For some reason, both the 1910 and 1917 Sanborn maps spell the name as Stevens, which is wrong. It is however, interesting to note that it was not called the Lyric on the 1917 map. The second floor was used as a lodge hall. Lon Vest Stephens was governor of Missouri 1897-1901, and his brother W. Speed Stephens assisted in the operation of the theater. In late 2018, the stage had to be closed because the rigging ropes were too worn to be used safely. Hopefully it has reopened.
I wish the photos online weren’t so incompetently done. I think the building was extensively remodeled in 1950, rather than there having been new construction, based on the shape of the building being identical to the one on the maps. There appears to be an old roofline just above the plywood siding.
I guess you can remove my remark about the tenure being short. I’m surprised it was there so long without modifying the entry. Must have had pretty low traffic, since the ‘Mudd & Gibbons’ cast into the iron plate in front of the door (I’m sure this has an architectural name.) is hardly worn at all.
The building was built in 1881 for Phillip B. Linville, who constructed several of the buildings downtown. It was the original home of the Bank of Edina, before it moved to the corner in 1907. It was also home to the telephone exchange and the post office before it became a theater. I assume the name of the theater was a combination of Linville and Edina.
Address is wrong, and the map marker has ended up in Baring. There is no 123 N Main, the highest number is 121. The theater was at 304 E Lafayette. For some reason, there is no 302, and two storefronts numbered 304. Very soon after closing, it looks like it was converted to retail. It is currently vacant.
SethG
commented about
Airdomeon
Apr 19, 2019 at 8:41 am
On the maps, Washington St is 1st St N. It was apparently renamed sometime later.
SethG
commented about
Muzidomeon
Apr 19, 2019 at 8:41 am
On the maps, Washington St is 1st St N. It was apparently renamed sometime later.
Pretty sure the number was 124. The building appears to be a bar on the horrible 2008 streetview. It has gotten a really awful dumpy remodel of painted plywood siding over a formstone shopfront. Theater appears on the 1908 Sanborn, and on the 1914 map it has a tin cornice (probably installed when the building was constructed), which is now gone. Building appears on the 1893 map as a grocery and queensware store.
Address is wrong, as is the map marker. 115 is correct. 106 was almost certainly never a theater, since it is a tiny (but very deep) structure with an elaborate tin shopfront which is in original condition. Although Perry was certainly ‘big’ enough to have Sanborn coverage, I can’t find a map online.
The 1917 Sanborn shows a theater operating at 201 S Main, which is either the Orpheum or perhaps a predecessor. The building at this point was a 2-story brick commercial block of which the theater occupied the northern half. Current structure is a dumpy ‘70s or '80s thing which replaced 4 buildings on Main.
Progress incredibly slow. Building looks nearly identical to my first visit over 9 years ago. ‘Green’ has been painted up top, and I think the awning might be new. Lobby looks exactly the same, except now it’s full of stuff for the work.
Sometime in the last month, the roof fell in, popping nearly all of the south wall out onto the street. From the substantial brick construction revealed, it must be the original building with the top story removed. At any rate, it is for sure demolished now.
The New Grand replaced the Ferris Grand Opera House, a large and fancy opera house which was constructed between 1886 and 1890. On the 1914 Sanborn map it is listed as ‘Ruins of Fire’, so this site seems to have been unlucky.
I think this theater was on the corner with E Mulberry St, in which case it has been demolished. The July 1916 Sanborn shows a house on that lot, so it was opened sometime after that.
On the 1916 Sanborn, 2-story storefronts have filled the empty space, and there is a long, wide entrance hall in the center going back to the auditorium. Narrow exit hallways are at either side, flanking the storefronts (which are a confectionery and tailor at this point). Seating capacity is 1,050, and on each side of the balcony the front has been replaced by a pair of boxes.
On the 1909 Sanborn, the entire area taken up by the ugly modern storefront is empty. The theater is set back nearly half the depth of the neighboring buildings, and starts abruptly at the two-story auditorium. The balcony is a deep horseshoe extending nearly to the stage. It’s unclear where the entrance is, although there appears to be an exterior staircase on the 5th St side behind the store next door.
On the 1916 Sanborn, the Logan has 750 seats, and is also showing vaudeville. To the south, behind some tiny wooden storefronts, is a large lot labeled ‘Air Dome’ and ‘open seats’. The little shack on the corner with Vine is serving as a ticket office. I assume this was an associated operation, probably showing movies outside when the weather was warm.
This wasn’t the Stephens. That’s the Thespian Hall.
For some reason, both the 1910 and 1917 Sanborn maps spell the name as Stevens, which is wrong. It is however, interesting to note that it was not called the Lyric on the 1917 map. The second floor was used as a lodge hall. Lon Vest Stephens was governor of Missouri 1897-1901, and his brother W. Speed Stephens assisted in the operation of the theater. In late 2018, the stage had to be closed because the rigging ropes were too worn to be used safely. Hopefully it has reopened.
I wish the photos online weren’t so incompetently done. I think the building was extensively remodeled in 1950, rather than there having been new construction, based on the shape of the building being identical to the one on the maps. There appears to be an old roofline just above the plywood siding.
Thanks to Ken Roe for the name and some more history.
I guess you can remove my remark about the tenure being short. I’m surprised it was there so long without modifying the entry. Must have had pretty low traffic, since the ‘Mudd & Gibbons’ cast into the iron plate in front of the door (I’m sure this has an architectural name.) is hardly worn at all.
The building was built in 1881 for Phillip B. Linville, who constructed several of the buildings downtown. It was the original home of the Bank of Edina, before it moved to the corner in 1907. It was also home to the telephone exchange and the post office before it became a theater. I assume the name of the theater was a combination of Linville and Edina.
Address is wrong, and the map marker has ended up in Baring. There is no 123 N Main, the highest number is 121. The theater was at 304 E Lafayette. For some reason, there is no 302, and two storefronts numbered 304. Very soon after closing, it looks like it was converted to retail. It is currently vacant.
On the maps, Washington St is 1st St N. It was apparently renamed sometime later.
On the maps, Washington St is 1st St N. It was apparently renamed sometime later.
The bank building was constructed in 1914 according to the decorative tile on the front.
Pretty sure the number was 124. The building appears to be a bar on the horrible 2008 streetview. It has gotten a really awful dumpy remodel of painted plywood siding over a formstone shopfront. Theater appears on the 1908 Sanborn, and on the 1914 map it has a tin cornice (probably installed when the building was constructed), which is now gone. Building appears on the 1893 map as a grocery and queensware store.
Address is between 102-116.
Address is wrong, as is the map marker. 115 is correct. 106 was almost certainly never a theater, since it is a tiny (but very deep) structure with an elaborate tin shopfront which is in original condition. Although Perry was certainly ‘big’ enough to have Sanborn coverage, I can’t find a map online.
The 1917 Sanborn shows a theater operating at 201 S Main, which is either the Orpheum or perhaps a predecessor. The building at this point was a 2-story brick commercial block of which the theater occupied the northern half. Current structure is a dumpy ‘70s or '80s thing which replaced 4 buildings on Main.
Progress incredibly slow. Building looks nearly identical to my first visit over 9 years ago. ‘Green’ has been painted up top, and I think the awning might be new. Lobby looks exactly the same, except now it’s full of stuff for the work.
Sometime in the last month, the roof fell in, popping nearly all of the south wall out onto the street. From the substantial brick construction revealed, it must be the original building with the top story removed. At any rate, it is for sure demolished now.
How did the map marker get so badly lost?
The New Grand replaced the Ferris Grand Opera House, a large and fancy opera house which was constructed between 1886 and 1890. On the 1914 Sanborn map it is listed as ‘Ruins of Fire’, so this site seems to have been unlucky.
The building has been retail or offices for many years. Not too badly remodeled.
I don’t know if they’ve opened yet, but the interior had nothing left inside when I went in last year. The lobby is now a coffee/sandwich place.
I think this theater was on the corner with E Mulberry St, in which case it has been demolished. The July 1916 Sanborn shows a house on that lot, so it was opened sometime after that.
I think the reference to a 3rd St was just sloppiness. Even on the 1884 Sanborn, Williams is Williams and only 4th and 5th are numbers.
On the 1916 Sanborn, 2-story storefronts have filled the empty space, and there is a long, wide entrance hall in the center going back to the auditorium. Narrow exit hallways are at either side, flanking the storefronts (which are a confectionery and tailor at this point). Seating capacity is 1,050, and on each side of the balcony the front has been replaced by a pair of boxes.
On the 1909 Sanborn, the entire area taken up by the ugly modern storefront is empty. The theater is set back nearly half the depth of the neighboring buildings, and starts abruptly at the two-story auditorium. The balcony is a deep horseshoe extending nearly to the stage. It’s unclear where the entrance is, although there appears to be an exterior staircase on the 5th St side behind the store next door.
On the 1916 Sanborn, the Logan has 750 seats, and is also showing vaudeville. To the south, behind some tiny wooden storefronts, is a large lot labeled ‘Air Dome’ and ‘open seats’. The little shack on the corner with Vine is serving as a ticket office. I assume this was an associated operation, probably showing movies outside when the weather was warm.