The theater was just south of the alley. It replaced two small storefronts shown on the 1948 map. I’ve added a Sanborn view, which gives the address as 146.
This theater appears on the 1924 Sanborn, but this was an empty lot in 1917. The auditorium was a rather ungainly brick box sloping north toward Van Buren St. Even by the 2008 streetview, it appears derelict, and the building was demolished sometime between 2014 and 2018.
Is this possibly just an AKA for the Dallas? Two theaters seems a bit much for a town that was just under 4,000 people in 1950-60. Even assuming it’s where all the farmers came on Saturday, the county population was cratering - from 14,471 in 1940 to 12,416 in 1950 to 10,522 in 1960.
This theater may have operated into the ‘20s, based on information in the NRHP listing. At least up to 1917, maps show Main St was called Chief (street, presumably).
This was not the Lyric, that was across the street. The address is bogus. The post office is 220, so 252 is impossible. I suggest perhaps 218, if we even have the correct block.
If the address is right, this is absolutely demolished. It must have been the vacant lot next to the old post office. There are only a few other two story buildings left, and all are either in the wrong place on their blocks, or look completely unlike this theater. We also need to delete one of the photos, since it’s a duplicate.
Address is wrong. The building was at 100 E 4th. Looks like it was replaced by the bank by the ‘70s or '80s (that fake colonial style is hard to pin down).
The June 1925 Sanborn shows this as the New Star, with a note ‘From Plans’, possibly not open yet? Schedule does include a few movies, but mostly plays.
On the 1904 map, the building that later housed the Princess is 21-23, but on the 1909 map, which shows the theater there, the address is 23-25, and 17-21 belongs to a pre-1886 building to the south that has now been demolished. That northern storefront (21) was shown as vacant in 1904 and 1909. It’s a china shop in 1914, and a barber in 1921. The Bijou can’t have been an aka for the Princess, since there’s overlap with the Arcadia’s tenure there.
This was almost certainly closed by 1909. There are three theaters on the 1909 map, and we’ve accounted for all of them (Princess/New Lyric/Wonderland).
I’m not sure why part of my submission got changed, but there were two theaters across the street, the Princess and the Wonderland. The bit about the seats is confusing, and wasn’t in my original submission. I know the Wonderland was listed as 250, as was the Bijou (wherever that was), but I didn’t have any information about the Princess until dmt supplied what he knew. Either way, it’s not relevant to this theater.
Thanks! We’ll have to update this listing. Once Ken gets my other submissions done, we’ll have the Wonderland as well. If you have an address for the Bijou, that will need a listing created.
I think there was a bit of an over-correction here. This was a furniture store in 1909. I have no reason to doubt the original 1913 date, and the owner’s name (J.W. Myrtle) didn’t need to be removed. Since Myrtle owned the Wonderland on Augusta St in 1908, it’s likely he moved here after closing that one, since the Wonderland was definitely gone by 1914.
The address should be changed to 119 E Beverly. The name of the street was changed from Beverly to Main around 1904, and was changed back sometime after 1921. It was Beverly again by 1982, when the NRHP did their survey of downtown.
The building was constructed in 1895 as an Odd Fellows lodge, with the first floor used as retail. The 1909 map shows a furniture store there. This theater is still open on the 1921 map. The building has suffered a disgusting cheap ‘Tudor’ remodel. The storefront was the home of a local arts organization, but may be vacant.
For some reason, all the maps show the building as three stories, but it is now four. It appears the building was altered considerably during the mid-century remodel, and what was probably a tall third floor was split.
The theater was just south of the alley. It replaced two small storefronts shown on the 1948 map. I’ve added a Sanborn view, which gives the address as 146.
This theater appears on the 1924 Sanborn, but this was an empty lot in 1917. The auditorium was a rather ungainly brick box sloping north toward Van Buren St. Even by the 2008 streetview, it appears derelict, and the building was demolished sometime between 2014 and 2018.
The address must be wrong. Probably W Main, but there doesn’t seem to be an address higher than 219.
Is this possibly just an AKA for the Dallas? Two theaters seems a bit much for a town that was just under 4,000 people in 1950-60. Even assuming it’s where all the farmers came on Saturday, the county population was cratering - from 14,471 in 1940 to 12,416 in 1950 to 10,522 in 1960.
This theater may have operated into the ‘20s, based on information in the NRHP listing. At least up to 1917, maps show Main St was called Chief (street, presumably).
This was not the Lyric, that was across the street. The address is bogus. The post office is 220, so 252 is impossible. I suggest perhaps 218, if we even have the correct block.
If the address is right, this is absolutely demolished. It must have been the vacant lot next to the old post office. There are only a few other two story buildings left, and all are either in the wrong place on their blocks, or look completely unlike this theater. We also need to delete one of the photos, since it’s a duplicate.
I added a 2016 photo. You can just make out a faded ‘Discount’ on the facade. I’d guess the storefront is from the late ‘50s to mid '60s.
Description is misleading. This is not on a corner, it’s well down the block, closer to Bell St. It was abandoned by 2014.
The picture makes it pretty obvious that the Coca-Cola plant has absolutely no link with the theater.
When I saw this in 2020, the marquee said ‘New Owners - Call (870) 568-6382’.
Address is wrong. The building was at 100 E 4th. Looks like it was replaced by the bank by the ‘70s or '80s (that fake colonial style is hard to pin down).
The June 1925 Sanborn shows this as the New Star, with a note ‘From Plans’, possibly not open yet? Schedule does include a few movies, but mostly plays.
The 1909 map is from September, well before closure, so I don’t know why this wouldn’t appear.
On the 1904 map, the building that later housed the Princess is 21-23, but on the 1909 map, which shows the theater there, the address is 23-25, and 17-21 belongs to a pre-1886 building to the south that has now been demolished. That northern storefront (21) was shown as vacant in 1904 and 1909. It’s a china shop in 1914, and a barber in 1921. The Bijou can’t have been an aka for the Princess, since there’s overlap with the Arcadia’s tenure there.
Should have appeared on the 1909 map then. Do you have any idea on the address? Was it perhaps an aka for one of the three already listed?
This was almost certainly closed by 1909. There are three theaters on the 1909 map, and we’ve accounted for all of them (Princess/New Lyric/Wonderland).
Thanks! We should rewrite the listing so some of your information is up top. Lots of names in a short time for a small theater!
This building was constructed sometime between 1914 and 1921 as a dealership.
I’m not sure why part of my submission got changed, but there were two theaters across the street, the Princess and the Wonderland. The bit about the seats is confusing, and wasn’t in my original submission. I know the Wonderland was listed as 250, as was the Bijou (wherever that was), but I didn’t have any information about the Princess until dmt supplied what he knew. Either way, it’s not relevant to this theater.
Thanks! We’ll have to update this listing. Once Ken gets my other submissions done, we’ll have the Wonderland as well. If you have an address for the Bijou, that will need a listing created.
According to information from dallasmovietheaters, this can’t have been the Wonderland. It was either the Bijou, or the New Lyric.
I think there was a bit of an over-correction here. This was a furniture store in 1909. I have no reason to doubt the original 1913 date, and the owner’s name (J.W. Myrtle) didn’t need to be removed. Since Myrtle owned the Wonderland on Augusta St in 1908, it’s likely he moved here after closing that one, since the Wonderland was definitely gone by 1914.
Description is misleading.
This was not the first theater in Staunton, there are at least three on the 1909 Sanborn.
It was not built by Mr. Myrtle, as the building was at least 14 years old when the theater opened.
The original architect was T.J. Collins, but he likely had nothing to do with the later conversion of the ground floor to a theater.
The address should be changed to 119 E Beverly. The name of the street was changed from Beverly to Main around 1904, and was changed back sometime after 1921. It was Beverly again by 1982, when the NRHP did their survey of downtown.
The building was constructed in 1895 as an Odd Fellows lodge, with the first floor used as retail. The 1909 map shows a furniture store there. This theater is still open on the 1921 map. The building has suffered a disgusting cheap ‘Tudor’ remodel. The storefront was the home of a local arts organization, but may be vacant.
For some reason, all the maps show the building as three stories, but it is now four. It appears the building was altered considerably during the mid-century remodel, and what was probably a tall third floor was split.