Theatre and Dance Hall Above the ZCMI Store

When the Mt. Pleasant ZCMI was discontinued in 1898, Madsen and Anderson continued to operate the theatre and dance hall on the second floor of the brick building, and here the public witnessed Shakespearean plays by John S. Lindsay and Company, also other high class companies, home dramatics, etc., as well as the C. C. A. Christensen's panoramas, minstrel shows, sleight of hand performances, hypnotism, etc., and many heated political rallies, setting forth free trade, tariff on wool, etc.
The scenery for the hall was painted by C. C. A. Christensen, a very popular artist. Music for the dances was mostly furnished by the Peter Almertz orchestra, consisting of John Waldermar, Rebecca Beckstrom, Bent Hansen, and others. Brigham Lee was floor manager and prompter. The east room of the building was used as the city council headquarters. On top of the building had been arranged seats, and at daybreak on holidays the Brass Band assembled; their music could be clearly heard in the distance, as the stars and stripes were unfurled. It had been common for the band, in their band wagon, to serenade the city, and they were usually treated with plenty of home-made beer and refreshments. taken from History of Mt. Pleasant by HML p. 173