After speaking with a historians in Concord, there is no proof that the theatre opened as, or ever was the Carolina. It opened as the Cabarrus and when it closed it was still the Cabarrus.
Concord had over several theatres downtown. The first was in an opera house over the Gibson Drug Co. Then several tent theatres like the Edsall-Winthrope on Means and S. Church and Airdome on Foard and South Union. Then the City hall opera house. Theatorium was the first store front theatre @ 20 S. Union, 1908. Pastime opened Jan 15, 1910 @ 22 S. Union Street. Nine buildings had theatres and the names changed over the years. Alpine (Roxy) was at 70 Tournament and was Black only. Cabarrus, 22 N Union, 1939. Concord, 11 N Union opened 1927, later became Paramount, then Cinema. Main was at 3 North Union in 1913 and later became the Star in 1920 and then the State. Marsh was 14 W Depot in 1914 and in 1916 became the Strand. Piedmont and New Piedmont was at 10 S Union from 1918-1929. YMCA in 1922 Killareny Street. Jackson Tarrece, 1927 was near Jackson training school and the New house opened in 1926, location unknown at this time. and Westmore, 1927 unknown location. I think that covers all I have found so far.
April of 1908 A.W. Thompson owned the Bijou but by May Mr. Earnhardt ran the theatre. November of 1911 the Bijou moved North into the James-Denning building and was closed by September of 1912. The Duval opened in the same space and was ran by Henry Palmer, in October is changed to the Carolina.
Here is a list of theaters I am research in Albemarle NC. The addresses are from a 1922 Sanborn map so they may have changed over the years
Bijou. In basement of Central Hotel that was located at 131,135,139 South 2nd Street.
Lyric 119 South Second Street
Victoria/Roxy. 117 East Main
Alameda. 144 North 2nd Street. Started as an Airdome near the square and was in the Opera house while they were building the Alameda.
Columbia 231-233 West Main
Stanly/Center 121-125 West Main. The Columbia closed when Stanly opened and ran by same people. Stanly was two small store fronts turned into lobby and theater added in back.
Opera house. 129 West Main
Majestic. 129 West Main in Opera house
List so far of Concord Theaters Airdome.1911 Located on S/W corner lot of Foard and South Union
Airdome at different location in 1913. Site unknown
Alpine Theater 1921. 70 Tournament St. Black only theater
Carolina-Cabarrus 22 North Union
Paramount-Cinema. 9 Norht Union
Edsall-Winthrope 1906. Tent on NW corner of Means and S Church St
Main. 1913. I think it was at 7 North Union but double checking.
Marsh-Strand. 1914-1916 & 1916-1917 14-16 West Depot Street
New Piedmont. 1918-1929. 10 South Union
Pastime. 1910. 22 South Union
Star-State. 1920 Star, enlarged in 1921. State by 1941. 3-5 North Union
Theatorium. 1908-1918. 20 South Union
Concord Theater. 1927. 11 North Union
YMCA. North Union and Killarney St (formally Holly Lane)
Others that we are still looking for location: Jackson (could have been at Jackson Training school), New House, 1926, Roxy, 1930, and Westmore, 1927
Also on 10-21-1909 Westford Methodist Church,at Kerr Street did the Passion Play and used stereoptieon views and several hundred feet of moving picture films.
Chuck, I am working with several people in Concord on the history of their theaters. So far we have a list of as many as 17 theatres in the downtown. I will summit names and locations when we finish. The Paramount was located at 9 North Union and later was named the Cinema Theater. I was told last week that the restaurant is not located in the old theater building but two doors down. There are some amazing photos that I will share if the owns give me permission.
The Building Vac and Dash is in was the Columbia Theatre. The Smith and Biles families built the Stanly Theatre and the owner of Columbia closed and managed the Stanly.
Mike I am looking for photos and the history of Concord Theaters for a calendar for Cabarrus Bank and Trust. I would love to get in touch with you. My email is
The Opera house is across the street from this building and is above two stores. Starnes Jewelery Store opened before the building was built and moved into the current store when the Starnes family finished this building
This building was not the Center theater and has never been a theater. This building was novalilty store. The Center theater was across the street and a block down. Albemarle has had several different theaters over the years. An open air theater, Albemarle Opera house, Columbia, Stanly, Center, Victoria, Lyric and the Roxy. I have photos of many of these and will post. The Stanly opened in 1930 to replace the Columbia that was two building down the street, West Main. The Stanly burned in the late 30’s and was rebuilt. In the 60’s it was closed, redone and reopened as the Center. The Victoria was on East Main and later became the Roxy. Lyric was on South Second Street. Alameda is on North Second Street.
After speaking with a historians in Concord, there is no proof that the theatre opened as, or ever was the Carolina. It opened as the Cabarrus and when it closed it was still the Cabarrus.
Concord had over several theatres downtown. The first was in an opera house over the Gibson Drug Co. Then several tent theatres like the Edsall-Winthrope on Means and S. Church and Airdome on Foard and South Union. Then the City hall opera house. Theatorium was the first store front theatre @ 20 S. Union, 1908. Pastime opened Jan 15, 1910 @ 22 S. Union Street. Nine buildings had theatres and the names changed over the years. Alpine (Roxy) was at 70 Tournament and was Black only. Cabarrus, 22 N Union, 1939. Concord, 11 N Union opened 1927, later became Paramount, then Cinema. Main was at 3 North Union in 1913 and later became the Star in 1920 and then the State. Marsh was 14 W Depot in 1914 and in 1916 became the Strand. Piedmont and New Piedmont was at 10 S Union from 1918-1929. YMCA in 1922 Killareny Street. Jackson Tarrece, 1927 was near Jackson training school and the New house opened in 1926, location unknown at this time. and Westmore, 1927 unknown location. I think that covers all I have found so far.
April of 1908 A.W. Thompson owned the Bijou but by May Mr. Earnhardt ran the theatre. November of 1911 the Bijou moved North into the James-Denning building and was closed by September of 1912. The Duval opened in the same space and was ran by Henry Palmer, in October is changed to the Carolina.
Chuck, where did you find this info?
Chuck.
Here is a list of theaters I am research in Albemarle NC. The addresses are from a 1922 Sanborn map so they may have changed over the years
Bijou. In basement of Central Hotel that was located at 131,135,139 South 2nd Street. Lyric 119 South Second Street Victoria/Roxy. 117 East Main Alameda. 144 North 2nd Street. Started as an Airdome near the square and was in the Opera house while they were building the Alameda. Columbia 231-233 West Main Stanly/Center 121-125 West Main. The Columbia closed when Stanly opened and ran by same people. Stanly was two small store fronts turned into lobby and theater added in back. Opera house. 129 West Main Majestic. 129 West Main in Opera house
20 South Union Street
State/Star theater was located at 3 North Union Street
List so far of Concord Theaters
Airdome.1911 Located on S/W corner lot of Foard and South Union
Airdome at different location in 1913. Site unknown Alpine Theater 1921. 70 Tournament St. Black only theater Carolina-Cabarrus 22 North Union Paramount-Cinema. 9 Norht Union Edsall-Winthrope 1906. Tent on NW corner of Means and S Church St Main. 1913. I think it was at 7 North Union but double checking. Marsh-Strand. 1914-1916 & 1916-1917 14-16 West Depot Street New Piedmont. 1918-1929. 10 South Union Pastime. 1910. 22 South Union Star-State. 1920 Star, enlarged in 1921. State by 1941. 3-5 North Union Theatorium. 1908-1918. 20 South Union Concord Theater. 1927. 11 North Union YMCA. North Union and Killarney St (formally Holly Lane) Others that we are still looking for location: Jackson (could have been at Jackson Training school), New House, 1926, Roxy, 1930, and Westmore, 1927 Also on 10-21-1909 Westford Methodist Church,at Kerr Street did the Passion Play and used stereoptieon views and several hundred feet of moving picture films.
Chuck, I am working with several people in Concord on the history of their theaters. So far we have a list of as many as 17 theatres in the downtown. I will summit names and locations when we finish. The Paramount was located at 9 North Union and later was named the Cinema Theater. I was told last week that the restaurant is not located in the old theater building but two doors down. There are some amazing photos that I will share if the owns give me permission.
New Piedmont was located at 10 South Union. 1918-1929
The Building Vac and Dash is in was the Columbia Theatre. The Smith and Biles families built the Stanly Theatre and the owner of Columbia closed and managed the Stanly.
Mike I am looking for photos and the history of Concord Theaters for a calendar for Cabarrus Bank and Trust. I would love to get in touch with you. My email is
The stone floor at the entrance of the Stanly/Center theater fell in this past summer. The building is in bad shape and is not for sale.
Two other theaters have been found in Albemarle, The Bijou and the Majestic. Bijou was open in 1908 and the Majestic was located in the Opera house.
The Opera house is across the street from this building and is above two stores. Starnes Jewelery Store opened before the building was built and moved into the current store when the Starnes family finished this building
This building was not the Center theater and has never been a theater. This building was novalilty store. The Center theater was across the street and a block down. Albemarle has had several different theaters over the years. An open air theater, Albemarle Opera house, Columbia, Stanly, Center, Victoria, Lyric and the Roxy. I have photos of many of these and will post. The Stanly opened in 1930 to replace the Columbia that was two building down the street, West Main. The Stanly burned in the late 30’s and was rebuilt. In the 60’s it was closed, redone and reopened as the Center. The Victoria was on East Main and later became the Roxy. Lyric was on South Second Street. Alameda is on North Second Street.