Long before the internet or television, or even the radio, Kewaneeans had Dreamland to escape from everyday life, and for just 5 cents, as you can see.
Established in 1907, the Dreamland Theatre was one of Kewanee’s first moving picture (silent, of course) theatres. Two other early theatres were the Bijou and Nickelodeon.
Dreamland as seen in the mural was located at 205 N. Main in the Main Hotel building (now part of Good’s Furniture). It later was moved to the 100 block of West Third and closed in 1920.
The people pictured in the mural were the theatre owner and his employees, all looking good as if they were actors.
Before closing it was one of six motion picture theatres in Kewanee in the late 1910s, including also the Grand, Majestic, Olympia, Rialto and Willard.
In 1921 the Peerless Theatre joined the ranks of Kewanee theatres. It was located on the parking lot just to the south of this mural. For some 30 years it was regarded as Kewanee’s leading theatre.
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