Blowing Rock's First Picture Show: The Wonderland Theatre

The little-known story of the Wonderland Theatre begins with Walter Alexander (1884-1925), son of a Charlotte banker and gilded-age man with lofty ambitions for the town of Blowing Rock. In the fall of 1917, Alexander bought 700 acres just to the west of town, including the famous Mayview Rock overlook and extending into the Johns River valley (Lenoir News 10/23/1917, p. 1). His initial plans were very much like those of Moses Cone's at Cone Manor: a large summer house with surrounding drives.

With the U.S. entry into World War I, it proved an inopportune time for Alexander and his palatial plans. Labor was scarce in the town in the best of times, but even more so with so many young men in service. The fair weather period for 1918 passed with little more activity than the surveying of roads. Unlike Cone Manor trails, these were designed at the outset for automobiles (Watauga Democrat 7/25/1918, p. 2). As time passed and the war ended, Alexander's plans continued to grow:

BLOWING ROCK GETTING READY FOR BIG SUMMER

. . . The village has taken on quite a busy aspect and everybody who wants work can find something to do. The development being made by Mr. Walter L. Alexander of Charlotte is the most extensive improvement going on. He has quite a large force of men and teams building roads, planting shrubbery and carpentering. The entrance to his estate, of several hundred acres, is from Main street, about the center of the village, and about 75 feet wide, bordered on each side by large clumps of rhododendron, spruce and other evergreens, and will have an imposing rock portal. In the center of the driveway is a regular "thicket" of rhododendron, dividing it into an outward and inward passage way. The Watauga lake has been cleared of stumps and logs and is being converted into a large swimming and boating lak[e] by raising the dam several feet and continuing the driveway across it. The Green home on the hill overlooking the village has been torn away and a pretty ten-room bungalow is being erected in its place. The fine roads over the estate, embracing several miles, are rapidly being finished and the coming summer tourist will find a splendid addition to the already famous drives around Blowing Rock. The Alexander drives will be equally as popular as the noted drives on the Cone estate, as they present some unsurpassed views and mountain scenery, and will be open to automobile travel as well as teams. (Lenoir News Topic 4/24/1919, p. 1)

Nearly one hundred years later, these drives are now the paved roads of Mayview, two of which include Laurel Lane--the road that enters the development from town and crosses over the dam--and the most important road for our story here: Wonderland Trail.

By the fall of 1919, Alexander's plans had shifted a bit from the Cone Manor-style estate with surrounding drives to a more economically sustainable development for summer residents. There were plans for 15 cottages to be built for the following summer (Lenoir News Topic 11/14/1919, p. 5), as well as a 15-room clubhouse for a planned golf course (Lenoir News Topic 2/19/1920, p. 1). The overall scope of Mayview, at the time still largely unfinished, can be seen in the lavishly illustrated book, In Cloudland, published in 1920 (see the Internet Archive). By 1921, a large hotel was planned in addition to the clubhouse, cottages, and touring roads. For the convenience of summer residents, the Mayview developers also included several commercial lots near the entrance and Alexander asked Lenoir pharmacist Gordon Ballew to run a pharmacy to be constructed there:

MR. BALLEW WILL PUT UP A DRUG STORE AT B. ROCK

Mr. Gordon Ballew, proprietor of Ballew's Cash Pharmacy of this place, has let the contract to Poe & Triplett, local contractors, for the construction of a building at Blowing Rock, to be erected at once, which will be used as a drug store. Attached to this will be a pavilion and comfort station for ladies. The building will be very unique in design and of rustic architecture.

Mr. Alexander of the Alexander Development Company, who is developing the Mayview Park property at Blowing Rock, has given Mr. Ballew the privilege of erecting this drug store on the Mayview property facing Mayview lake. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 3/31/1921, p. 1)

1921 also saw the introduction of a light and power plant, a steam laundry, and telephones, all backed by Alexander and a growing number of outside investors. In effect, Alexander was planning a largely independent town, adjacent to but separate from Blowing Rock itself. The following year brings the first mention of a motion picture theater . . .

The Wonderland Theatre

J. Gordon Ballew arrived in Lenoir in 1913 and, along with E.B. Davis of Morganton, purchased the Shell Drugstore in the Shell Building on South Main Street. In November of that year, Ballew and Davis ran a subscription contest for the Lenoir News, with the winning prize being a new Grafonola, an early record player worth $200 from the Columbia company (Lenoir News 12/5/1913, p. 2). There was another contest for a player piano two years later (Lenoir Weekly News 8/12/1915, p. 2). Even after Ballew buys out his partner in the fall of 1915 (Lenoir News 11/5/1915, p. 1), the interest in technology and show business continues, including a radio station in 1922 (Lenoir News Topic 9/21/1922, p. 1). Ballew was later to build and operate his own theater in Lenoir in 1934, the Avon Theatre, but other than an interest in new technologies he has no definite connection with film exhibition until Alexander builds a theater next to the drugstore in Mayview:

BIG DEVELOPMENT FOR BLOWING ROCK

. . . A moving picture theater is planned by W.L. Alexander and J.G. Ballew, a local druggist. This theater will be ready for the coming season. The theater will be constructed along the same plan that all of the cottages and Club House on the Mayview property have been built. . . . (Watauga Democrat 1/5/1922, p. 1)

In the original deed from 1919, the lots upon which the theater and drugstore were to be built are typical residential lots, but several years later, lots 55 and 56 have been subdivided into smaller commercial properties. The undated "Record Plan of the Development of Mayview Park" shows both the small drug store on lot 55(A) and the theater on lot 56(B). The theater is highlighted in red here:

[note that many historic deeds and maps are publicly available at the Watauga County Register of Deeds document search.]

Seven Seasons: 1922-1928

Like most early silent film theaters, relatively little remains of the exhibition history of the Wonderland Theatre. Entire years go by with little more notice than that it opened and showed films or was now closing for the season. Being geared primarily to the summer residents, who would have passed the theater going to and from town, it may have been enough to know that "moving pictures" were being shown, without any real regard to which specific ones could be seen. Until 1928, there was no other competition in Blowing Rock for regular film exhibition, although a trip to nearby Boone would have brought the summer resident to the relatively large Pastime Theatre there. It may also be that the Manor itself helped advertise the films in the lobby or elsewhere.

These few scraps are collected by year with a few comments:

1922

There is no grand opening of the theater and, in fact, the theater is not named specifically in the few notices from its first year, but it is clear that something new is happening in film exhibition in town that summer:

SEASON OPENING EARLY AT BLOWING ROCK

. . . A substantial stone theater is going up on the Mayview property adjacent to the drug store. It is planned to provide both stage and screen entertainments of a good class throughout the summer. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 4/27/1922, p. 10)

The "substantial stone theater" part of this notice is a bit puzzling--the building was to be destroyed in a fire in 1933, so there was obviously more than stone in the construction. The only know photo of the building (see below) shows not stone whatsoever. As far as the combination of screen and stage entertainments, this would be entirely in keeping with theaters of the silent era; some live music, usually a piano, was necessary for background to the movies themselves, but vocals and vaudeville were common in between screenings as well, to add variety, allow for reel changes, and give the viewers' eyes some rest.

Two more notices are frustratingly unspecific about not only the films shown but even the specific theater:

BLOWING ROCK NEWS . . . "What do people do for amusement at the Rock?" asked a tourist the other day. "Wal," answered Daddy Jim, "some of 'em plays golluf, some swims, some goes to the picture show, some ride hosses and play tennis and a hul lot of 'em motors around in these big cars. I ain't hardly got time to turn 'roun there's so much excitement." (Watauga Democrat 7/13/1922, p. 3)

BLOWING ROCK ITEMS . . . Daddy Jim says: "If everybody wuz as funny as Harold Lloyd and Wiley Vannoy this world wud be a happier place." (Watauga Democrat 7/20/1922, p. 3)

The local correspondent never explains who "Daddy Jim" was and the character makes only one more appearance in the papers that summer. It seems most likely that the "picture show" implies the new Wonderland, although "picture show" could apply to temporary venues in local stores. It might also be that there was no official name to the theater in its first year, as it was referred to only by place in the following notice:

CONCERT AT BLOWING ROCK

The local people and visitors at Blowing Rock are promised a rare treat on Friday afternoon (tomorrow) at 4 o'clock, when a grand musical concert will be given at the Mayview Theater. The best talent on the mountain, and it is said at this time there are some very fine artists summering there, will be used to entertain the audience. The program will consist of songs, instrumental solos, readings, etc. It is not often that Blowing Rock can boast of such a rare performance. Since the erection of the attractive little theater this spring a place is afforded for the staging of plays, etc. (Lenoir News Topic 8/24/1922, p. 1)

The emphasis is on local talent, but the theater is still a convenient and appropriate place for such live performances which would no doubt have had a built-in audience of friends and family of the performers (Lenoir News Topic 8/24/1922, p. 8):

More details are given in an ad from Charlotte:

MUSICAL CONCERT FOR BLOWING ROCK VISITORS

. . . BLOWING ROCK, Aug. 23.--Friday afternoon at 4 o'clock a musical concert will be given at Mayview theater by a number of the best musicians among the summer visitors. It will be for the benefit of the Guild of the Episcopal church. As the advance sale of tickets has been large, a big crowd is assured. The program will be unusually attractive. It is as follows:

Opening selection . . . Green Park Orchestra / Piano solo . . . Miss Crouch / Vocal solo . . . Miss Henkel / Songs . . . Mrs. Boynton / Piano solo . . . Mr. Brawley / Songs . . . Mr. Poteat / Intermission. / Vocal solo . . . Mrs. Opie / Piano solo . . . Mr. Vardell / Vocal solo . . . Miss Hall / Violin solo . . . Mrs. Dewey / Closing number . . . Mayview Orchestra. (Charlotte Observer 8/24/1922, p. 15)

The Green Park Orchestra played for dances at the ballroom in the nearby Green Park Hotel. A lack of first names makes it difficult to determine exactly who is performing, but the family names such as Henkel and Varnell were well known in the Blowing Rock summer crowd. No doubt, once the Mayview ballroom was finished several years later, such impromptu concerts would have been held there. The orchestra would have also benefited from having an actual dance, not theater, floor. One final thing is clear from other notices about the Manor and summer residents in general: the theater was most definitely seasonal, operating roughly from June to early September and closed for the wintertime.

1923

The only notice from the second season involves the employment of E.G. Fitzgerald as manager:

NEW BLOWING ROCK HOTEL ABOUT READY . . . W.L. Alexander, owner, has made all arrangements for the coming season. E.G. Fitzgerald, manager of Holly Inn, Pinehurst, will have charge of the picture show and all amusements, and A.S. Newcomb, another Pinehurst man, will have charge of real estate and insurance department. (Lenoir News Topic 5/25/1923, p. 1)

The connections with Blowing Rock and Pinehurst, especially relating to golf, are frequent during this period. The heat of the sand hills at Pinehurst in the summer could be balanced by a trip to the naturally cool elevations of Blowing Rock/Mayview. As winter set in, the golfers and their families could flee back Down East . . .

1924

The only notice from 1924 involves another live performance, this time by a professional opera singer accompanied by the Mayview Manor orchestra:

MME. REGINA VICARINO HEARD AT BLOWING ROCK

A thoroughly pleased house heard Mme. Regina Vicarino, colorature [sic] soprano, at the Wonderland Theater, Mayview Park, Friday. She was assisted by Mr. Howard Tifft, pianist for the Mayview Manor orchestra.

Mme. Vicarino, in the rendition of a very difficult program certainly won favor among the many music critics present. Her voice was very clear and her interpretation unusually good. (Lenoir News Topic 7/3/1924, p. 1)

This is the first specific reference to the name Wonderland as applied to this theater. Not only denoting the "wonderland" region of tourist Blowing Rock, the theater was on Wonderland Trail. Regina Vicarino (b. 1885) sang in major American companies, in major roles, on both West and East coasts, and recorded as well.

This photo and additional information can be found at Forgotten Opera Singers. Having made her debut in 1910, she was on the downward side of her career in 1924, but still a performer with an impressive pedigree. One assumes that films were shown throughout the year as well, but none are specifically mentioned.

1925

A new manager takes over in 1925, F.A. Abbott:

Southeast . . . F.A. Abbott, owner of the Exhibitor's Supply and former manager of the Broadway Theatre this city [Hickory], is now operating a picture Theatre at Blowing Rock, N.C., and he is also furnishing pictures for Lakewood Park. (Motion Picture News 6/27/1925, p. 3190)

Again, there are no notices about individual films, nor are there any live performances mentioned. The main event happened as the season was drawing to a close:

W.L. ALEXANDER DIES IN CHARLOTTE

Wealthy Blowing Rock Developer Succumbs in Charlotte Hotel to Heart Attack. . . . Walter L. Alexander, 41, of Charlotte and Blowing Rock, capitalist and developer of the Blowing Rock section, died early this morning at the Hotel Charlotte of heart trouble. . . . (Watauga Democrat 9/10/1925, p. 1)

In many ways, Mayview would never be the same again, although the Manor was to be run every summer into the early 1960s. But the successors to Alexander were more frugal and cautious, lacking the visionary daring of the original. The property was tied up in the courts for years, eventually being auctioned off piece by piece, although the property on which the pharmacy and theater stood appears to have been separated from the public auction block and was eventually purchased by Ballew in late 1926.

1926

The fifth year of the theater's existence is by far the one with the most surviving documentation. Abbott continues as manager and in June arranges one of the most important events ever held at the Wonderland: an Old-Time Fiddlers' Contest with Fiddlin' John Carson (Watauga Democrat 6/3/1926, p. 10):

In all likelihood, this is the event for which the following photograph, currently owned by Marshall Wyatt of Old Hat Records, was made (used with permission):

The location is obvious to anyone familiar with the area: on the Blowing Rock pinnacle itself, a little over 2 miles away from the theater. It made for a dramatic photo and a trip to the Rock was almost obligatory to anyone visiting the town. The guitar at the center of the photograph is held by a young woman who might possibly be Rosalie (later, "Moonshine Kate") with her father to her right behind her. Carson had played in nearby Boone, NC and Mountain City, TN in the previous months and was at the height of his popularity as one of the first recording artists of what was to become country music. Occasionally, the papers carry articles the week after a fiddlers' convention giving details on the results and main winners, but unfortunately no such follow-up has been found for this event . . .

Also that June, the Watauga Democrat published 3 weeks of ads for the Wonderland, for the first time, and an additional ad comes from September in the Asheville Citizen-Times. Why Abbott decided to begin weekly ads this year is unknown, but we can suppose that it was an attempt to draw in audience members from surrounding areas, not just the wealthy summer tourists. Certainly an event such as a fiddlers' convention would have interested local musicians and fans, as well as curious summer visitors. The convention apparently opened the season for the theater, and was quickly followed by Frank Lloyd (director) and Pola Negri silent films (Watauga Democrat 6/10/1926, p. 5):

After listing films through 1 July in the normal Monday-Saturday exhibition pattern, ads disappear from local papers and there is only one more weekly ad for the Wonderland, oddly from Asheville (Asheville Citizen-Times 9/5/1926, p. 19). Even today, Asheville is nearly 2 hours from Blowing Rock and, while it may have attracted a similar wealthy summer clientele, had far more options for cinematic entertainment as a large city. Whatever the reason for its existence, the Asheville advertisement adds a bit to our knowledge of the films shown at the Wonderland that summer, however tenuous the results.

Combined, both newspapers give a total of only 12 films, listed here by their title and major stars in the order they played that summer:

• • 6/14-15/1926: The Splendid Road with Anna Q. Nilsson, Robert Frazer, Lionel Barrymore

  • 6/16-17/1926: Good and Naughty with Pola Negri, Tom Moore, Ford Sterling

  • 6/18-19/1926: Two-Fisted Jones with Jack Hoxie, Kathryn McGuire, William Steele

  • 6/21-22/1926: Irene with Colleen Moore, Lloyd Hughes, George K. Arthur

  • 6/23-24/1926: Behind the Front with Wallace Beery, Raymond Hatton, Mary Brian

  • 6/25-26/1926: Whispering Smith with H.B. Warner, Lillian Rich, John Bowers

  • 6/28-29/1926: Clothes Make the Pirate with Leon Errol, Dorothy Gish, Nita Naldi

  • 6/29-7/1/1926: Beverly of Graustark with Marion Davies, Antonio Moreno, Creighton Hale

  • 9/6-7/1926: Mantrap with Clara Bow, Ernest Torrence, Percy Marmont

  • 9/8-9/1926: The Blind Goddess with Jack Holt, Ernest Torrence, Esther Ralston

  • 9/10-11/1926: Padlocked with Lois Moran, Noah Beery, Louise Dresser

Five of these films could be classified as comedies, three as dramas, and three as westerns; a microcosm of standard Hollywood fare of the time but too small of a data sample to indicate anything other than that the Wonderland patrons of the summer of 1926 were very much like movie patrons all over the country. Of course all of the films are silent and all but two are black-and-white: Irene and Beverly of Graustark were partially colorized with 2-strip Technicolor. At least five of the twelve films are known to have survived--a very high number indicating that these were popular films of the first rank in their day. Most had been released around three months earlier, with the Pola Negri film, Good and Naughty, shown only 9 days after its major release. Compared with theaters in Boone and Lenoir at this time, this argues that the Wonderland patrons were staying relatively up-to-date with the more current Hollywood releases.

1927

1927 was the last year that the Mayview theater would operate without competition. Gordon Ballew had now purchased both lots 55 and 56, and hired a new manager for the theater: W.N. Sherrill. Sherrill was well-known in the theater business in Lenoir, managing the Imperial Theatre there. A news blurb detailing the ownership/management change gives a few more details about the building:

LOCAL MAN LEASES MAYVIEW THEATRE

W.N. Sherrill, owner and manager of the Imperial Theatre of this place, has leased the Mayview Theatre at Blowing Rock from J.G. Ballew, and will operate it this season in connection with the local one. Mr. Sherrill expects to put on a number of special features there during the summer, some of which have already been signed for.

The Mayview Theatre was owned by W.L. Alexander of the Mayview Development Company and J.G. Ballew. Last year when the property was advertised and sold Mr. Ballew bought it in. He says it is one of the finest built theatres to be found anywhere. It was built shortly after the disaster in Washington when a theatre gave way and so many lives were lost, so Mr. Alexander took special pains in having this theatre well built so that no disaster of a similar nature should ever occur in Mayview Theatre. Mr. Ballew also states that it is one of the best equipped theatres in this section. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 2/17/1927, p. 1)

The "disaster in Washington" surely refers to the Knickerbocker Theatre fire in January 1922 that killed nearly 100 moviegoers.

When the Wonderland opens in June, a surprising (and confusing) name change appears to have occurred:

SEASON AT BLOWING ROCK OPENING NOW / Tom Coffey Gets Assurance Road Will be Kept Open; Other News

Blowing Rock, June 8.-- New summer businesses are opening rapidly here. Ballew's cash drug store has opened for the summer, as has also the Pastime Theatre in Mayview Park. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 6/9/1927, p. 1)

This and another short mention in the Boone paper (Watauga Democrat 6/9/1927, p. 1) are the only times when this theater is called the Pastime, the concurrent name of the main theater in Boone. Perhaps the name change was necessary because of the change of ownership, but it is once again referred to as the Wonderland the following year. Even in September, the name reverts to its original one in a separate notice detailing Sherrill's purchase of a theater in Granite Falls, south of Lenoir:

LOCAL MOVIE MAN BUYS GRANITE THEATRE

W.N. Sherrill, owner of the Imperial Theatre here and lessee of the Wonderland Theatre at Blowing Rock yesterday bought the L.T. Sharpe theatre of Granite Falls movie house. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 9/1/1927, p. 1)

It seems most likely that the name Pastime was erroneously applied to the Lenoir and Boone newspaper articles cited above and that the name remained as Wonderland throughout 1927.

In July of that year, an amateur play, Mrs. and Mr. Polly Tickk, sponsored by the Worth While Club of Boone and staged with local talent (Watauga Democrat 7/28/1927, p. 5) was performed:

The show played both Boone and then several nights later at the Wonderland:

Local Talent Play Presented . . . After a successful performance at Boone Friday night, the play, 'Mrs. and Mr. Polly Tickk' was brought to Blowing Rock Saturday night and shown at the Wonderland theater here. The play is sponsored by the Worth While club of Boone, and the proceeds will be used for the entertainment fund of the Western North Carolina district meeting of the State Federation of the Women's Clubs in Boone this fall. (Watauga Democrat 8/4/1927, p. 1)

1928

The final notice of the Wonderland as a working venue occurred right at the beginning of 1928:

NEWS OF WEEK AT BLOWING ROCK . . . The Wonderland theater in Mayview Park opened Monday night with a good crowd. The Mayview Drug Store was also opened last week. (Watauga Democrat 6/28/1928, p. 1)

On June 4th the Carolina Theatre had opened on Main Street in Blowing Rock itself and, perhaps, Ballew and Sherrill could see the hand-writing on the wall: located in what is now Kilwin's chocolate/ice cream shop, the Carolina was in the heart of the business district of the town. Run by locals Grover Robbins (the mayor of Blowing Rock!), Eugene Pitts and E.G. Underdown, the Carolina obviously had the full backing of the town and its civic organizations. The Wonderland, with the full ownership of Mayview and its surrounding property tied up in endless legal battles, began to suffer from neglect. When the Carolina introduced sound in July of 1929, the Wonderland apparently was not opened at all and sat vacant.

The End

The final notice of the Wonderland, although it was not specifically named, comes in 1933:

Theatre Burns At Blowing Rock

The theatre building at Blowing Rock, owned by J.G. Ballew of Lenoir, last night was completely destroyed by fire, according to reports received here today. The building was one of the most handsome bark-covered structures in Blowing Rock.

The theatre building was built about 10 years ago; but for the past five years or more had not been in [us]e. It is reported that no insurance was carried on the property. (Lenoir News Topic 4/17/1933, p. 1)

This notice accords well with the end of the ads for events at the Wonderland in June of 1928. When the theater lot was sold in 1937, it was sold with the stipulation that all original covenants and restrictions for Mayview property be kept "except the clause relative to use of said property for theatrical purposes only. This clause, or paragraph #1, of original deed is defreed and declared of no effect and not binding on the grantees." (Watauga County Deeds Book 47, p. 324). Thereafter, Lot #56 would be residential only.

Although changed, some of the structures on the c1922 map above remain: Laurel Lane still divides into two separate lanes off of Main Street and then curls around Mayview Lake. The triangle above the lake is now a simple fork in the road, with the upper portion blocked off, but Wonderland Trail still heads out towards Mayview Manor (demolished in 1978). The stone foundation of the theater remains in the back yard of a private home built on the lot in the early 1950s, but nothing of significance can be seen of the structure.

Ballew's pharmacy building on Lot #55 has been greatly enlarged and expanded. By 1933, the pharmacy had been converted into a tea, coffee and sandwich shop called The Bark (Blowing Rocket 7/1/1933, p. 3). After Prohibition ended, The Bark added beer and ale to its menu (Blowing Rocket 6/15/1935, p. 7). In 1936, The Bark moved out towards Green Park (Blowing Rocket 6/27/1936, p. 6) into what is now Canyons Restaurant. The original Mayview location was renamed Antlers Barbecue with C.A. Critcher owner and manager. In 1937, C.B. Isenhour becomes the new manager and throughout the period the name is usually given as "The Antlers" (Blowing Rocket 7/10/1937, p. 6). The building and the restaurant, after several name changes, is today Bistro Roca.

The one final missing piece of the puzzle for the Wonderland Theatre was a photograph. In January 2022, the author found the following photo on the Lantern website:

The architecture is not dissimilar to a Mayview cottage of the 1920s: rustic and bark-covered. There is a ticket booth in the middle of two doorways (entrance and exit?) and what appear to be advertising boards folded up and leaning on the walls of the entrance. Those who know Blowing Rock will immediately spot two egregious errors: the first line should definitely read east (not west!) of the Rocky Mountains, and the elevation is more like 3,566 feet. But as noted above, E.G. Fitzgerald was the manager for the 1923 season.

This was the first building in Watauga County to be purposefully built as a motion picture theater (discounting the multi-purpose "theater" in Shulls Mills discussed here).

Dr. Gary R. Boye

Music Librarian and Professor

Appalachian State University

boyegr@appstate.edu