Theater restoration begins

Kansas City crews were in Iola Thursday to begin restoration work on the old Iola movie theater. Work on the historic theater will include a new marquee and replacing windows and doors.
Jason Combs of Dimensional Innovations begins restoration work on the old Iola theater. Photo by Susan Lynn / Iola Register
by Susan Lynn-Register editor
Published: May 5, 2025
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Kansas City crews were in Iola Thursday to begin restoration work on the old Iola movie theater. Work on the historic theater will include a new marquee and replacing windows and doors.

Two Kansas City-based teams were in Iola Thursday morning to begin work on replacing the marquee, windows and doors on the old Iola movie theater on South Washington.

The historic theater, built in 1931, is being restored through efforts of the Iola Theatre Association, Inc., a local nonprofit. Funding includes $3.2 million through the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The group also has raised $1 million through private donations and two grants.  

Crews with Dimensional Innovations are charged with replacing the current marquee. Morgan Phillips, project manager, said the goal is to go off the original marquee, with some liberties. 

Susan Lynn-Register editor

Susan joined the Register in 2000 and succeeded her father, Emerson Lynn, as editor and publisher in 2001. He was at the helm from 1965 to 2000. The fourth generation of her family to publish the Register, Susan has also served as president of the Kansas Press Association and the William Allen White Foundation. She currently serves on the Kansas Commission of Judicial Conduct. She attended the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. She has a liberal arts degree from Western Washington University and a master’s of library science from Wayne State University. Susan is married to local physician Brian Wolfe. In their free time they love to travel, spend time with their grandchildren and take advantage of Iola’s amazing trails.

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