The Arcada, the Spanish word for "arcade", was the vision made real for St. Charles native Lester Norris. Construction was completed in 1926 equipping the structure with facilities for live performances, films, and after-show festivities. Norris was a graduate of the Chicago Academy of Arts and worked as a commercial artist and cartoonists for the Chicago Tribune. Norris’ wife Dellora, was the niece of Edward Baker and heir to the Gates fortune. The family wealth, combined with Norris’ artistic talents, provided the means necessary to build the one-of-kind Arcada Theatre.
The Venetian-Spanish theme of the structure came from Norris’ extensive travels to Florida where he studied Spanish-influenced architecture. He worked closely with architect Elmer F. Behrens, the same architect that designed the Tivioli and Chicago Theatres in Chicago. The basic structure used a tan colored brick with terra-cotta trimming. Niches in the walls of the interior contributed to the exotic Spanish atmosphere. The 1000 seat auditorium had leather seats on the main floor and wicker lounge chairs with deep cushions in the balcony.
The organ was an early 20th century theater’s centerpiece due to its importance within the performance. A good organ set the standard of quality for theaters because movie-goers depended upon it to acoustically enhance the visual images on the screen. Norris purchases an organ from New York at a price of $25,000; it was considered to be the finest organ in the country.
Norris opened the Arcada on September 6, 1926 at 6:00pm to sold out crowds. Theatre-goers from Chicago were brought in on a special train. It was reported that prestigious names from as far away as New York showed up for the unveiling. The evening featured a film and several vaudeville shows. The film "the Last Frontier" was given its premier screening. The vaudeville show presented piano and radio stars the Jordans, also known as Fibber McGee and Molly. In addition, dancers Ross and Louise and vaudeville performers Lori Marie Harrington and her Gypsy Wayfarers were entertaining that night. Rounding out the evenings entertainment was an our gang comedy "False Alarm." The stage of the Arcada was the largest in the Fox valley and the seating capacity could fill one fifth of the population of St. Charles.
Throughout the 20s and 30s performers at the Arcada included: Ginger and Pepper (Ginger Rogers and Jack Pepper), Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Little Jack Little, Sam ‘n Henry, Will Rogers, John Philip Sousa, and Burns and Allen. George Burns and Gracie Allen actually ended their vaudeville careers at the Arcada. Entertainers played in front of packed audiences. However, after "talkies," the Arcada began to only book theater and films as vaudeville died out.
