Second Starlight
By J. M. Oliver, Jr.

"Come 1912 it was evident that the movies were here to stay and W. M. (Mac) Ward, who had been operating the first Starlight in the old Vandover building at the corner of West First and Vine, purchased the SE corner lots of West Second and Elm, moved the buildings thereon and constructed this frame, sheet iron covered movie house.  To provide an inclined floor, the dirt was excavated from front to back and since the soil was clay and dry, the old benches were set on the ground.  Primitive indeed, but the pot bellied stove kept the place fairly comfortable and the admission charge was only ten cents (kids five cents) so no one complained.  Music for the silent reels was provided by a player piano pumped by one of the Ward youngsters, and no attempt was made to select music compatible with the picture on the screen.  "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" would be filling our ears while a lively domestic murder was capturing our vision.

"Up in the projector booth, reached by a ladder, Mr. Ward kept busy turning the projector's crank and paying no attention to the sequence of the reels.  Regular patrons had learned that Mr. Ward was nonchalant about keeping the reels in sequence and were never surprised when the villain who had been shot dead only moments earlier, suddenly returned to life and evil machinations.  However, when Mr. Ward ran the reel upside down or upside down we let him know our disapproval by vigorous booing, which was certain to bring Mr. Ward's head popping out of the booth and a command to "shut up."  It was only Mrs. Ward, summoned from the ticket selling window, who had the domestic power to make Mac change the reel.  Such was movie going in the good old days of the silent movies.

"South of the Starlight is the Airdome, a roofless arena for hot weather with seats in them iddle [sic] and a pigeon roost on the sides.  Beyond the Airdome, the framework of a skating rink can be seen.  A transient rink had nearly put Mr. Ward out of business in 1914 and a permanent rink was the antidote.  Unfortunately, the roller skating craze waned the next winter and the investment was a lemon.  The Methodist Church used the place for Sunday school in the summer of 1916, and the heavy snow of the winter of '18 caved in the roof.  The Ward home can be seen between the framework of the rink.

"The Starlight went up in flames following a film explosion in the projection booth one May night in 1919.  An hour after explosion all that was left was a heap of crumpled hot tin.  The show was returned to First street while a fireproof brick building was rushed to completion.  This building now houses the Thomas Brothers Hardware Store.  --Picture from the J. M. Oliver Collection.