It’s been city hall much longer. That ugly front looks like it dates to the ‘70s or '80s, and it was definitely city hall before 2010, when I photographed it.
I won’t swear to the address being correct, given the source, but the map is way off. There is a Main Ridge Rd, and 16215 is the museum, so 16219 is at least plausible, although the location would not fit such a large building as is described.
I also don’t think the new Lyric opened in 1940. It’s hard to tell, since the architecture of the replacement is very dull, and neither the 1931 or 1940’s Sanborns can be found online, but I don’t find it listed before 1951. Some of the late ‘40s Yearbooks are useless garbage that only have circuit information, so it may have opened any time after 1945. Previously, a Lyric is listed in the '30s, but never with a capacity.
That would be the new Lyric, which at least still exists (as a building). I’ve added a 1923 map view of the Lyric illustrated. This listing will need to be rewritten, and I will add a new Lyric listing. The capacity of the old Lyric was 350 as of 1927.
This listing is a confusing mess. The correct address was 411-413 W Main. The later Lyric was a completely different building at the same address. The old wooden building was destroyed in the same 1928 fire that burned the Opera House at the other end of the block. The current building may have been a replacement Lyric, but should have its own listing, since all the photos are of the older building, which was constructed sometime between 1904 and 1911.
The capacity is also wrong. According to the FDY entries, the capacity was 800. I suspect it closed after the 1965 fire, and may have been torn down at any point thereafter.
The address is wrong, and this has been demolished for a long time. The correct address was 401-403 W Main. It’s just a vacant lot across from the post office. It was gone sometime before 2014.
According to the picture DMT added some time ago, this closed sometime in the ‘60s, became a bowling alley/billiard hall, and burned down in February 1968.
Built between 1884 and 1893, replacing a two-story building. Very drab and unattractive wooden facade, shown as of the 1906 map, which has this building as a store with a photo studio above. Closed by 1914-15, when the AMPD lists two Fairylands (not on Carson), but no Fairy Dream.
If this was at 1120, it has been demolished. 1120 initially was the other half of 1122, and was replaced sometime after 1924. The 1906 map does show 1122 as an ‘Amusement Arcade’, and the 1924 shows it as a drugstore. 1120 is just a generic ‘Store’ on both maps.
This history is confusing. The 1914-15 AMPD has three Lyrics in Pittsburgh. None are on Carson. The Diamond is listed at 1120 Carson. The other problem is that what was 1211 is using the 1209 address that belongs to the small two story building, and that the present 1211 was historically 1213.
Going back to 2007 on streetview shows no indication of a ceramics shop, but does show what was 1211 being remodeled into a bar. It’s likely the contributor meant that structure. It’s impossible to give a history without knowing where this actually was.
The 1914-15 AMPD does not list a Strand, Rex, or New Strand. It gives addresses or at least intersections for everything, and there is no theater on this block.
The 1906 map shows a wooden storefront here, used by a plumber. There is no month given on this set of maps. There’s also an unfortunate gap in coverage, as the next map was not created until 1924. That does show the theater, although the lobby portion is only one story. I’ve added that year’s view to show the odd arrangement, with the auditorium around the corner to the east.
The Princess was at 216-218, and should be listed as demolished. It was replaced by the Lyric at some point after 1914-15. It was a very basic wooden one story building with a two story brick stage tower. It does not appear on the 1906 map, but had opened by 1913. If the Lyric history is correct, it was probably demolished around 1921. Both the Lyric and the Princess are still listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks, so it’s possible that the present Lyric building dates to sometime after 1921.
The theater at 106 Seneca was the Majestic. It may be that the Majestic was remodeled in 1916, and renamed the Lyric. The problem is that the large bank at 106 was constructed in 1926, meaning the Lyric name had to have been moved again.
The 1950 map claims that this building was built in 1914-15. If that’s true, this may originally have been the Plaza or Hippodrome, both of which are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. There is an infuriating 37 year gap in the Sanborns, which is inexplicable given the many buildings constructed between 1913 and 1950.
The Odd Fellows building may have been constructed around 1914-15. The architectural style certainly matches. The curious thing is that the Star is listed at 222-224 in the 1914-15 AMPD, but that was the address of the Orpheum, which is also listed, and was demolished to allow the Odd Fellows to be constructed. The building appears to be derelict today. If the address is accurate, the theater was in the southern half.
All of the AKAs are spurious. The Princess was much smaller and was demolished to build the Lyric, the Orpheum was further north. The Cameo is listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks separately from the Lyric.
Odd little one story building with a boxy stage tower at the rear. Very nondescript facade of black metal paneling, which likely dates to the 1955 retail conversion. The stage portion is much older. Unfortunately, (this seems to happen frequently in small cities), the Sanborn map of 1913 is the last until a 1950 update, which is rather sloppily edited.
The 1913 map shows the Princess here, but that building was mostly wood, and not nearly as deep. It’s not clear when exactly the Princess was replaced by/remodeled into the Lyric, but the Princess is still listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. Oddly, the 1950 map does not show the stage tower, but it must have been there.
The website’s history is wrong. The Orpheum was to the north, and was replaced by the Odd Fellows building sometime after 1914-15. The Orpheum does not appear on the August 1906 map, so it likely could not have opened by the end of that year.
It’s been city hall much longer. That ugly front looks like it dates to the ‘70s or '80s, and it was definitely city hall before 2010, when I photographed it.
The picture should be thrown away.
This building apparently existed in 1990 when the NRHP listing for the Crisfield Historic District was created.
I won’t swear to the address being correct, given the source, but the map is way off. There is a Main Ridge Rd, and 16215 is the museum, so 16219 is at least plausible, although the location would not fit such a large building as is described.
I also don’t think the new Lyric opened in 1940. It’s hard to tell, since the architecture of the replacement is very dull, and neither the 1931 or 1940’s Sanborns can be found online, but I don’t find it listed before 1951. Some of the late ‘40s Yearbooks are useless garbage that only have circuit information, so it may have opened any time after 1945. Previously, a Lyric is listed in the '30s, but never with a capacity.
That would be the new Lyric, which at least still exists (as a building). I’ve added a 1923 map view of the Lyric illustrated. This listing will need to be rewritten, and I will add a new Lyric listing. The capacity of the old Lyric was 350 as of 1927.
This listing is a confusing mess. The correct address was 411-413 W Main. The later Lyric was a completely different building at the same address. The old wooden building was destroyed in the same 1928 fire that burned the Opera House at the other end of the block. The current building may have been a replacement Lyric, but should have its own listing, since all the photos are of the older building, which was constructed sometime between 1904 and 1911.
The capacity is also wrong. According to the FDY entries, the capacity was 800. I suspect it closed after the 1965 fire, and may have been torn down at any point thereafter.
The address is wrong, and this has been demolished for a long time. The correct address was 401-403 W Main. It’s just a vacant lot across from the post office. It was gone sometime before 2014.
According to the picture DMT added some time ago, this closed sometime in the ‘60s, became a bowling alley/billiard hall, and burned down in February 1968.
I’ve added a 1924 view of the theater.
Built between 1884 and 1893, replacing a two-story building. Very drab and unattractive wooden facade, shown as of the 1906 map, which has this building as a store with a photo studio above. Closed by 1914-15, when the AMPD lists two Fairylands (not on Carson), but no Fairy Dream.
If this was at 1120, it has been demolished. 1120 initially was the other half of 1122, and was replaced sometime after 1924. The 1906 map does show 1122 as an ‘Amusement Arcade’, and the 1924 shows it as a drugstore. 1120 is just a generic ‘Store’ on both maps.
This history is confusing. The 1914-15 AMPD has three Lyrics in Pittsburgh. None are on Carson. The Diamond is listed at 1120 Carson. The other problem is that what was 1211 is using the 1209 address that belongs to the small two story building, and that the present 1211 was historically 1213.
Going back to 2007 on streetview shows no indication of a ceramics shop, but does show what was 1211 being remodeled into a bar. It’s likely the contributor meant that structure. It’s impossible to give a history without knowing where this actually was.
I’ve added a 2010 photo of the theater, which again is not demolished.
Can we not do better than a picture of some light bulbs?
I’ve added a recent photo of this very much undemolished theater.
This is now a nightclub called Enclave, which seems to have opened sometime between August 2021 and November 2022.
The 1914-15 AMPD does not list a Strand, Rex, or New Strand. It gives addresses or at least intersections for everything, and there is no theater on this block.
The 1906 map shows a wooden storefront here, used by a plumber. There is no month given on this set of maps. There’s also an unfortunate gap in coverage, as the next map was not created until 1924. That does show the theater, although the lobby portion is only one story. I’ve added that year’s view to show the odd arrangement, with the auditorium around the corner to the east.
The building is not Colonial Revival. It is just a standard 1910s commercial building, perhaps with some Prairie influence.
The Princess was at 216-218, and should be listed as demolished. It was replaced by the Lyric at some point after 1914-15. It was a very basic wooden one story building with a two story brick stage tower. It does not appear on the 1906 map, but had opened by 1913. If the Lyric history is correct, it was probably demolished around 1921. Both the Lyric and the Princess are still listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks, so it’s possible that the present Lyric building dates to sometime after 1921.
The theater at 106 Seneca was the Majestic. It may be that the Majestic was remodeled in 1916, and renamed the Lyric. The problem is that the large bank at 106 was constructed in 1926, meaning the Lyric name had to have been moved again.
The 1950 map claims that this building was built in 1914-15. If that’s true, this may originally have been the Plaza or Hippodrome, both of which are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. There is an infuriating 37 year gap in the Sanborns, which is inexplicable given the many buildings constructed between 1913 and 1950.
The Odd Fellows building may have been constructed around 1914-15. The architectural style certainly matches. The curious thing is that the Star is listed at 222-224 in the 1914-15 AMPD, but that was the address of the Orpheum, which is also listed, and was demolished to allow the Odd Fellows to be constructed. The building appears to be derelict today. If the address is accurate, the theater was in the southern half.
All of the AKAs are spurious. The Princess was much smaller and was demolished to build the Lyric, the Orpheum was further north. The Cameo is listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks separately from the Lyric.
Odd little one story building with a boxy stage tower at the rear. Very nondescript facade of black metal paneling, which likely dates to the 1955 retail conversion. The stage portion is much older. Unfortunately, (this seems to happen frequently in small cities), the Sanborn map of 1913 is the last until a 1950 update, which is rather sloppily edited.
The 1913 map shows the Princess here, but that building was mostly wood, and not nearly as deep. It’s not clear when exactly the Princess was replaced by/remodeled into the Lyric, but the Princess is still listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. Oddly, the 1950 map does not show the stage tower, but it must have been there.
The website’s history is wrong. The Orpheum was to the north, and was replaced by the Odd Fellows building sometime after 1914-15. The Orpheum does not appear on the August 1906 map, so it likely could not have opened by the end of that year.