Looking At The Long Center For The Performing Arts

I have been having some fun every Thursday on the blog learning a little something about a local building. I lived in West Lafayette around the turn of the century when I was at Purdue, and then moved back here in 2011. I realized that I really don’t know that much about the area. A couple of things led to me deciding to dig a little on a local building once a week to learn a little more about where I live.  This week I will take a look at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette.

The Start Of The Long Center

In 1921 the Long Center was opened as a vaudeville house under the name the Mars Theatre. Looking at the website for the theater the first act was Ed Wynn who is a name that I have known for years thanks to my father. I love the idea of traveling vaudeville shows coming to this theater in Lafayette. The live shows did not last long though as six years after opening it changed to a movie theater. Talkies were the rage and you could watch them at the Mars. Of course if you live around here now you know that live theater and acts are now back at the Long Center. The last act that I saw inside was Nate Bargatze. As I write this I realize that I need to get back in there to see a show.