If it was in the Kentucky Building, then the address would be 113 or 115. It was almost certainly 115, as the storefront at 113 is very old. If it was really at what is now (at least) 121, then it has been demolished, and was not in the Kentucky Building.
The 1914-15 AMPD lists this, and a Princess on Adam [sic] St. The Dec. 1913 Sanborn does show a vacant storefront in a now demolished building just east of the alley on Adams (10 E Adams?). If this became the Princess, I can supply some further information.
The original structure dates to before 1885. It was originally an implement dealer. The demolition of the one story building to the right sometime after 2016 revealed a spectacular Greenback tobacco ad with a frog. It’s a shame that the best the locals can come up with is another hole in an increasingly dismal downtown.
The facade as described is at odds with the photo, but Chuck is incredibly unreliable. The 1939 map does not show a second story. I wonder if the photo is not from after the 1946 remodel.
It was looking really repulsive due to the removal of the wonderful vitrolite. It’s been restored, and the building looks like the smaller inset picture. It’s not clear whether it’s the original brick or a convincing replica. It’s a community non-profit office.
SethG
commented about
Theatreon
Jul 26, 2026 at 7:23 pm
While that likely jibes with the vacancy shown on the 1910 map, it doesn’t make sense that the 1918 map should show it as a theater, if it had closed 8 years prior, and been converted back to retail.
The address was wrong. This is on the odd side of the street. The main theater space may be occupied, but it’s unclear. There is a thrift store in the retail space on the south side.
This theater was on the north side of a two story tin-fronted brick building constructed sometime between 1894 and 1898. The 1905 map shows a clothing and shoe store here. The building has recently received a rather bland house-flipper remodel, but is in excellent shape. The theater space is some sort of office.
2008 Streetview still has the marquee up. Bad remodel, and now it’s just a box.
Good enough for me! If it turns out to be wrong, I can always fix it.
It may have been, but the old post office now has a 7400 adress, making 7414 quite sensible for the next lot north.
Curious that it is still listed as the Princess, several years after that closed, and indeed several years after theater use stopped.
So the 1955 name change is bogus?
Thanks, I’ve adjusted the listing.
The Temple name sounds like it must have been here, but the opening date is after the map date.
So just Lyon’s, with no ‘Park’? Odd that the official New Park name was not on the marquee.
If it was in the Kentucky Building, then the address would be 113 or 115. It was almost certainly 115, as the storefront at 113 is very old. If it was really at what is now (at least) 121, then it has been demolished, and was not in the Kentucky Building.
The 1914-15 AMPD lists this, and a Princess on Adam [sic] St. The Dec. 1913 Sanborn does show a vacant storefront in a now demolished building just east of the alley on Adams (10 E Adams?). If this became the Princess, I can supply some further information.
The original structure dates to before 1885. It was originally an implement dealer. The demolition of the one story building to the right sometime after 2016 revealed a spectacular Greenback tobacco ad with a frog. It’s a shame that the best the locals can come up with is another hole in an increasingly dismal downtown.
Either I have the wrong ID for this one, or it had another name before reopening in 1913. The 1918 closure definitely fits.
Thanks! I think we can be firm on the ID now.
The UI site has the 1926 map. The theater was on the left. It seems the original address was 315, and odds and evens switched sides at some point.
Main Street has been renamed. Most of downtown is College St but the eastern section becomes City Hall Ave.
Listed with no capacity in 1956, likely closed. It is listed in the 1953 Yearbook as one of 6 theaters operated by the small Carroll Amusement Co.
The facade as described is at odds with the photo, but Chuck is incredibly unreliable. The 1939 map does not show a second story. I wonder if the photo is not from after the 1946 remodel.
Listed as the State in the 1938 and 1939 Yearbooks. Was that just an error?
That seems quite plausible. The Star listing is very vague. If we can determine for sure, I will delete that listing and combine it into this one.
It was looking really repulsive due to the removal of the wonderful vitrolite. It’s been restored, and the building looks like the smaller inset picture. It’s not clear whether it’s the original brick or a convincing replica. It’s a community non-profit office.
While that likely jibes with the vacancy shown on the 1910 map, it doesn’t make sense that the 1918 map should show it as a theater, if it had closed 8 years prior, and been converted back to retail.
The address was wrong. This is on the odd side of the street. The main theater space may be occupied, but it’s unclear. There is a thrift store in the retail space on the south side.
The address was wrong. The IHPA site uses 739 for this building, but on my photo from 2010, the southern storefront has 735 painted on the window.
This theater was on the north side of a two story tin-fronted brick building constructed sometime between 1894 and 1898. The 1905 map shows a clothing and shoe store here. The building has recently received a rather bland house-flipper remodel, but is in excellent shape. The theater space is some sort of office.
Thanks for the history! I have updated the listing.