Address confirmed as 110 S. Front Street. Still standing. October 2019 Street View shows a law office who confirmed it was indeed the former Palace Theatre.
Address is 112-114 E. Main Street and still standing.
Street view confirms buildings are the same.
Ray’s Liquors is the current tenant.
1940’s photo added credit West Tennessee County History.
The Varsity Theatre operated until 1987, then closed for several years and reopened in 1992, but closed in 1996.
Additional history credit Tennessee Good Old Days Facebook page.
The 1999 National Register of Historic Place application for the Capitol Theatre, oddly makes no mention of the Ritz Theatre.
It says that only Jimmy’s Playhouse 1921-1927, and the Capitol (now Masquerade) showed movies between 1921-1978 in Union City, when the Volunteer Twin Cinema opened located South of the downtown.
The latter forced the Capitol to become a twin.
I added pages for Jimmy’s Playhouse and Volunteer Twin Cinema.
Full Capitol/Masquerade history in the below application for the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
As the Capitol it was a twin from June 1981 to August 1991, after the 1978 opening of Volunteer Twin Cinema South of downtown.
All past renovations are covered in below link as well.
Opened circa 1922.
“The Preston Park theatre on King Street near Central Park was the first in South Waterloo to have movies with soundtracks.” Credit Laura (Queen’s Square) | March 2, 2016 History of Park and Cambridge theatres below.
Address was 175 S. Washington St. Opened December 7th, 1906, Closed circa 1941. Confirmed Demolished in 1956. First Bank of Ohio Tiffin branch is now on the site. 1921 photo added. (Tiffin Masonic Lodge next door in photo still stands.)
Below additional history credit Seneca County Museum.
“The Grand Theater – Walter and T. K. Allbaugh purchased a building called the “German Inn” from Mrs. Mary Wagner and this small 2-story building was razed in 1906 to make way for the construction of the Grand Theater. Demolition started in late August with the plan to open the theater by December. The Tiffin Opera House company was organized during this time, with $50,000 of stock sold to many of the area’s successfully businessmen. The theater was to hold live shows and the first was Victor Hugo’s dramatization of “Les Miserables”, which was titled; “The Law and the Man”. It opened on December 7th, 1906 with seats on the main floor going for $3 to $5, while seats in the balcony were $2. The interior of the building was incredible with chandeliers, marble floors and plush restrooms. A huge, lighted marquee sign greeted customers as they passed by. The theater received terrific reviews from the many actors who came to Tiffin to perform.
The Grand was also used for local productions by aspiring actors, musicians and singers. Local organizations such as the Elks and Lincoln Club sponsored dramas, minstrel shows and comedies. Movies were shown at The Grand starting in 1909 and a Saturday bill of fare included: a 20 minutes news reel, a comedy movie and 3 vaudeville acts – and these were shown 3 times a day. In 1927, the wooden seats were replaced with new padded seats on metal frames. But even with the upgrades, The Grand Theater was losing customers to the new theater up the street: The Ritz. The Ritz was designed for movies, which by the 1920’s was what most people wanted to see, plus The Grand refused to sell popcorn and other concessions. The theater eventually closed and in 1956, the Grand was sold.
This magnificent theater was just 50 years old when it was demolished to make room for the new Tiffin Savings Bank. Today’s photo shows the exterior of the Grand in the 1920’s with its’ huge marquee sign.“ (1921 photo added)
1949 photo & description credit Seneca County Museum. (December 2018)
“This Month in Seneca County History – December 1928 – It was on December 20th, 1928 that the new Ritz Theater opened in downtown Tiffin, and this month we plan to post some historic photos to celebrate this event that happened 90 years ago. Today’s photo was taken probably in 1949, because the Ritz marquee is advertising their current movie “It Happens Every Spring” starring Ray Milland and Jean Peters. This movie was released in June 1949.
This is a great photo that offers us views that we don’t normally see. On the left of the entrance is the “Ritz Nut Shop” where you could get beer, wine and nuts. We also love the nice Coca-Cola sign on the bottom of the nut shop door. Above the main front doors are advertisements for a future movie at the Ritz called: “Come to the Stable”, a movie that was released in September 1949. To the right of the front doors is an open stairway to the second floor, and today this opening is now covered by a door."
“The Ritz first opened in December 1928 and these marquee changes (1949 photo added) happened only 21 years after that event. With the sudden popularity of neon signage in Tiffin, maybe the owners of the Ritz felt that they needed to change over to neon in order to attract customers. Many years later, when the Ritz was restored, the flashy neon signage was removed and the old original style marquee returned.”
Additional Fremont history credit Mark Howell & Richard DeLombard.
In 1849 the residents changed the name of Lower Sandusky to Fremont, to honor John Fremont, who helped acquire California during the Mexican War.
It was Lower Sandusky because it was downriver from Upper Sandusky.
Confirmed Demolished.
Heritage Centre shopping mall is now on the site.
Linda’s Restaurant sits where the theatre stood.
Additional history credit Mark Howell.
The Mu-Mac Theatre in Middlefield, Ohio in Geauga County was named for it’s original owners, Ken Mumaw and Dr. George McElroy, a dentist and former mayor.
Almost as tall as the Gore building’s nearby towers, the 1939 Palace Theatre sign came down in 1959, and the Main Street site soon became a Woolco department store. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.
Credit Rych Mills Waterloo Region Record.
“Looking north along Water Street from Main between 1913 and 1938, the sign at the corner of Dickson changed from Temple to Regent to Grand. After another 23 years, the Grand closed in 1961. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.”
“Looking north along Water Street from Main between 1913 and 1938, the sign at the corner of Dickson changed from Temple to Regent to Grand. After another 23 years, the Grand closed in 1961. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.”
Address confirmed as 110 S. Front Street.
Still standing.
October 2019 Street View shows a law office who confirmed it was indeed the former Palace Theatre.
Address is 112-114 E. Main Street and still standing. Street view confirms buildings are the same. Ray’s Liquors is the current tenant. 1940’s photo added credit West Tennessee County History.
“Blue Lagoon” released October 1, 1949. British film starring Jean Simmons & Donald Houston.
Christmas 1959.
The Varsity Theatre operated until 1987, then closed for several years and reopened in 1992, but closed in 1996. Additional history credit Tennessee Good Old Days Facebook page.
The 1999 National Register of Historic Place application for the Capitol Theatre, oddly makes no mention of the Ritz Theatre. It says that only Jimmy’s Playhouse 1921-1927, and the Capitol (now Masquerade) showed movies between 1921-1978 in Union City, when the Volunteer Twin Cinema opened located South of the downtown. The latter forced the Capitol to become a twin. I added pages for Jimmy’s Playhouse and Volunteer Twin Cinema.
https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/02f84e54-a36f-45ba-9f9f-1b439cda8093
Full Capitol/Masquerade history in the below application for the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. As the Capitol it was a twin from June 1981 to August 1991, after the 1978 opening of Volunteer Twin Cinema South of downtown. All past renovations are covered in below link as well.
https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/02f84e54-a36f-45ba-9f9f-1b439cda8093
Opened circa 1922. “The Preston Park theatre on King Street near Central Park was the first in South Waterloo to have movies with soundtracks.” Credit Laura (Queen’s Square) | March 2, 2016 History of Park and Cambridge theatres below.
https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2013/07/02/cambridge-s-movie-man-recalls-days-as-park-theatre-usher-drive-in-attendant.html
https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/living-story/9269883-flash-from-the-past-hespeler-preston-and-galt-s-movie-palaces-all-gone/
https://ideaexchange.org/life/idea/lost-movie-theatres-cambridge
Norm Culley worked at the Sunset Drive-in.
Story below.
https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2013/07/02/cambridge-s-movie-man-recalls-days-as-park-theatre-usher-drive-in-attendant.html
Located on Queen Street. Only the theatre name Queens is plural. History of Cambridge theatres in below links.
https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/living-story/9269883-flash-from-the-past-hespeler-preston-and-galt-s-movie-palaces-all-gone/
https://ideaexchange.org/life/idea/lost-movie-theatres-cambridge
Address was 175 S. Washington St. Opened December 7th, 1906, Closed circa 1941. Confirmed Demolished in 1956. First Bank of Ohio Tiffin branch is now on the site. 1921 photo added. (Tiffin Masonic Lodge next door in photo still stands.)
Below additional history credit Seneca County Museum.
“The Grand Theater – Walter and T. K. Allbaugh purchased a building called the “German Inn” from Mrs. Mary Wagner and this small 2-story building was razed in 1906 to make way for the construction of the Grand Theater. Demolition started in late August with the plan to open the theater by December. The Tiffin Opera House company was organized during this time, with $50,000 of stock sold to many of the area’s successfully businessmen. The theater was to hold live shows and the first was Victor Hugo’s dramatization of “Les Miserables”, which was titled; “The Law and the Man”. It opened on December 7th, 1906 with seats on the main floor going for $3 to $5, while seats in the balcony were $2. The interior of the building was incredible with chandeliers, marble floors and plush restrooms. A huge, lighted marquee sign greeted customers as they passed by. The theater received terrific reviews from the many actors who came to Tiffin to perform.
The Grand was also used for local productions by aspiring actors, musicians and singers. Local organizations such as the Elks and Lincoln Club sponsored dramas, minstrel shows and comedies. Movies were shown at The Grand starting in 1909 and a Saturday bill of fare included: a 20 minutes news reel, a comedy movie and 3 vaudeville acts – and these were shown 3 times a day. In 1927, the wooden seats were replaced with new padded seats on metal frames. But even with the upgrades, The Grand Theater was losing customers to the new theater up the street: The Ritz. The Ritz was designed for movies, which by the 1920’s was what most people wanted to see, plus The Grand refused to sell popcorn and other concessions. The theater eventually closed and in 1956, the Grand was sold.
This magnificent theater was just 50 years old when it was demolished to make room for the new Tiffin Savings Bank. Today’s photo shows the exterior of the Grand in the 1920’s with its’ huge marquee sign.“ (1921 photo added)
1949 photo & description credit Seneca County Museum. (December 2018)
“This Month in Seneca County History – December 1928 – It was on December 20th, 1928 that the new Ritz Theater opened in downtown Tiffin, and this month we plan to post some historic photos to celebrate this event that happened 90 years ago. Today’s photo was taken probably in 1949, because the Ritz marquee is advertising their current movie “It Happens Every Spring” starring Ray Milland and Jean Peters. This movie was released in June 1949.
This is a great photo that offers us views that we don’t normally see. On the left of the entrance is the “Ritz Nut Shop” where you could get beer, wine and nuts. We also love the nice Coca-Cola sign on the bottom of the nut shop door. Above the main front doors are advertisements for a future movie at the Ritz called: “Come to the Stable”, a movie that was released in September 1949. To the right of the front doors is an open stairway to the second floor, and today this opening is now covered by a door."
Additional history credit Seneca County Museum.
“The Ritz first opened in December 1928 and these marquee changes (1949 photo added) happened only 21 years after that event. With the sudden popularity of neon signage in Tiffin, maybe the owners of the Ritz felt that they needed to change over to neon in order to attract customers. Many years later, when the Ritz was restored, the flashy neon signage was removed and the old original style marquee returned.”
Additional Fremont history credit Mark Howell & Richard DeLombard. In 1849 the residents changed the name of Lower Sandusky to Fremont, to honor John Fremont, who helped acquire California during the Mexican War. It was Lower Sandusky because it was downriver from Upper Sandusky.
“Passion”, the U.S. title for the German film “Madame DuBarry" (1919).
1952 photo added credit Christy Nicole.
1919 photo.
This was the Ohio Theatre in 1934.
Photo added with matching signage confirming name.
Confirmed Demolished. Heritage Centre shopping mall is now on the site. Linda’s Restaurant sits where the theatre stood. Additional history credit Mark Howell. The Mu-Mac Theatre in Middlefield, Ohio in Geauga County was named for it’s original owners, Ken Mumaw and Dr. George McElroy, a dentist and former mayor.
Credit Rych Mills Waterloo Region Record.
Almost as tall as the Gore building’s nearby towers, the 1939 Palace Theatre sign came down in 1959, and the Main Street site soon became a Woolco department store. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.
https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/living-story/9269883-flash-from-the-past-hespeler-preston-and-galt-s-movie-palaces-all-gone/
Credit Rych Mills Waterloo Region Record. “Looking north along Water Street from Main between 1913 and 1938, the sign at the corner of Dickson changed from Temple to Regent to Grand. After another 23 years, the Grand closed in 1961. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.”
https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/living-story/9269883-flash-from-the-past-hespeler-preston-and-galt-s-movie-palaces-all-gone/
Credit Rych Mills Waterloo Region Record.
“Looking north along Water Street from Main between 1913 and 1938, the sign at the corner of Dickson changed from Temple to Regent to Grand. After another 23 years, the Grand closed in 1961. – Late 1940s Photogelatine Company postcard from Al Findlay collection.”
1977 photo added credit John Margolies.
Moving Picture World Book about original Castle Opening.
https://books.google.com/books?id=saMbAQAAMAAJ&dq=castle%20theater%20bloomington&pg=PA1166&fbclid=IwAR2B7a8YuVvTk1msSZJezXXu1PJTwhGpN6LcVoPg0n6Dmw70G7EvQl4MKkE#v=onepage&q=castle%20theater%20bloom&f=false