Jefferson Theatre

116 W. Jefferson Boulevard,
Fort Wayne, IN 46802

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Alliance Theater Corp.

Architects: Charles R. Weatherhogg

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News About This Theater

Exterior of the Jefferson Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne, IN.

The Jefferson Theatre opened February 8, 1913. It was remodeled and reopened September 8, 1940. It was closed in 1978.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on December 16, 2006 at 1:07 pm

Film Daily Yearbooks;1941 and 1943 editions, give the seating capacity as 1,298. In the F.D.Y. 1950 edition it is listed with a seating capacity of 1,100.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 8, 2007 at 12:05 am

The Jefferson was part of Alliance Amusement Co. in the early sixties. This chain, headquartered in Chicago, operated numerous theaters in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Washington. In Fort Wayne alone, Alliance ran the Jefferson, Embassy, Lincolndale Drive-In, East 30 Drive-In, Ft. Wayne Drive-In and Northcrest Drive-In. President of Alliance in 1963 was S.J. Gregory.

koosmal
koosmal on March 28, 2009 at 6:17 am

Most of the Alliance properties went to Cinecom, then through a legal settlement to Sportservice Theaters. Sportservice sold all their theaters in the 80’s. I do not know if any of their drive ins survived, notable loss Miles in Cleveland, OH. Beautiful Paramount and State Theaters in Anderson still survive.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on April 26, 2009 at 8:01 pm

From 1940, a photo ad announcing the re-opening of the Jefferson Theatre after having been remodeled.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 3, 2010 at 11:08 pm

The Jefferson was across the street from the Embassy, more or less. The even side of the block is now taken by a Hilton hotel.

mwoehnker
mwoehnker on November 28, 2011 at 7:38 pm

The Jefferson Theatre was open from 1912-1978.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 2, 2018 at 9:47 pm

An article in the November 17, 1912, issue of The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette saying that contracts for construction of the Jefferson Theatre had been let noted that the project had been designed by local architect Charles R. Weatherhogg.

The February 2, 1913, issue of the paper carried an ad announcing that the Jefferson would open on February 8. Admission to the house, built exclusively for movies, would be five cents.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 23, 2024 at 9:12 am

Closed on December 21st, 1946, for repairs as Quimby pulls its equipment and reopened by Alliance Theatre Corporation on August 20th, 1947. 1947 grand opening ad posted.

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