Celebrating 100-years of the Beardmore Building and the Rex Theater

Join the centennial celebration of the Beardmore Building benefiting the Rex Theater on July 28! A night full of events at the theatre starts at 5:00 and run till 10:00. The evening includes silent film star Nell Shipman’s "The Grub-Stake," filmed at Priest Lake and premiered at the Rex Theatre. Priest Lake Museum historian Kris Runberg Smith discusses Shipman's ties to the region. With a donation towards restoring the theater, enjoy a Beardmore wine tasting and rides on the 1914 autostage. And then stay for live music with the "Meat Sweats."

A 100-years ago, the Beardmore Building opened on Main Street, Priest River, featuring the theater, a mercantile store, a butcher shop, and a hardware store. Upstairs included a grand ballroom, apartments, a Diamond Match Company office along with businessman Charles Beardmore’s timber and mining offices. Beardmore celebrated the opening of his business block with a party with four-hundred well-wishers. Three days later, Nell Shipman, known for her outdoor adventure films featuring wild animals premiered "The Grubstake" to a capacity crowd at the newly opened Rex Theater.

Come join this party a hundred years in the making which is supported by The Foundation for the Rex Theater, the Beardmore Company, and the Priest Lake Museum.

Event Schedule at the Rex Theater in the Beardmore Building:
5:00-6:00 Open House: Come learn about the Rex Theater restoration project
5:00-8:00 Wine Tasting: With a donations to the Rex Theater, enjoy Beardmore wine and a commemorative glass. You can also hop a ride on the 1914 Beardmore Autostage
6:30-7:00 The Myth & Making of Nell Shipman: A informal presentation by Priest Lake Museum historian Kris Runberg Smith
7:00-8:00 "The Grub-Stake" showing of clips of Nell Shipman's 1923 movie filmed at Priest Lake
8:00-10:00 Live Museum: Round out the evening with the local rock band "Meat Sweats"