Nugget Fire

HANOVER'S ENTERTAINMENT world suffered near-extinction in the earlymorning hours of January 28 when fire destroyed the Nugget Theatre, causing damage estimated at $75,000. A spectacular explosion which blew out the roof and one wall occurred shortly after Night Officer Thorburn discovered the blaze at 4:40 A.M. This coupled with the insistent blowing of the fire whistle and the red glow all over town aroused practically the whole College, which watched helplessly while one of its cherished spots was completely gutted.

The fire, of unknown origin but possibly started by a cigarette among the peanut shells, had too much of a head start to make much salvage possible, and the Hanover and Lebanon firemen concentrated on keeping the blaze from spreading to the Howe Library, the C & G House, and nearby stores. The interior of the theatre was completely ruined, but the front facade escaped destruction and some of the walls withstood the explosion caused by the pent-up fire and gases.

Hanover has gone through the month of February without movies, except for the free G. I. films in Dartmouth Hall each Sunday night, and lack of building materials means an indefinite postponement of the Nugget's reconstruction. Plans have been completed, however, for showing commercial movies in Webster Hall, starting early in March, and a projection booth in the back balcony is now being constructed. Movies in Webster will be run by the Hanover Improvement Society which has operated the Nugget since 1922. The Nugget was started by Frank Davison Sr. in 1916 and was named by his son, at that time a prospector in Montana. After the Improvement Society took over, it added a new front in 1927 and completely remodelled and modernized the building in 1938. Since the latter date the College has banned the once notorious custom of "rushing the Nugget."