The Buskirk-Chumley Theater

HISTORY 

Harry P. Vonderschmitt was born in Washington, Daviess County, Indiana on January 29th, 1880 and he worked as a coal miner. He then got into the up and coming movie theater business. Vonderschmitt built and started the theater with a desire to have a middle class audience. During this time, it was very popular to go to movie theaters. In 1916, he took over a failed theater venture that his brother-in-law owned in Washington, Indiana. Later he had The Buskirk Chumley built.

In 1922, The Buskirk Chumley Theater officially opened. Back then, it was called The Indiana Theater instead of The Buskirk Chumley. The films that played had no sound, only subtitles, and people would perform on stage while the film would play. The very first film they played was called The Storm.  Famous Indiana musician, Hoagy Carmichael, a member of the band “Carmichael’s Collegians” played live music in between films on the stage in the theater in the 1920s. In 1933, The Buskirk Chumley almost completely burned down and most of the block had gotten destroyed. After the fire, The Buskirk Chumley received donations to restore the building from the community, raising $3.2 million dollars. 

In 1970, a company named Kerasotes bought the theater and played films until 1995. Later, Kerasotes donated the theater to the Bloomington Area Arts Council. They received multiple donations from the community to restore the building, including donations from the Buskirk and Chumley families leading to the theater name change. After it was restored, the management company changed to BCT Management, Inc. 

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

The Buskirk is a community owned building that has been around for decades. Throughout its existence, it has been known for its image in the community and all the shows, events, performances and other entertainment they host. Some of the shows include Studio Ghibli films, old classics like the Goonies, Elf, and Gremlins, along with other performances like The Nutcracker, Another Round’s Winter concert, and many different musicals throughout the years. 

They often offer venues for non profit businesses, hosting around 200 events yearly, public and private. They collaborate with Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Bloomington Expressive Arts training, IU College of Arts & Humanities, and many more.

The Buskirk has its fair share of locally made shows, films, and festivals. They provide a stage for festivals like Lotus Festival, Limestone Comedy Festival, Bloomington Pride, Constellation Stage and Screen, African American Arts Institution, along with many others. 

Steve Versaw, Bloomington Buskirk-Chumley Exclusive Director said “The power of human connection is strong when we get together to witness entertainment, engage in learning experiences, and come together for celebrations.”