Historic Theater Shot In John Dillinger's Last Bank Heist For Sale, Two-Week Auction Begins 7/16

Just 90 miles East of Chicago, near the University of Notre Dame, State Theatre sits as a true landmark in the heart of Downtown South Bend, Indiana. Since opening its doors in 1921 as the Blackstone Theatre Vaudeville House, it has had an amazing 88-year history.

Listed on the National Historic Register of Places in 1985, it was once host to former President Ronald Reagan for the premier of "Knute Rockne All American" and the scene of infamous gangster John Dillinger's last bank robbery. This unique, historic landmark is being sold in an online auction with bidding set to begin on July 16.

And now you can own this piece of American History.

The property is currently owned by Way of Life, a non-profit group. Proceeds from the building's sale will help continue the organization's mission of providing hope to the Community. "When the recession hit last fall, non-profits were hit the hardest. In these economic times, people have less money to donate, so we had some difficult decisions to make regarding our organization's assets," said Lester L. Sumrall, President and Founder of Way of Life.

The two-week long auction will end on July 30 and is being conducted by commercial real estate broker, NAI Global, based in Albuquerque, NM. Ironically, the auction coincides with the release of the film "Public Enemies", starring Johnny Depp. The movie, which profiles Dillinger, has generated a resurgence of interest in the gangster's legacy.

On June 30, 1934 John Dillinger's last robbery at Merchants Bank took place across the street from the theater. The incident netted Dillinger's gang almost $30,000, leaving eight wounded and one police officer dead. Recounting the details of the incident, Sumrall said "They grabbed hostages and shot over 100 shots down the street as they were escaping. During this gunfight with police they shot up our facade and marquee."

The landmark property has already received considerable interest from both corporate and private buyers due to its versatility and location near the College Football Hall of Fame.

"We've been pleased by all of the positive response we've gotten from the Chicago-Sun Times article, the NBC Chicago coverage and now the Fox News story," Sumrall said. "The State Theatre is sure to become a valuable asset to its new owners ... There's a lot of big things that can happen here, and I believe they will."

For more information on the auction, please visit statetheatreauction.com for full details.

 

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