Third Interlude: Historical Notes
Documentary Evidence and Analysis
The Baldwin Theater
The Baldwin Theater, Springfield, Missouri
The Baldwin Theater was one of Springfield, Missouri's premier entertainment venues during the 1890s. Located at 318-322 St. Louis Street, just off the southeast corner of the city square behind the Colonial Hotel, the Baldwin opened on December 26, 1891, with a production of "Robin Hood."
Built at a cost of $109,000 (approximately $3 million today), the Baldwin was constructed as a showplace for vaudeville, theatrical productions, and musical performances. Famous performers who graced its stage included John Philip Sousa, Al Jolson, and Eddie Foy. The theater also hosted meetings and political rallies, and many of Springfield's movers and shakers maintained offices in the building.
The Baldwin was a major competitor to the Perkins Grand Opera House (opened 1887) and was estimated to be twice the size of the later Landers Theatre. Judging from interior photographs, it was an impressive and spacious venue befitting Springfield's aspirations as a regional cultural center.
Tragically, the Baldwin burned down on January 6, 1909, when a fire that started in the boiler room consumed the entire structure. The ashes were barely cold when plans for the Landers Theatre were announced, and it opened just eight months later on September 18, 1909, becoming Springfield's new premier theater.
McQuary's Failed Booking
State Representative "Portly" Porterfield owned the Baldwin Theater and arranged for McQuary to perform there for three nights. This represented a significant opportunity—securing one of Springfield's premier venues for the Purple Knight fundraising effort. However, the event never took place due to the oppressive heat of July 1897, described by McQuary as "hotter than hell and the devil cooking hoecakes."
The failed Baldwin booking was one of several setbacks that forced McQuary and his partner M.S. Glenn to pivot their strategy from live performances to selling booklets and doing newspaper advertising. This shift ultimately proved more lucrative than the theatrical performances had been.