Designed by Horatio Wilson, the Prairie Style building is listed on The National Register of Historic Places as part of The Hyde Park-Kenwood Historic District. Called the Hyde Park Theater through the 1980’s and The Meridian through the 1990’s, the theater’s importance actually dates back to the 1920’s. As the gateway to the Hyde Park business district, the building’s style, scale and history are crucial to the character of the neighborhood. An historic theater with the stature of the Harper Theater in Hyde Park, Ill., should be and is a neighborhood center. It should be a place to relax and a place for thrills. Theaters are natural magnets for culture and human activity, often serving as a backdrop for historic events. A theater should be a showcase for artists, a forum for ideas and a catalyst for conversation. It should be a place to meet and to reflect, to pause before, in the midst, or at the end of the day.
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