The El Tovar Theatre was built in 1929 to play “talkies” or the new talking motion pictures. A stage was constructed for vaudeville acts. The exterior façade is brick with terra cotta embellishments.
The El Tovar Theatre operated for several decades. In the early 1950s the theatre was purchased by Larry DeMarce and was renamed the Lake Theatre. By the 1970s, it was known as the downtown Showplace Theatre. The owners of the Showplace Theatre made several attempts to cover up the original façade of the El Tovar. Each attempt was worse than the prior. Over time, the building’s condition deteriorated, and eventually the theatre closed.
Without a family named Raue, the historic theatre on Williams Street would still be dark, empty and closed. In 1996, money from the Lucille Raue estate was used to purchase the old theatre building. The vision was to rehabilitate the building to create a visual and performing arts center. The old El Tovar Theatre was renamed the “Raue Center for the Arts.” Most of the significant historic elements of the El Tovar have been retained, restored, or rebuilt. Thank you to the Crystal Lake Historical Society for the information presented here!
Join us as we celebrate Historic Preservation Month! Be sure to walk around Downtown Crystal Lake and learn more about our local history. #LoveWhereYouLiveCL
