Mishler Theatre
The Historic Mishler Theatre, located at 1208 Twelfth Avenue, Altoona, PA, opened its doors on February 15, 1906. Even then it carried the highest distinction by being the first structure of its kind in America to be completely devoted to theatrical pursuits, as in the early 1900's theatres occupied the second floor of commercial buildings.
Albert Westover, a prominent theatre architect of the time, designed the grand house for Isaac Charles (Doc) Mishler, and his original plans remain on file, along with other theatre archived documents and memorabilia.
In 1965 the Blair County Arts Foundation, together with Altoona Community Theatre, raised $47,500 to purchase the Historic Mishler Theatre from the Notopolous family, in order to prevent the playhouse from torn down and replaced with a parking lot.
Celebrating 100 Years
In 2006 the Historic Mishler Theatre celebrated its centennial anniversary. Despite a devastating fire from which many predicted there was no recovery. Despite years of neglect, deterioration and rumors of an overzealous wrecking ball, the Mishler remains.
Rising from the ashes it has carried forward a glorious spectrum of our richly entertaining past, revealing pieces of its remarkable history throughout each phase of recovery.
Today, the Mishler Theatre is regarded by a grateful community as the heart and soul of our region's cultural life. With exciting promise for future generations, the Historic Mishler Theatre holds a life of its own and is a work of love forever in progress.
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