MYSTIC THEATRE

Marmarth, North Dakota

If places like this interest you, then this may be fun:

 

This theatre certainly goes back to the good ol days..what was playing there? My husbands grandmother homesteaded in the Dakotas...I like the image..what is the metal gate used for...? Marjorie

Thanks for the comment. The fence to the left only protected a grassy area as far as I know. If you check out the video I suggested in my comment above, you can get a pretty good view of what is the whole town. As far as I can see there is only one business operating. It is a bar/restaurant just to the left of this building.

 

These towns that were spread throughout the plains were mainly a result of homesteaders who got suckered into pulling up stakes and heading west by the railroads. I'm reading some about that right now, and it is a fascinating history. Most of the towns have withered up to just a shell of their former selves, but some impressive old buildings remain.

A simple picture, simply presented in the most straightforward manner. But the scent of mystery lingers as well as the suspicion that this movie palace dreams of becoming a mausoleum.

Nothing pretentious here. Just documentary. I've been reading a book lately about the manner in which the railroads advertised and promoted the plains as a agronomic paradise to settlers in order to lure them west to provide more customers for their services. It's all quite fascinating. Towns were given names of executives' daughters, made up names with no meanings (kind of reminds you of the car industry with their Acura and Lexus, etc.). These folks coming for the free land (360 acres almost free) ran into a sad reality after ten to twenty years. By then it became obvious that no matter how industrious and ingenious they were, this land would not support them at even a minimal level. Then they fled and left behind all that they worked so hard for. Homesteads abandoned and towns abandoned. The remnants are such a testament to human optimism and terrible failure. Searching for them, and photographing them is a labor of love. A history not so grandiose in the scheme of world history, but nevertheless, a true epic.

And a bit more of the town

And, just to bore you a bit more......

Well, certainly this photo captures all the charm and mystical mood of this old Mystic Theatre. It could be used for the opening of "Mystic River" if Clint Eastwood knew it exists. A very good photo and again a document. Regards.

Thank you very much for checking it out. This appears to be one of the few functioning buildings in this town other than the bar.