Kris Swisher has led the outstanding historic rehabilitation of the Holland Theater in Bellefontaine. The Holland Theatre, a 1931 Dutch atmospheric movie theater, is one of a kind.
How did a sixth-grade teacher become the catalyst for a $2 million theater rehabilitation? It began as a school project called Future Problem Solving, an international program for students. Mrs. Swisher’s class took 2nd place in their community activism to reopen the Holland Theatre, which had closed its doors in 1998.
Then the Logan County Landmark Preservation Board was founded. After the 1970-80s multiplex “improvements” were removed, Kris made sure performances were restarted in the rough interior. Each year, slow but steady progress was made with remodeled bathrooms, lighting, sound, roof, etc.
The big breakthrough for the theatre came in 2018 when the Holland was awarded a Jeffris Foundation Grant, and in 2019, they were awarded an Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit allocation. These funds, in addition to a generous matching community gifts, spurred on by Kris’ enthusiasm, allowed the theater to complete a $1.6 million rehab and a grand reopening in 2019.
To paraphrase Margaret Mead, never underestimate the power of one person to change the world.