The theatre changed names a couple of times, first as the Aloha and later as the Geertz after it reopened. It was destroyed by fire on October 20, 1930.
Made a visit to Aloha, WA today. One can drive through this town and never know it existed. What did exist was a small lumbering community that was once home to Aloha Mill & Lumber Company, founded by R. D. Emerson and W. H. Dole in 1905. The name, a Hawaiian greeting, was chosen by members of the Dole family, who were landowners and business people in Hawaii. Hit hard with the depression, the theatre and many of the businesses in the area shut down in 1930 never to return again. Of what did exit where mostly building built on the fly almost with the intent of only being there temporary.
The Roycroft was built in 1925 and closed in 1959. Its style is Mediterranean Revival and it is currently the Russian Community Center. Part of the original Roycroft signage is still visible just above the entrance.
The actual address is 422 N Whitcomb Ave and the status should be changed from demolished to closed. The Chief is currently being use as the Tonasket Foursquare Church.
Wish that I could have seen this theatre in its original incarnation. The current rendering is a sterile, bland, 80’s style industrial motif. On the plus side, plenty of leg room.
From Mary Cates, Co-Owner NuVu Showhouse: The NuVu Theater was built in 1952 by Henry Hagman who also constructed the Ione Theater in Ione Washington and the Bridge Theatre in Metaline Falls.
The building currently occupying 223 N Main St, kinda looks like it could have been a theatre. Need to get a crowbar and pull back the awful aluminum siding across the front to see what’s lies behind it.
Thanks for the research Joe! I have been reviewing the city directories and related media at the Washington State Library and am amazed at the number of small rural communities with a population of way less than 1,000 that had two or more theatres.
Am discovering that quite a few of these venues that cropped up during the onset of the twentieth century were just community halls which periodically served as cinemas.
I was a the Chehalis Library a few weeks ago and even with the assistance of the librarian, we were unable to locate anything on the liberty. Would love to see a photo of it.
What was the seating capacity? I estimated it at 325. Couldn’t figure out why the large area on the opposite side of the cinema was never converted to a second screen. The concession area was already located between the two rooms so it seemed like a natural fit.
Although I never had the chance to visit this structure in it’s previous incarnation as a cinema, the current interior doesn’t have any characteristic to suggest it was ever such.
This is one of my favourite circa 1970s cinemas. This model, which was also part the GCC line up during this period, were the last of the multiplex breed to feature large screens and an element of style in the overall design. Glad that the furniture store has keep most of the cinema interior and just about all of the exterior relatively intact. This is a museum piece!
The theatre changed names a couple of times, first as the Aloha and later as the Geertz after it reopened. It was destroyed by fire on October 20, 1930.
was this also know as the Well’s Strand?
Made a visit to Aloha, WA today. One can drive through this town and never know it existed. What did exist was a small lumbering community that was once home to Aloha Mill & Lumber Company, founded by R. D. Emerson and W. H. Dole in 1905. The name, a Hawaiian greeting, was chosen by members of the Dole family, who were landowners and business people in Hawaii. Hit hard with the depression, the theatre and many of the businesses in the area shut down in 1930 never to return again. Of what did exit where mostly building built on the fly almost with the intent of only being there temporary.
It has been expanded to 5 screens and the new website is https://athensmoviepalace.com/
The Roycroft was built in 1925 and closed in 1959. Its style is Mediterranean Revival and it is currently the Russian Community Center. Part of the original Roycroft signage is still visible just above the entrance.
Was this also at onetime named the Wapeto Theatre?
Day Walter Hilborn was the architect
The actual address is 422 N Whitcomb Ave and the status should be changed from demolished to closed. The Chief is currently being use as the Tonasket Foursquare Church.
There are about three buildings on Clark which look as if they might have initially been a theatre.
Wish that I could have seen this theatre in its original incarnation. The current rendering is a sterile, bland, 80’s style industrial motif. On the plus side, plenty of leg room.
From Mary Cates, Co-Owner NuVu Showhouse:
The NuVu Theater was built in 1952 by Henry Hagman who also constructed the Ione Theater in Ione Washington and the Bridge Theatre in Metaline Falls.
The building currently occupying 223 N Main St, kinda looks like it could have been a theatre. Need to get a crowbar and pull back the awful aluminum siding across the front to see what’s lies behind it.
Was this also known as the Dream Theatre or was that another theatre in the area?
Thanks for the research Joe! I have been reviewing the city directories and related media at the Washington State Library and am amazed at the number of small rural communities with a population of way less than 1,000 that had two or more theatres.
Listed in the 1965 City Directory as Walter’s Selah Theatre at 216 South 1st St.
Am discovering that quite a few of these venues that cropped up during the onset of the twentieth century were just community halls which periodically served as cinemas.
I was a the Chehalis Library a few weeks ago and even with the assistance of the librarian, we were unable to locate anything on the liberty. Would love to see a photo of it.
Theatre opened as the Atlas in 1918.
There is a Gould Theatre listed in the 1930 Pe Ell directory with no street address. Could this be the same?
The street address listed in the city directory is 336 Bellevue Square.
What was the seating capacity? I estimated it at 325. Couldn’t figure out why the large area on the opposite side of the cinema was never converted to a second screen. The concession area was already located between the two rooms so it seemed like a natural fit.
Although I never had the chance to visit this structure in it’s previous incarnation as a cinema, the current interior doesn’t have any characteristic to suggest it was ever such.
It appears that the Granada is now a residential rather than commercial property. Most of the original exterior looks to have been preserved.
This is one of my favourite circa 1970s cinemas. This model, which was also part the GCC line up during this period, were the last of the multiplex breed to feature large screens and an element of style in the overall design. Glad that the furniture store has keep most of the cinema interior and just about all of the exterior relatively intact. This is a museum piece!
The Kelso opened under the banner of the Vogue and later named the Kelso.