Now You Know: Where were Waukesha's movie theaters?

Published on: 7/25/2016

For city of Waukesha residents, a visit to the movies requires (for most) a commute by car to reach the nearest theater. It wasn't always that way.

According to the Waukesha County Historical Society, four movie theaters have occupied downtown Waukesha — within walking distance of the outer limits in the city's bygone days.

The Park had two locations — one previously situated on Broadway between the Five Points and Gaspar Street and a later one on the corner of Wisconsin and Grand avenues.

There was also the Auditorium/Avon on Main Street near Barstow.

The Colonial operated on the outskirts of downtown near the current day Post Office on Broadway.

And, of course, there was the Pix, a film theater that is today home to the Waukesha Civic Theatre. (Thanks to WCT's efforts, the theater is still showing classic movies — on certain Mondays — in a series called Pix Flix.

For more information about these former theaters and all things relating to Waukesha's past, contact the Waukesha County Museum at www.waukeshacountymuseum.org, by phone at 262-521-2859 or in person at 101 W. Main St.