At approximately 6pm on Saturday, 4th November 2006, the historic Rialto Theater on Main Street in Deer Lodge caught fire. Throughout the evening and into the night the blaze took hold of the structure, causing extensive damage to the inside of the building. Due to the hard work of the Deer Lodge, Garrison and Racetrack Fire Departments no-one was injured during the fire and surrounding structures were saved from serious damage. The loss of such a major building will deeply sadden all residents of the local community. The Rialto was built in 1921 and had been undergoing extensive renovations for many years. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, and had hosted many local plays, music shows and other events, and films were screened on most weekends. Our heart goes out to the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to keep this local landmark in such excellent condition. We hope the Rialto will rise once again from the flames.

If you wish to make a donation to help the restoration process, please visit the official Rialto Theater website at http://www.deerlodgerialto.com/

These pictures were taken from the South-West side of town, looking at the back of the theater.