Deadline looms to bid on the Mission Theatre
Why are theater jokes not funny? Because they’re all staged. Ha. Ok, moving on...
Tomorrow, July 8, is the deadline for sealed bids in order to purchase the historic Mission Theatre building in Menard. As previously reported, Menard Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is offering the building for sale to the public, with deed restrictions in place. The original TMN article on this topic was printed in the April 28, 2022 issue. You can find it online by visiting menardnews.com and searching ‘Mission Theatre.’
For years the derelict theater has changed hands from group to group, all with good intentions to restore and rehabilitate the site. Progress was definitely made—the building was once flood-ravaged, the roof caving in, with a tree growing up through the floor of the seating area. Over the years, tons of debris have been removed, and a new roof was added. Front windows were replaced, and the awning repaired. The theater is currently in the most stable condition it has been in decades; however, there is a long way to go before it will be safe and operational, with dated electrical and a dirt floor.
In April, the MIDC unanimously decided to offer the theater building for sale, with deed restrictions to preserve the iconic façade, among other limitations. There had been some outside interest in purchasing the property, and the MIDC’s last sale was a success for the community.* The process is a sealed offer with a minimum $55,000 bid. You can read about the bidding process on page 2.
The decision to sell has caused some local uproar—some claim it should be given another chance with another group or organization. Others contend this is the best thing for the theater, to get it into the hands of someone in the private sector with the passion and means to improve it. Menard’s passion toward the Mission has never been inadequate. It seems the means of funding has been the problem.
So how did the fancied theater get where we are today? A dig into the modern ownership history of the theater shows it has consistently returned to MIDC ownership like a stray cat that keeps coming back (an ornate, historically-enriching stray cat, but still an expensive and dirty one). Menard County Tax Appraiser Kayla Wagner graciously pulled records that show ownership of the theater since 1991. It seems like the property just keeps getting turned back over to MIDC:
10/1991: Theater property donated to MIDC by Margaret Bolding, Kathrine Rickard and John Winslow (vol. 133, pg. 233).
10/13/2000: MIDC sold the property to Ray Rickard for $19,000, in monthly installments of $200/month (vol. 175, pg. 313).
9/18/2001: Ray Rickard returned the property back to MIDC (vol. 180, pg. 351).
10/10/2002: Keller Crocket purchased property from MIDC for $11,500 (vol. 186, pg. 448).
8/25/2006: Keller Crocket (estate) Diane Crocket returned property to MIDC (vol. 206, pg. 836).
7/19/2011: MIDC donated property to Menard Heritage Conservators** (vol. 231, pg. 424).
5/24/2016: Menard Mission Theater Restoration Foundation donated the property back to MIDC (vol. 253, pg. 229).
Records don’t tell us reasons for the continuous return to MIDC, but one thing is clear—there is certainly a pattern.
What happens next? As of press time, MIDC director Cherry Swindall reports that no sealed bids have been submitted. The deadline is Friday July 8, at noon. If no bids are received, the MIDC will have to make a decision on the next step moving forward for the theater. We will keep you updated!
*The MIDC sold the historic First Christian Church on Tipton St. via sealed bid in late 2021. Once purchased, the building—and the whole block— has received a major overhaul and is now a gorgeous wedding/event venue by the name of Historic 1904.
**This group later became Menard Mission Theater Restoration Foundation.