Arcada Theater Building
Also known as: The Arcada
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Why it's listed
Built in 1926 at the corner of Main Street and First Avenue in downtown St. Charles, the Arcada is a three-story brick and terra cotta building that combined shops, offices, a Masonic hall, a tea room and a 1,009-seat theater. Chicago architect Elmer F. Behrns designed it in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and local owner Lester J. Norris, an artist, acted as general contractor and spent $500,000 on it. Norris designed details such as the carved Indian head capitals and imported iron gates for the foyer. A 1943 renovation turned the two-story arcade into an Art Moderne space while the exterior, auditorium and upper floors kept their original character. The Arcada opened on Labor Day 1926 with a silent film and vaudeville acts, and it kept vaudeville long after most theaters had dropped it. Its entertainment history and its atmospheric theater design are the reasons it was recognized. The period of significance runs from 1926 to 1944.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the Arcada is locally significant under Criterion A for entertainment because it provided continuous live and film entertainment from its 1926 opening, including vaudeville. It is significant under Criterion C as a fine small-town movie palace and an atmospheric theater in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, shaped by architect Behrns and owner-builder Lester J. Norris.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94000977, listed August 16, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 105 E. Main St. and 1st Ave., St. Charles |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | August 16, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000977 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926 - 1944 |
| Architect / builder | Behrns, Elmer F. / Architect; Norris, Lester J. / Builder |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival; Moderne |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Entertainment use has continued to the present, with only two brief interruptions for remodeling. The arcade was changed to Art Moderne in 1943, and the theater was still operating as a movie theater at the time of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.91370, -88.31211 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94000977.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4785050
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.