By LISA BOWERS

Journal City Editor

MARQUETTE –No exploration of historic buildings would be complete without the iconic Deft Theater on Washington Street.

According to the Delft Bistro website, the original building opened in 1914.

It was a movie theater and a performance space, including a stage.

The original theater was expanded in 1919-20 by constructing a bridge over a train right-of-way over what was known as the “Jackson Cut” to the grand theater on Main Street, and this bridge will be restored as part of the project.

People like Lynda Buck, a Marquette resident, recalled you paid a quarter for a movie and with another quarter you could get candy. She recalls in an Atlas Obscura article the beautiful murals on the wall.

In a blog post, Upper Peninsula author Tyler Tichelaar, noted the Delft of the 20th century boasted the largest screen in the U.P.

“The Delft Theatre was actually part of a chain. Iron River, Munising, and Escanaba also had their own Delft theatres, built to look like Dutch buildings–hence the name Delft. Marquette’s Delft Theatre has survived the others,” Ticheaar said.

It was around 1950 that the performance space was removed and that screen that set a U.P. record was put in place.

Then, in 1985, the that screen was broken up. The theater was divided into two rooms, allowing the venue to show two movies at a time.

In the next decade it would be divided into five screens with a capacity of 650 people.

That era ended in 2012, when the building closed as a theater for good.

The building was reimagined and renovated and in 2017 it reopened as the Delft Bistro.

The venue holds true to its entertainment roots — the history of film has not been left behind.

According to the Delft Bistro’s website, the building’s purpose has shifted from film to food.

But patrons can still call ahead to see what that evening’s feature will be, the website says.

For over 100 years the Delft’s marquee has lit up downtown Marquette. And though it’s appearance may have changed, it still stands as an iconic structure in the Queen City.