STATE THEATRE

The States Theatre and Ballroom were immediately next to the northeast foot of the Sorlie Bridge, where River Street runs today. The States Theatre was the only “respectable” place a single woman or family could enjoy a good meal and entertainment during the 1920s and 1930s in downtown East Grand Forks. No liquor was served.

Louis Armstrong, Artie Shaw, and Jimmy Dorsey performed at the States Theatre. The theater featured a revolving bandstand, space for two orchestras, a hardwood dance floor, and a 24-foot-high ceiling with a ventilating system that exchanged air every six minutes. It was an extraordinary venue with crystal globes and was known for serving the best barbeque beef sandwich.

D.J. MacDonald owned the States Theatre, while his brother Angus ran an extensive zoo on the banks of the Red River and maintained a stable of performing horses.

Ruby on the Red: East Grand Forks, Minnesota by Dr. Stephen B. Sylvester. East Grand Forks Centennial Committee East Grand Forks, Minnesota 1988. A Meeting of the Reds, Vol. 1