This was never an event venue. It’s been a CPA’s office since at least 2008.
David was saying that the ‘new’ post office on 2nd St is an event venue. The post office had actually moved out of this building sometime between 1899 and 1905. It relocated to 111 E 2nd (now the chamber of commerce).
This was a meat market and a music store before becoming a theater. It’s still shown as ‘Music’ on the May 1912 map. Here is the KHRI entry, which contains a 2005 picture before the very nice restoration showing the building with a trashy shingle awning - https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=059-4270-00045
Here is the KHRI entry, which doesn’t have much information, but has an older photo with a different ugly modern ground floor - https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=059-4270-00014
The building was built between 1884 and 1888. It was originally a dry goods store, but is vacant on the 1905 map. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the address as N Main, but that is an error. In the postcard above, the Star is the building in the left foreground with the elaborate cornice.
Typo in the entry, should be ‘New Paola’. This address is pretty consistent across the various Yearbooks, so either the dates are wrong, or this cannot have been the Empress. For one thing, the December 1916 map shows 109 as a gas office. The Paola and Empress are also listed concurrently from 1941 through at least 1945.
109 also does not appear nearly large enough for 600 seats. It’s rather narrow, and not very deep. It currently uses a 111 address. It was built sometime between 1897 and 1905. It appears to have been remodeled around 1960. The ground floor office space is either vacant or an apartment, and the upstairs appears to be residences.
The name is spelled ‘Jewell’. There is no such address, and Main St runs through some tract housing well out of downtown. If it was on the square, it was on Silver, Pearl, Wea, or Peoria. It was not open in 1957. It disappears sometime around 1953. Unfortunately, the 1948 map is not available online.
Status should be demolished. The property has been for sale since at least 2008, and even that streetview shows nothing but a rotted section of the entry drive.
The marquee was removed long ago. It’s gone on the 2013 streetview. Looking at my pictures of the ticket booth from April 2010 (the marquee still up), it seems that they have restored it. The tile on the outside entry walls and on the ticket booth was covered in ‘50s fluted metal siding. Oddly, the tile walls in the lobby were left alone.
Note that the name was originally ‘New Grand’. It’s unclear if it replaced an older Grand from somewhere else in town. The 1926 Yearbook gives a capacity of 440.
This listing needs to be rewritten to include the known history. The theater does not appear in the 1954 Yearbook, and is listed in 1957 with no capacity. It has been an event venue for some time. The capacity seems absurdly large, and the 1949 Yearbook lists it at 600. It is listed at 800 in 1952, and seems to have closed shortly thereafter. Unfortunately the 1953 Yearbook is useless, as it only lists drive-ins and circuits.
The capacity was continually reduced. The 1905 Cahn guide calls this McGhie’s New Theatre, and has the capacity as 1,000. By 1926, it is 500. By 1955, it had declined to 480.
The 1914-14 AMPD also lists an Opera House. If that was not an accidental duplication of this theater, the only possibility is the old opera house, which was located at 101-103 W Maple. It does not seem to be active on the 1905 map, while the 1911 map notes ‘Old Stage & Scenery Not Used’. The building was demolished before 1918.
The remodeled building is called the Huston Block. I’m not sure how extensive the fire damage was, but it appears that the stage was reduced, since the fly tower now only appears on the western half of the building. Comparing with older maps, it seems that the theater lobby switched sides. The building was in terrible shape, practically derelict, with one marginal business in the ground floor. The latest streetview shows interior demolition taking place, but since the trim has been repainted, this is hopefully just a restoration. Unfortunately, the tiny little transom for the theater has been removed.
The 1911 map calls this McGhie’s Opera House, and both it and the 1918 map give a capacity of 750.
This theater is much older. There was an airdome on this site in 1911, which was replaced by a one story building sometime before 1918. I’m not sure when the second floor was added. The early building was called the Star in the 1914-15 AMPD.
By 1926, it was called the Reel, and had a capacity of 450. In 1927 and 1928 a Grand is also listed, with no capacity. I think that was probably a reference to the old opera house next door to the west. That is still there, the victim of some really ugly remodeling. In 1931, the name was changed to the New Era. The capacity was reduced to 350. It was renamed the Oswego in 1941. It’s still listed in 1957, now with 400 seats. It probably didn’t close until much later.
It appears to be used as an auction venue, and the auditorium is largely intact (although shabby), or was when I visited in 2010. I recall being told that they use the stage to display items, and patrons bid from the seats.
The Star name must have been moved. The July 1916 map shows a theater at 215 N Pennsylvania with a large extension being considered, and the 1923 map shows that building much larger.
The Strand was located at 215 N Pennsylvania. The building was originally constructed between 1885 and 1890. It was a brick building, two stories at the front. Up until 1910, harness and buggies were sold here. This must have initially been the Star, because the July 1916 map shows a planned extension of the rear of the building, exactly matching the information in the comments on the Star entry. The remodeled theater on the 1923 map is indeed much deeper, and now has a recessed entry and a metal canopy on the front.
Unfortunately, sometime around the 1950s or ‘60s 211 through 215 were demolished and replaced by a large and unattractive store.
This theater failed very quickly. It was gone by January 1910, when the map shows dry goods & clothing sold here (the 1905 map shows a restaurant & pool hall here). This is not a dance studio (that is at 112). This portion of the building uses a 116 address now, and seems to be either vacant or a residence.
The theater was located in the western storefront of the McLaughlin Building, an attractive two story Victorian commercial block constructed between 1896 and 1902. The building is in excellent condition today, although sadly someone has been watching too much HGTV and has painted all the trim and storefronts black.
The remodeling project cannot refer to this building. It would have been impossible to add 75 feet to this building, unless he intended to add 5 stories, or block the alley and demolish the rear of a building or two on the other side. The appearance of the building is identical on the 1923 map to what is shown on the 1910 version.
The address is incorrect. There is no 101, because the corner building is very deep and faces Main. The correct address is 107. The theater building was constructed between 1902 and 1905. It was originally a two story building, which in 1905 was a meat market. The theater was open by January 1910, with an Eagles Aerie on the second floor. It was closed by July 1916, when a furniture store is shown here. It’s not clear when the second floor was removed, but it was common to remove stories during the Depression to reduce the property taxes. The building today is a scruffy-looking vacant structure.
The NRHP listing, which misidentifies the FOE as the Elks (BPOE), also has the wrong address, saying this is 109 (the vacant lot to the south). It does give three names for this theater; Lyric (1908), Star (1911), Empress (1912). Presumably those come from city directories or newspapers. The 1914-15 AMPD lists it as the Star, and gives a spurious 101 address.
This was never an event venue. It’s been a CPA’s office since at least 2008.
David was saying that the ‘new’ post office on 2nd St is an event venue. The post office had actually moved out of this building sometime between 1899 and 1905. It relocated to 111 E 2nd (now the chamber of commerce).
This was a meat market and a music store before becoming a theater. It’s still shown as ‘Music’ on the May 1912 map. Here is the KHRI entry, which contains a 2005 picture before the very nice restoration showing the building with a trashy shingle awning - https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=059-4270-00045
Here is the KHRI entry, which doesn’t have much information, but has an older photo with a different ugly modern ground floor - https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=059-4270-00014
The building was built between 1884 and 1888. It was originally a dry goods store, but is vacant on the 1905 map. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the address as N Main, but that is an error. In the postcard above, the Star is the building in the left foreground with the elaborate cornice.
Typo in the entry, should be ‘New Paola’. This address is pretty consistent across the various Yearbooks, so either the dates are wrong, or this cannot have been the Empress. For one thing, the December 1916 map shows 109 as a gas office. The Paola and Empress are also listed concurrently from 1941 through at least 1945.
109 also does not appear nearly large enough for 600 seats. It’s rather narrow, and not very deep. It currently uses a 111 address. It was built sometime between 1897 and 1905. It appears to have been remodeled around 1960. The ground floor office space is either vacant or an apartment, and the upstairs appears to be residences.
The name is spelled ‘Jewell’. There is no such address, and Main St runs through some tract housing well out of downtown. If it was on the square, it was on Silver, Pearl, Wea, or Peoria. It was not open in 1957. It disappears sometime around 1953. Unfortunately, the 1948 map is not available online.
Status should be demolished. The property has been for sale since at least 2008, and even that streetview shows nothing but a rotted section of the entry drive.
Maybe 1916 was the closing date, if he lost.
The marquee was removed long ago. It’s gone on the 2013 streetview. Looking at my pictures of the ticket booth from April 2010 (the marquee still up), it seems that they have restored it. The tile on the outside entry walls and on the ticket booth was covered in ‘50s fluted metal siding. Oddly, the tile walls in the lobby were left alone.
Photo by John Margolies from the LoC.
Note that the name was originally ‘New Grand’. It’s unclear if it replaced an older Grand from somewhere else in town. The 1926 Yearbook gives a capacity of 440.
Here is the KHRI entry for the building: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=037-405
The building must have been built as a theater. The 1913 map shows a little wooden building here. This is now the local Republican Party HQ.
This may have been associated with the Liberty, which was just off to the SE.
This listing needs to be rewritten to include the known history. The theater does not appear in the 1954 Yearbook, and is listed in 1957 with no capacity. It has been an event venue for some time. The capacity seems absurdly large, and the 1949 Yearbook lists it at 600. It is listed at 800 in 1952, and seems to have closed shortly thereafter. Unfortunately the 1953 Yearbook is useless, as it only lists drive-ins and circuits.
The capacity was continually reduced. The 1905 Cahn guide calls this McGhie’s New Theatre, and has the capacity as 1,000. By 1926, it is 500. By 1955, it had declined to 480.
The 1914-14 AMPD also lists an Opera House. If that was not an accidental duplication of this theater, the only possibility is the old opera house, which was located at 101-103 W Maple. It does not seem to be active on the 1905 map, while the 1911 map notes ‘Old Stage & Scenery Not Used’. The building was demolished before 1918.
The remodeled building is called the Huston Block. I’m not sure how extensive the fire damage was, but it appears that the stage was reduced, since the fly tower now only appears on the western half of the building. Comparing with older maps, it seems that the theater lobby switched sides. The building was in terrible shape, practically derelict, with one marginal business in the ground floor. The latest streetview shows interior demolition taking place, but since the trim has been repainted, this is hopefully just a restoration. Unfortunately, the tiny little transom for the theater has been removed.
The 1911 map calls this McGhie’s Opera House, and both it and the 1918 map give a capacity of 750.
This theater is much older. There was an airdome on this site in 1911, which was replaced by a one story building sometime before 1918. I’m not sure when the second floor was added. The early building was called the Star in the 1914-15 AMPD.
By 1926, it was called the Reel, and had a capacity of 450. In 1927 and 1928 a Grand is also listed, with no capacity. I think that was probably a reference to the old opera house next door to the west. That is still there, the victim of some really ugly remodeling. In 1931, the name was changed to the New Era. The capacity was reduced to 350. It was renamed the Oswego in 1941. It’s still listed in 1957, now with 400 seats. It probably didn’t close until much later.
It appears to be used as an auction venue, and the auditorium is largely intact (although shabby), or was when I visited in 2010. I recall being told that they use the stage to display items, and patrons bid from the seats.
This theater was open by at least 1988.
I’ve added a 1923 Sanborn view, which gives the capacity as 1,000. The 1916 view shows a slightly different balcony shape.
The Star name must have been moved. The July 1916 map shows a theater at 215 N Pennsylvania with a large extension being considered, and the 1923 map shows that building much larger.
Cannot be the right Klock. The theater did not exist in 1924. Fredonia and Pittsburg also had Klocks.
The Strand was located at 215 N Pennsylvania. The building was originally constructed between 1885 and 1890. It was a brick building, two stories at the front. Up until 1910, harness and buggies were sold here. This must have initially been the Star, because the July 1916 map shows a planned extension of the rear of the building, exactly matching the information in the comments on the Star entry. The remodeled theater on the 1923 map is indeed much deeper, and now has a recessed entry and a metal canopy on the front.
Unfortunately, sometime around the 1950s or ‘60s 211 through 215 were demolished and replaced by a large and unattractive store.
This theater failed very quickly. It was gone by January 1910, when the map shows dry goods & clothing sold here (the 1905 map shows a restaurant & pool hall here). This is not a dance studio (that is at 112). This portion of the building uses a 116 address now, and seems to be either vacant or a residence.
The theater was located in the western storefront of the McLaughlin Building, an attractive two story Victorian commercial block constructed between 1896 and 1902. The building is in excellent condition today, although sadly someone has been watching too much HGTV and has painted all the trim and storefronts black.
The remodeling project cannot refer to this building. It would have been impossible to add 75 feet to this building, unless he intended to add 5 stories, or block the alley and demolish the rear of a building or two on the other side. The appearance of the building is identical on the 1923 map to what is shown on the 1910 version.
The address is incorrect. There is no 101, because the corner building is very deep and faces Main. The correct address is 107. The theater building was constructed between 1902 and 1905. It was originally a two story building, which in 1905 was a meat market. The theater was open by January 1910, with an Eagles Aerie on the second floor. It was closed by July 1916, when a furniture store is shown here. It’s not clear when the second floor was removed, but it was common to remove stories during the Depression to reduce the property taxes. The building today is a scruffy-looking vacant structure.
The NRHP listing, which misidentifies the FOE as the Elks (BPOE), also has the wrong address, saying this is 109 (the vacant lot to the south). It does give three names for this theater; Lyric (1908), Star (1911), Empress (1912). Presumably those come from city directories or newspapers. The 1914-15 AMPD lists it as the Star, and gives a spurious 101 address.