Okay, this is the story of 1706 Fourth Ave. So., but don’t go looking for it, because you will be in the middle in the interchange of Interstates 94 and 35W.  This building was torn down in 1956.  But there was fun to be had along the way.

Now this is a bit confusing, so first let’s get our numbers straight.  Sometimes the newspapers weren’t very accurate, and some City permit cards are overlapping or missing, so I’m kind of doing this by the seat of my pants.

1706 was a one-story building, constructed in 1911 with the dimensions 28′ x 127′ x 14′.

1708 was a two-story building, constructed in 1903, 22′ x 58′, with stores below and apartments above.

The narrative below is about 1706 unless otherwise mentioned.

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GOPHER THEATER

This building at 1706 Fourth Ave. So. was built as a theater – the Gopher Theater, to be exact, and the first Gopher Theater, to be more precise.  It appears to have been the Gopher Theater until about 1921.  A new Gopher Theater took its place in about 1925.

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THE MATTHEWS TAVERN

The paper says Tom Matthews established a restaurant at 1708 Fourth Ave. So. in April 1932.  But was he really at 1708 or was he in 1706?  It seems pretty clear that when Prohibition lifted, Tom Matthews established a tavern in the old theater at 1706.

An ad in the Minneapolis Spokesman, the City’s African-American newspaper, announced the Town Talk Dance, the Second Annual Breakfast Dance given by Ray Dysart and his K.C. Rhythm Kings on Christmas Morning, December 25, 1934.  The hours were from 3 am to 7 am!  The ad exclaimed, “Best Band…  Best Dance Floor…  Something New and Entirely Different.  Cabaret Style.  Admission 35 cents.  The Matthews Tavern was at this location until at least February 1935, according to an account of a foiled stick-up.

 

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THE JAIL HOUSE

By September 1935, Tom had changed the name to the snappier Matthews Jail House, again featuring Ray Dysart and his Six Rainbow Rhythm Kings.

 

 

 

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In a wee bit of irony, William J. Smith was given 20 days in the workhouse for selling liquor without a license at the Jail House in January 1936.

 

 

The last mention of the Jail House seems to be in December 1936, when the place was advertising for amateurs – kind of the death knell of a night club.

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THE BRIG

In April 1937, Louis Banks was awarded a liquor license at 1706 for a place apparently called The Brig.  Last seen in November 1937.  Impossible to search for The Brig – too many Generals!

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BAKERY

By January 1941, 1706 had become the home of the Treasure Baking Co., which it would remain until about 1947.

In October 1948 it was the treasure of the Home Bakery, which proceeded to burn the building down.  On October 20, 1948, there was a two- alarm blaze, fed by lard, wax paper, and all manner of flammable baking paraphernalia, that took three hours and 12 pieces of equipment to douse.  The paper’s account described the building as a one-story brick affair, measuring 80′ by 40′.  This is entirely inconsistent with the dimensions given when the original theater was built.  (Minneapolis Star, October 20, 1948)

The Bakery was up and running again, until at least May 1949, but its assets were being auctioned off in September 1951.

In September 1952 an opening was cut between 1706 and 1708 (I think) to accommodate the Lorenz Furniture Co.

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DEMOLITION

There was another fire on January 1, 1956.  Our old Jail House didn’t make it; 1706 was demolished in May 1956, and this time the dimensions matched those of the original construction:

1708 went on for another 16 years, but succumbed to freeway construction in December 1972.