The House that Butter Built

Michael Brown may be best known for his entrepreneurial spirit and acumen, which sent hundreds of thousands of butter churns made in Wapakoneta to destinations throughout the world. Yet, he was also intensely community-minded. The 1904 Brown Theatre, a Wapakoneta landmark to this day, attests to Michael Brown’s generosity and his faith in his hometown.

"A monument erected by Michael Brown in Wapakoneta which will stand as a permanent memorial to his residence and activity here is the Brown Theatre, one of the finest structures of its kind in this part of the state, and a pride to all citizens of the community. The theatre was not built by Mr. Brown as an investment for profit, but it was rather the result of a wager among his friends with him, linked with the realization of a genuine need for such an institution by the city. It was in 1904 that several of his associates approached Mr. Brown with the proposition that he should build a theatre and office building. They proposed that the citizens of the town would show their appreciation of such a work by purchasing $3000 worth of tickets for the performance, and Mr. Brown agreed that if such a thing could be done, he would build the theatre. His associates became active with the result that operations were soon begun on the erection of the theatre. Those who had first contemplated the show house never dreamed that the present elaborate structure would be built by Mr. Brown for the use of Wapakonetans, but it stands today as Mr. Brown had it in mind, too pretentious for the support given it by a town the size of Wapakoneta. Shortly after the completion of the theatre, the moving picture business began to flourish, and the management realized that as an investment the theatre was a failure. Yet, Mr. Brown’s associates say, he has never voiced a single disappointment, but rather, has always taken pride in the structure and has manifested a deep interest in all that took places on its stage."

Death notice for Michael Brown, Wapakoneta Daily News, May 1917

Barber, Rachel D. The Book of Wapakoneta. Wapakoneta, Ohio. The Daily News Printing Company for the Wapakoneta 175th Anniversary Committee, 2009.

The archives of the Auglaize County Historical Society.