Gone With the Wind - Corydon

The Wayne Theatre is an Art Deco theatre from the early 1930s. It once had the largest projector in Iowa, which was installed to show Gone With the Wind.

Location: north side of the Wayne Theatre, 110 N Franklin St, Corydon, IA 50060

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Gone With the Wind

The Wayne Theatre was built in 1936 and owned by brothers Frank and Floyd Smith.

At the time, the Wayne Theatre was revolutionary – it featured the largest movie screen in Iowa. It also provided an incredible acoustic experience, which was important as “talkies” had replaced silent films by this time.

The theatre was built in a modified Art Deco style using cinder blocks, which was still a new construction material when the theatre was built. The building also housed a candy kitchen and a barber shop.

In 1939, the Smith brothers installed dual carbon arc projectors specifically so that they could show the movie “Gone With the Wind.” These projectors, with some modifications, were in use until 1991. One of the projectors and the original popcorn machine are now on display at Prairie Trails Museum.

The theatre closed in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, two local groups, Wayco Arts Council and Corydon Community Betterment, bought the theatre and restored it to its original glory. The theatre has shown movies nearly every weekend since then. It is still operated by volunteers. It has also been updated with digital projection so that it can show the latest movies as soon as they are released.

You can learn more about the theatre and see upcoming shows on Facebook.

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about the art

This mural was painted during the Walldog Mural Festival in Wayne County, Iowa, from August 30 - September 3, 2023.

The lead designer was Miranda Ensink from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Miranda is an experienced muralist who has participated in many Walldog events around the world. You can see more of her work at https://www.signpaintersandco.com/.

FAQs

  • The Walldogs are an international group of muralists and sign-painters who volunteer their time to create community art. They have painted throughout the US and around the world.

    The Walldog movement started in Allerton, Iowa, in 1993. Local artist Nancy Bennett invited dozens of signpainters to Allerton to paint murals in Allerton’s downtown, and the local community opened their homes to host these artists. Since that first gathering, the Walldog movement has grown tremendously.

    The Walldogs celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2023 by returning to Wayne County, Iowa. They have meets planned for the next several years to continue this community art tradition. You can learn more at thewalldogs.org.

  • In 2023, the Walldogs painted 16 murals. They also painted new signage at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

    These murals included 12 new designs, as well as 4 restorations of the original 1993 Walldog murals in Allerton.

  • We recommend starting at Prairie Trails Museum in Corydon, Iowa. The “Come, Come Ye Saints” mural recognizes the passage of the Mormon Trail through Wayne County.

    From there, you can drive in an approximate circle to Promise City, Seymour, Allerton, Clio, Lineville, Humeston, and Millerton, before returning to Corydon to see the rest of the murals there.

    Alternatively, you can start at any mural that works for your route.

    The entire route takes approximately 2 hours to drive.

  • Check our main FAQ page for more details and contact info.

Next stop

Visit the east side of the Corydon Square to see the “100 Years of Batteries” mural.

This mural commemorates the long history of battery manufacturing in Wayne County.

You can find 100 Years of Batteries on the east side of the Corydon Bandstand: 100 N Lafayette St, Corydon, IA 50060.

It is a quick walk across the square from the Wayne Theatre, or limited parking is available near the mural.

For the full list of murals and locations, visit this page or download the map.