(DCH) The Harper Theatre Traditional Cache
Hidden : 8/6/2011
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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The Detroit Cinema History (DCH) caches are dedicated to the local creation, viewing,
or enjoyment of movie and cinema-related items in the local area.

This can include, and is not limited to, people, places, and things of Cinema or both past-and-present.

(This series is a companion to the Michigan Cinema History (MCH) and Ontario Cinema History (OCH) series.)
Detroit Cinema History:
The Harper Theatre
14238 Harper - Detroit
OPEN: 1939 | CLOSED: 1974 (as a theatre) | SEATS: 1975
-4/22/2013 page update-


The Harper Theatre (1939)

The Harper Theater was built between 1937 and 1939 at a cost of $290,000 by the Wisper and Westman Group of theaters and was designed by Charles N. Agree in Art Moderne style.  It opened December 1, 1939 with opening week films of 'The Rains Came' and 'Chicken Wagon Family'.

Night view of the Harper (1939)

The very modern-looking (at the time) Harper Theater had (and still does) a few very unique things about it.  One was the murals inside, created by Thomas R. di Lorenzo.  Outside, on the Harper Avenue side of the theater was a unique 80-foot vertical sign spelling out the theater’s name (which could be seen for blocks up and down Harper Avenue) and lit up at night in multicolored neon lights.

The streamlined curve at the corner over the box office and lobby give the building a sense of motion to it.
 
The Harper Theatre (1939)
The theater continued operating as a Movie House until 1974 when it was transformed and converted into a Nightclub and Concert Theater.  Some of these transformations included the interior being altered to accommodate several bars, a large dance floor, and festival seating.

The name was also transformed in its spelling and no-longer would have "ER" at the end, but would instead have "OS".  This left many folks wondering if that name had anything to do with one of the members of the very-popular "Marx Brothers" family (Harpo Marx) who were in movies for many years.

1939 Harper Theatre drawing (John Romanowski)

The Concert Theater is very well-known as a venue for Heavy Metal and Industrial Rock and is one of the Premier places to play in Metro Detroit.

A crowd during a concert at the location recently.
This is NOT a difficult hide.  The Difficulty is in the area and being stealthy.

The Cache is designed to bring you here... and give you some history.

IF you have any more information or details on this theatre,
please email me and i will include it in the description.

Thank you.

BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS HERE.
THIS CACHE IS BEST FOUND DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Jryy-Thneqrq Pbagnvare

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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