Designed by Alvin M. Strauss. Originally opening in 1951, as a movie theatre, the Clyde underwent a $9 Million renovation in 2017-18. With most of the original art deco style of the original building preserved, this treasured venue is now a state-of-the-art mixed-use concert hall and event center. Powered by Sweetwater and featuring cutting-edge sound and lighting, world-class acoustics, and impeccable customer service, The Clyde delivers a live music experience unlike any other. From free convenient parking, to fast and friendly bar service, absolutely no detail has been overlooked. With national touring artists from a wide variety of genres, The Clyde truly does have something for everyone. Copied from a former page titled Clyde Theatre at Visit Fort Wayne.
Here's some fun history about us: In 1949, Clyde Quimby commissioned architect A.M. Strauss to draw up plans for The Clyde Theatre at Quimby Village in Fort Wayne, Indiana. On April 19, 1951, the theater began its life as a 1,782-seat movie house, bringing in patrons from all over the region for first dates, family outings, and a glimpse of Hollywood glamour here in Fort Wayne.
The Historic 07 is a massive fan of the south side of Fort Wayne. It has more to offer from our schools, neighborhoods, churches, parks, and history than any other place in Northeast Indiana. One of those special places is the Clyde. Today is the story of the Lincoln Assassination and what eventually became the Clyde Theater.
The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln occurred on April 14, 1865, when Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth shot him at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was attending a play when Booth entered the presidential box. In the audience that evening was a 21-year-old Union Army soldier named Charles. Charles was born in Steubenville but found himself witnessing the first American President to be assassinated.
During the play Our American Cousin, Booth fired a single shot into the back of Lincoln's head with a .44 Derringer pistol. Lincoln was immediately taken to a nearby boarding house, where he died the following day, making him the first American President to be assassinated. The assassination shocked the nation just days after General Robert E. Lee's surrender, effectively ending the American Civil War.
Charles eventually returned to Steubenville, Ohio, where he became a lifelong firefighter. Although his career was in Ohio, at 88, Charles lived in Fort Wayne with his son on Fairfield Avenue. Unfortunately, Charles passed away on a November evening in 1932 during the height of the Great Depression. He was one of the last surviving witnesses of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. His son, Clyde Quimby, was a Fort Wayne veteran theatre owner and operator. His wife, Helen, would be responsible for what eventually became the Clyde Theatre.
The Clyde is a state-of-the-art music, performance and arts venue in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Clyde is host to live concerts and entertainment, private events, community gatherings, and more. Since our doors opened in early 2018, we’ve quickly earned a reputation with concertgoers, award-winning artists and their crews, members of the community, and visitors from all over as one of the top venues of its kind in the region. We owe it all to the fact that we’ve made it our mission to provide incredible entertainment — that sounds better than ever before — in a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates the arts and our community in every possible way. Copied from Clyde Theatre on Facebook.
"The Clyde Theatre was a glamorous theatre that opened on April 19, 1951 on the outskirts of Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was very tastefully moderne. The circular lobby defined the semi-circular foyer that led to the 1,790-seat single level auditorium. The concession stand was upholstered in turquoise leather. There were colorful murals throughout. The murals by interior designer Hanns Teichert in the main auditorium were lit with black-light… They fascinated me as a child. This was my favorite theatre. It was later twinned and renamed Quimby Village I & II after the shopping centre it was located in. It has been in use as a church since closing and has been de-twinned. In 2017 there were plans to convert the building into a concert/entertainment venue and to renamed it Clyde Theatre once again. Renovations began in July 2017 and were completed in April 2018." Copied from Cinema Treasures Quimby Theater contributed by Patrick Kage.
Clyde Theatre at cinematour.com has March 2004 photos from the Walter Kussmaul collection.
