Charles Mishler and opened on February 15, 1906. Nine months later, the neighboring Rothert building caught fire, which quickly spread to the theater, destroying the interior. The theater was rebuilt and re-opened in 1907.^[2]^[3]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and is located in the Downtown Altoona Historic District.^[1]

Restoration

After disuse in the mid-20th century, the theatre was considered for demolition in 1965. In response, the Altoona Community Theatre and the Blair County Arts Foundation purchased it and began renovation. The theatre reopened in 1969 for a performance of The Sound of Music.^[4]

Early renovation included replacement of the seats and the lobby's chandelier, the new one purchased in 1970 at a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer auction. Major structural, plumbing, and electrical work began in the early 1990s. At the most recent estimate, the restoration has cost approximately 1.8 million dollars.^{[citation needed]}

Possible Hauntings

The theater is not only notable for its historical significance, but has received much attention for its supposed hauntings over the past few decades. The site has become a popular haunted attraction for paranormal enthusiasts. It gathers so much attention that it was paid a visit by the cable television show Ghost Hunters. In 2004, the show visited Altoona to visit two reportedly haunted locations: the Mishler Theatre and the Altoona Railroaders Museum. The investigators on the broadcast note that they were informed of the popular local legend that Mr. Isaac Mishler's ghost is often seen walking throughout the theater on the catwalk and near his office with a cigar in his mouth. However, they concluded that the site not haunted, based on their standards.^[5]^[6]

Shows

The theater hosts numerous productions every year; including local productions, traveling productions, various recitals, weddings, and a children's theatre series.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ "Marker Details: Charles Mishler", ExplorePAHistory.com.
^ "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes Eleanore H. Steckman and William K. Watson (August 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Mishler Theatre" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-03.
^ "A Brief History" Archived 2010-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, the Altoona Community Theatre.
^ http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/Mishler.html
^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0983462/
^ http://mishlertheatre.org/cms/schedule/

External links

BCAF's photo gallery of the Mishler Theatre.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. PA-5512, "Mishler Theatre, 1208 Twelfth Avenue, Altoona, Blair County, PA", 2 photos, 7 data pages, 1 photo caption page

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[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[marker-2] "Marker Details: Charles Mishler", ExplorePAHistory.com.

[arch-3] "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes Eleanore H. Steckman and William K. Watson (August 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Mishler Theatre" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-03.

[act-4] "A Brief History" Archived 2010-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, the Altoona Community Theatre.

[5] ttp://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/Mishler.html

[6] ttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0983462/

[7] ttp://mishlertheatre.org/cms/schedule/

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