Sad that this is such a drab mess now compared to the Co-Ed’s gorgeous virtrolite facade. Strangely, this building seems to have been an early theater with a brief run. It was constructed between 1903 and 1912, when the map shows a ‘Cheap Theatre’ here. The 1923 map shows this building as a store with a dance hall on the 2nd floor.
I wonder if this wasn’t the first Coyote? The 2001 NRHP listing shows this theater with an older marquee. Unfortunately the picture is very poorly reproduced, but it appears to be rectangular. If that’s true, this operated since sometime around 1940.
Website is wrong, it refers to the Coyote. Despite the old-fashioned location, the building, which was constructed in 1885, does not seem to have been an early theater. Maps through 1923 show stores here.
Address is wrong. Not sure why there is no information in the listing, but the city hall seems to have been built between 1903 and 1912, replacing an older 3 story version with a smaller footprint. It might have been a remodel of the older structure, which had been built between 1883 and 1892. That also had an opera house. The 1912 map just calls it an opera house, but the 1923 map shows the City Theatre. The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 775, and calls it the Grand Opera House. It’s not clear if the new building then existed, but 350 seems very low for such a big building.
The proper address is 21 E Main, which is now the site of a nasty ‘70s or '80s bank building.
Judging by the scar left on the building to the south, this was only one story with a false front. It may have been a remodel of a clothing store that’s on the 1917 (not 1916, my goof) map. We know the theater was still open in 1961, because of the photo supplied.
Since this very poor listing only supplied a bad address, all I can add is that this theater was not there on the 1916 map. No later maps available online.
Address is absolutely wrong. There’s almost nothing on Main St. This was at 109 or possibly 111 N 3rd. It’s now a vacant lot south of the newspaper office.
There definitely was no building where the Barrymore is in the early 1900s, but that doesn’t prove anything either way. If the Emmert did not burn or something, the Barrymore is almost certainly separate. The current facade for the Barrymore definitely dates to the 1930s. It’s used as a senior center. The address would be 102 or 104 E 2nd.
This was one of the first theaters in town. The building was very old, and dated to before 1883. The theater was the northernmost storefront in a two story brick building. The 1902 map shows the Daily Press and print shop operating there, but the August 1908 map shows the theater. The building on the corner, and at least part of the building containing the theater were demolished around 1918 for the bank building which is still on the corner. The theater probably would have been either right next door to the bank or one door further north. It’s now a parking lot.
The fire was a lot earlier, and seems to have ‘closed’ the theater. This portion of the building was demolished afterward, and an ugly little one story storefront replaced it. The incident in 2016 was the collapse of the old building on the corner. The theater was never converted into a nightclub, it was demolished after the fire. The other 2/3 of the building was incorporated into the bar, and given a disgusting dryvit remodel.
This should be listed as demolished. It was probably demolished after the fire. The ugly little one story building on the site of the theater, which used a 130 address, has itself now been demolished. The remainder of the building has had the tacky and awful remodel stripped off, revealing the tile facade. There is a typo in the listing, saying it was the Olympic in 1915. That should be Olympia.
From an old postcard, it’s clear a third floor was added. The second floor had very ornate hoodmoldings that appear to be brick, while the third floor had much simple and taller windows. There was a pent tile roof, under which hung large globe light fixtures.
The front was much older. First built between 1892 and 1896, as a two story triple storefront for a wholesale grocer. By 1901 it was either enlarged or replaced with a building of the same shape, but three stories.
Information posted by Joe on the Empress listing sheds some new light. The Happy Hour was opened by a Mr. Ferris, who sold it to Sisk and James in July of 1916. He kept the Happy Hour name and moved it to the Empress, which he had just purchased. Sisk and James supplied the new name, but the US didn’t enter the war for another year. This makes two Americans, and two Happy Hours!
Sad that this is such a drab mess now compared to the Co-Ed’s gorgeous virtrolite facade. Strangely, this building seems to have been an early theater with a brief run. It was constructed between 1903 and 1912, when the map shows a ‘Cheap Theatre’ here. The 1923 map shows this building as a store with a dance hall on the 2nd floor.
This seems to have become a live performance venue in 2023.
I wonder if this wasn’t the first Coyote? The 2001 NRHP listing shows this theater with an older marquee. Unfortunately the picture is very poorly reproduced, but it appears to be rectangular. If that’s true, this operated since sometime around 1940.
Website is wrong, it refers to the Coyote. Despite the old-fashioned location, the building, which was constructed in 1885, does not seem to have been an early theater. Maps through 1923 show stores here.
Address is wrong. Not sure why there is no information in the listing, but the city hall seems to have been built between 1903 and 1912, replacing an older 3 story version with a smaller footprint. It might have been a remodel of the older structure, which had been built between 1883 and 1892. That also had an opera house. The 1912 map just calls it an opera house, but the 1923 map shows the City Theatre. The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 775, and calls it the Grand Opera House. It’s not clear if the new building then existed, but 350 seems very low for such a big building.
The proper address is 21 E Main, which is now the site of a nasty ‘70s or '80s bank building.
Judging by the scar left on the building to the south, this was only one story with a false front. It may have been a remodel of a clothing store that’s on the 1917 (not 1916, my goof) map. We know the theater was still open in 1961, because of the photo supplied.
Was demolished long ago, it definitely was not there in 2009, or I’d have a picture.
Since this very poor listing only supplied a bad address, all I can add is that this theater was not there on the 1916 map. No later maps available online.
Address is absolutely wrong. There’s almost nothing on Main St. This was at 109 or possibly 111 N 3rd. It’s now a vacant lot south of the newspaper office.
There definitely was no building where the Barrymore is in the early 1900s, but that doesn’t prove anything either way. If the Emmert did not burn or something, the Barrymore is almost certainly separate. The current facade for the Barrymore definitely dates to the 1930s. It’s used as a senior center. The address would be 102 or 104 E 2nd.
Closed July of 1975. This was built from the start as a theater, the May 1916 map shows that corner empty. Site is now a desolate little park.
Closed 1961, demolished 1963, to add to the giant desert of surface parking that makes up about half of downtown.
This was one of the first theaters in town. The building was very old, and dated to before 1883. The theater was the northernmost storefront in a two story brick building. The 1902 map shows the Daily Press and print shop operating there, but the August 1908 map shows the theater. The building on the corner, and at least part of the building containing the theater were demolished around 1918 for the bank building which is still on the corner. The theater probably would have been either right next door to the bank or one door further north. It’s now a parking lot.
The fire was a lot earlier, and seems to have ‘closed’ the theater. This portion of the building was demolished afterward, and an ugly little one story storefront replaced it. The incident in 2016 was the collapse of the old building on the corner. The theater was never converted into a nightclub, it was demolished after the fire. The other 2/3 of the building was incorporated into the bar, and given a disgusting dryvit remodel.
Should be ‘Cozy’ within the listing, not ‘Cosy’, unless that was an aka.
That makes sense. This was not a big town, and having two across the street from each other was silly.
This should be listed as demolished. It was probably demolished after the fire. The ugly little one story building on the site of the theater, which used a 130 address, has itself now been demolished. The remainder of the building has had the tacky and awful remodel stripped off, revealing the tile facade. There is a typo in the listing, saying it was the Olympic in 1915. That should be Olympia.
From an old postcard, it’s clear a third floor was added. The second floor had very ornate hoodmoldings that appear to be brick, while the third floor had much simple and taller windows. There was a pent tile roof, under which hung large globe light fixtures.
The front was much older. First built between 1892 and 1896, as a two story triple storefront for a wholesale grocer. By 1901 it was either enlarged or replaced with a building of the same shape, but three stories.
Torn down many years ago. Was a large three story building fronting a two story auditorium. Replaced by a cheap and drab little mini-mall.
Run by Krull now, not sure when that changed. Website should be: https://krullcinemas.com/Locations/Main%20Street%203
The name is especially dopey because Sheldon has no Main St at all.
Information posted by Joe on the Empress listing sheds some new light. The Happy Hour was opened by a Mr. Ferris, who sold it to Sisk and James in July of 1916. He kept the Happy Hour name and moved it to the Empress, which he had just purchased. Sisk and James supplied the new name, but the US didn’t enter the war for another year. This makes two Americans, and two Happy Hours!
Sounds like the Family was a short-lived operation. Maps here are from 1899 and 1909, leaving a gap that it must have existed in.
Interesting. So it looks like the information about the renaming was incorrect. Some of the Happy Hour/American history will have to be changed.
Based on an old postcard, I believe this was the Wonderland.