The Lyceum Theater at 423 West Superior Street had a seating capacity of 1,281 for operas, plays, and vaudeville until 1921 when it was a movie house. Built in 1891 with lumberman Andreas M. Miller financing, it stood until torn down in January 1966. Built to a Traphagen and Fitzpatrick architectural design of brick and brownstone quarried locally, the details were carved by O. George Thrana a Norwegian master stone carver. The triple arched entrance had bronze doors. The stone lions on either side of the entrance were moved to the Duluth zoo when it was razed. The carved comedy and tragedy masks on either side of the entrance were cut from the facade and hang in the theater of the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The New Grand theater at 213 West Superior Street had a seating capacity of 1,025. The building was occupied by the Lyric motion picture theater beginning in 1922 that showed films into the 1970s. The entire block was razed in 1976 for the Normandy Inn in downtown Duluth. The block is still referred to as the Lyric block by longtime Duluthians.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The Sunbeam Theater was located at 109 West Superior Street beginning in 1908. The silent film "Highbrow Love" was out in 1913. In 1922 the motion picture theater the Astor took that address, and the Sunbeam moved to 103 West Superior Street where it remained until 1930.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections