Ramsdell Theatre

The Ramsdell Theatre is a historic playhouse and opera house in downtown Manistee, Michigan, built in 1902 - 1903 by local lawyer and philanthropist Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell. It is located at the corner of First and Maple Streets. It is a Michigan Historic Building serving as a cultural center for Western Michigan.The exterior is a classic Colonial design of red brick with six large columns supporting the portico over the main entrance to the theatre. The Ramsdell Theatre and the adjoining assembly hall called Ramsdell Great Hall are distinct buildings from each other, although built at the same time. Solon Spencer Beman, the prominent Chicago architect and builder of Pullman, was contracted by Ramsdell to design and build the community cultural center.The theatre features a double balcony upstairs and private viewing boxes along the main floor. Its original seating capacity was 1200, however has been cut back to 462 today for fire safety. It has four boxes, two on each side of the stage end and two in the lower balcony. The building has a hipped roof, denticulated modillion cornice, pedimented center pavilion, portico Doric columns, round arched entrance, ornamental brick panels, and dome murals. The most striking feature of the green and gold interior is the horseshoe balcony supported by numerous pillars which extend to the tin plated ceiling.