Theater Opens for Second Act

The Winterset Community Preserves a Local Landmark

By Haley Banwart Berry / Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

Pulling into Winterset down John Wayne Drive, it’s hard to miss the Iowa Theater’s vintage Art Deco marquee located along the eastern quadrant of the town square. The effect is even more impressive at night when all 540 bulbs cast a bright glow over the city center.

The Iowa Theater has been a beloved cultural icon in the Winterset community for decades.

Before its glory days as an American cinema, the location was a one-story grocer and meat market built in 1899. It was later transformed into a vaudeville playhouse in the early 1900s and underwent a significant renovation again in 1928 when a second story was added to make room for a balcony.

The theater was later upgraded to feature moving pictures and redesigned with the signature brick front, marquee sign and solid oak doors and woodwork that remain in the lobby today.

Although the Iowa Theater debuted live performances and Hollywood box office hits for many years, the transition from old-fashioned film reels to digital formats in the early 2000s spelled trouble for the small-town cinema. By 2015, it had closed and fallen into disrepair until a mother-daughter duo stepped up to save the local landmark.

The renovated theater in Winterset takes a step back in time.

A fresh batch of popcorn pops for a Friday night movie.

Marianne Fons of Winterset, and her daughter Rebecca, who commuted home from Chicago during the two-year renovation, led the charge in restoring the theater to its former glory.

Realizing the economic impact for the community, Fons says they were motivated by the spirit of smalltown values.

“You can stream all of the movies you want at home, but it’s not like the shared experience of being among your community,” she says. “The Iowa Theater is a place for kids, families and friends to make memories, and I hope it continues to do that for decades to come.”

Today, the nonprofit movie theater is owned by the Winterset community and serves as a performance space and a place for locals and visitors to come together. It’s a hidden treasure of Madison County and a historic point of pride for Iowans.

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