Fundraiser Kicks Off for Terrace Theatre Display
Local historians have started a fundraising effort to preserve the memory of Robbinsdale’s Historic Terrace Theatre. The once popular theater was demolished two years ago to make way for a Hy-Vee grocery store.
The Robbinsdale Historical Society is working with local historians to gather artifacts for the Terrace Legacy Project. David Leonhardt is among them. He started the website America’s Classic Cinemas, which pays tribute to historic movie theaters across Minnesota.
Historians want to relight the letters that once stood above the 57-foot high Terrace Theatre tower for an exhibit next year at the Robbin Gallery in Robbinsdale. It took almost 670 light bulbs to light one set of Terrace letters. For $10, theater lovers can sponsor a bulb to defray the restoration costs.
“There are definitely a lot of people that are still very passionate about the Terrace,” said Leonhardt. “Not just locally here in Robbinsdale, but around the state and the Midwest. I talk to people during my travels and when I bring up the Terrace they are well aware of the history that was involved both during its run and after.”
The exhibit is also collecting artifacts and memories of the Terrace for display. Some artifacts have not been restored by the public in 20 years. The America’s Classic Cinemas website has information on how you can buy a Terrace light bulb: Americasclassiccinemas.com/buy-a-bulb
