The Tournverein (pronounced toorn-fiar-ine) is a red brick building in Old Boise at 6th & Main Street in Boise with a generous row of windows all framed with light-colored brick.” Commissioned in 1904, the building had a 400-seat ground-floor auditorium with a 200-seat balcony. It also had a gym with indoor showers, a parlor for the ladies, and the city’s finest billiard room.” (quote from Ethnic Landmarks: Ten Historic Places the Define the City of Trees by Todd Shallat, 2007)

Completed in 1906, this building was designed by Tourtellotte and Hummel (precursor to present Hummel Architects) as a gymnasium-theater-clubhouse for the Boise City Turnverein, a German-American club founded in 1870. At the onset of World War I, the word Tournverein was chiseled off the nameplate to downplay the German nature of the organization. The building served as the Turner Theater for several years, and also housed the Seventh Day Adventist church, an antique store, and a series of restaurants and nightclubs.

The images included include current images of the building, a close-up of the chiseled nameplate, two vintage images, the original floorplans, theatre & stage, and a plan for a second floor remodel to include an apartment.