Lost house of worship, Detroit, 1899 to 1935
Wonderland and Temple Theatre
Demolished in 1935
- Opened
- 1899
- Style
- Renaissance Revival
- Torn down
- 1935
Designed by J.M. Wood and John Scott
The Wonderland and Temple Theatre stood in Detroit from 1899 until 1935. Here is what it was, who made it and where to find the spot today.
What is there now
Demolished in 1935
We have not yet found a source that says what stands on the spot today. Last looked on October 25, 2026.
The story
In 1899, in Detroit's Gilded Age, when stove works, shipyards and railroads made the city's first fortunes, the Wonderland and Temple Theatre went up.
J.M. Wood and John Scott drew the plans, working in Renaissance Revival.
It is gone now, demolished in 1935, and the map pin below marks where it stood.
Timeline
- 1899 Built Designed by J.M. Wood and John Scott
- 1930 Closed
- 1935 Demolished
- 2026 Today 91 years since it came down
Where it is
15-19 Monroe St.
On this map
- 1 Wonderland and Temple Theatre This place
- 2 John J. Bagley Bust 100 ft
- 3 Detroit Opera House (first) 120 ft
- 4 Columbia Theatre 160 ft
- 5 Cadillac Chair 170 ft
- 6 Russell House 170 ft
- 7 Empire Bar 180 ft
- 8 Cadillac Square Building 190 ft
- 9 Detroit Opera House (second) 190 ft
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
J.M. WoodArchitect. Designed the Garrick Theatre (1887) and 2 more in Metro Detroit
Also by J.M. Wood
- Garrick Theatre 1887
- Detroit Opera House (second) 1898
Cadillac Hotel, by John Scott. Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Architect
John ScottArchitect, 1850 to 1928. Designed the Detroit Club (1891) and 18 more in Metro Detroit
Also by John Scott
- John Scott House 1879
- George A. Owen House 1887
- John Scott House 1887
- William Jackson House 1887
- Cadillac Hotel 1888
- Herman Roehm House 1889
More from Detroit in the 1890s
-
![Eastern States, [Str. Eastern States, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4436-2275-thumb-5717c27eed.jpg)
Eastern States
Ship, built 1902, by Louis Keil, demolished 1956
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
Majestic Building
Building, built 1896, Beaux Arts, by Daniel H. Burnham, demolished 1961
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
Bonstelle Theatre
Theater, built 1903, Beaux Arts, by Mason & Kahn
Photo: Saul Vielmetti, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Harmonie Club
Building, built 1895, Beaux Arts, by Richard E. Raseman
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Building, built 1904, Neoclassical, by Albert Kahn
Photo: PDru2014 from Detroit, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
![Belle Isle Aquarium, [The Aquarium and conservatory, Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4284-2164-thumb-099cdc24f0.jpg)
Belle Isle Aquarium
Building, built 1904, Baroque-Beaux Arts, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Around the block
- John J. Bagley Bust Monument, built 1889 100 ft
- Detroit Opera House (first) Theater, built 1869, French Renaissance, by Sheldon Smith & Son, demolished 1897 120 ft
- Columbia Theatre Theater, built 1911, by C. Howard Crane, demolished 1957 160 ft
- Cadillac Chair Monument, built 1901, Classic Revival, demolished 1941 170 ft
-
![Russell House, [Russell House, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/historic_home-2537-2148-thumb-31d5f1cdf9.jpg)
Russell House
Built 1857
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
170 ft
- Empire Bar Building, built 1959, demolished 1990 180 ft
-
![Cadillac Square Building, [Cadillac Square and County Building, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4325-2210-thumb-8479e96c24.jpg)
Cadillac Square Building
Hotel, built 1918, Beaux Arts, by Bonnah & Chaffee, demolished 1976
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
190 ft
- Detroit Opera House (second) Theater, built 1898, Beaux Arts, by Mason & Rice, demolished 1966 190 ft
Sources
Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.