Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell, a pioneer lawyer, state legislator, and civic leader, built the Ramsdell Theatre between 1902 and 1903. Many traveling companies performed there and praised the features that made it unique among the playhouses of the era. Theatrical artist Walter Burredge painted the main curtain using the theme “A Grove Near Athens.” The dome and lobby murals were created by Thomas Ramsdell’s son Frederick. Public-spirited citizens saved the landmark from demolition in the early 1920s. The city of Manistee acquired it in 1953, and the Manistee Civic Players have helped preserve its architecture and interior decor. The Ramsdell Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.