Flashback

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Tremont House is built on a history of luxury, hospitality and prestige.

The Lara House is now the Drake Historic District.

Home to vaudeville and film from 1924 to the present, The Capitol Theater, located in Olympia, Washington, has been entertaining the community with music, movies and shows for the past 94 years. The original owners, E.A. Zabel and William Wilson, first opened the theater’s doors to a crowd of 1,000, and its popularity is still going strong today. 

Groups meeting in Snowmass during the 2017/2018 winter season and especially over the weekend of Dec. 15-17 will notice there is a party underway in conjunction with Snowmass Ski Area’s golden anniversary. 

From the silent-movie era to a 21st-century renovation, the Historic Wilson Theatre of Rupert, Idaho, has witnessed nearly 100 years of history. After it opened in 1920, the theater became a central part of the community, hosting an array of events such as graduation ceremonies, stage productions, weddings, recitals and conferences. Its doors closed in the 1980s, and the building wouldn’t experience a revival until 2000, when it was acquired by the city of Rupert. 

Catalina Island, just 22 miles off the coast of Southern California, has long been a favorite Hollywood getaway. Stars like Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood and John Wayne vacationed here, and a young woman named Norma Jean Baker, who’d become far better known as Marilyn Monroe, lived here with her first husband. The island, accessible by ferry or a 15-minute helicopter flight, has updated its Descanso Beach Club and launched a new spa and Catalina Aerial Adventure; it features both beachfront and ocean-view meeting venues that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

The historic Machine Shop has returned in full force as one of the hottest venues in the city. Originally built in 1916, the building was originally used a machinery shop for the Pillsbury A-Mill. Now, it’s an industrial-chic event space as of July 2016. “The building has been carefully restored, keeping the surviving original 1916 architectural details intact,” says Stephanie Guidera, director of sales and marketing.

When the Boise Depot first opened in 1925, thousands turned out to see the first transcontinental engine steam into the station. Among its many visitors over the years was President Harry S. Truman, who made a stop at the depot on a tour of the West. Located in the Depot Bench neighborhood, it’s now a go-to venue for meetings and events.

Though the Chicago Athletic Association hotel has become one of the hottest new properties in Chicago, the history of the building goes back more than a century. The original CAA was established in 1890 with a mission of “providing a setting for athletic, business and social activities.” Founding members included AG Spalding, Cyrus McCormick and Marshall Field.