June 11, 1911: New Aerodome in Boyertown, a Cool Entertainment Venue

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

June 11, 1911: The new Aerodome at the corner of Fifth and Shaner Streets is a “nice cool place” for recreation and amusement in the hot summer months. It is the first of its kind in Boyertown, built as an experiment—a canvas enclosure with electric lights and picture machine and an asbestos booth.

The manager has taken every precaution to provide a safe, comfortable retreat (in the days following the Opera House fire, everyone was very conscious of fireproofing public facilities).

The Democrat claimed it had a seating capacity of 1000 people. Only the best and most refined motion pictures will be shown. Entertainments will be given every week night, staring at 8:00, and the picture shows will change nightly. The general admission is ten cents, and the show lasts up to two hours.

More News from Boyertown

• TRADITIONS While traditions are considered unchanging, life changes constantly and new traditions must be created; what lasts is the desire to give thanks for life, mutable as it is.
• A Pictorial Tour Through the History of Boyertown: Main Street Businesses page 21 Main Street--page 21