GRAND FORKS — On Nov. 10, 1919, a foot of snow left by the season’s first blizzard, did not discourage residents from turning out in droves for the grand opening of The New Grand Theatre in downtown Grand Forks.

People lined up outside the theater owned by A.J. Kavanagh to see the newly released “The Witness For the Defense,” a silent film starring Elsie Ferguson.

Filling the auditorium, the audience was excited to see the “modern and impressive 948-seat movie palace,” according to a historical document. The new building was considered a stellar achievement by Minneapolis architects Beuchner and Orth, who had recently designed the Grand Forks County Courthouse.

The venue — now the Empire Arts Center — celebrated its past on Sunday, Nov. 9, by recreating that momentous night for The New

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