According to http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/parisoftheplains/webexhibit/musical/mus-10.htm this was an African-American theatre. Advertised as “the theater beautiful,” the 1,500-seat Lincoln Theater opened in February 1920.
Story in today’s KC Star about the reopening: View link
Features of the theatre mentioned in the article:
•All seats are reserved. If you buy tickets online you will be given the best available seats. But you can always exchange them for other seats in person at the box office.
•Six all-digital auditoriums, three downstairs and three upstairs (the upstairs houses are Cinema Suites and feature full food service). And one can show 3-D films.
•Oversized screens twice as big as the industry standard for auditoriums of this size; digital projection offering four times the resolution of HDTV.
•Expanded digital sound with speakers overhead and at the rear of the auditoriums.
•Red leather seats throughout. Plus, each seat is wired with subwoofers that vibrate to low-frequency noises on the soundtrack.
•Improved leg room. Even a 7-footer can stretch out.
•Foot railings. Each row has a raised railing on which patrons can rest their feet, sort of like an old-fashioned saloon, except you’re sitting.
•A “flavor wall†where you can spike your soda with specialty flavorings or sprinkle toppings on your popcorn.
•The Marquee, a full-service restaurant in the lobby.
•Digital posters. Yep, even the movie posters move here.
•Movie-themed restrooms. A life-size Bogie and Bacall greet you at the doors.
•Quotes in the floor. Inlaid in the terrazzo lobby floor are quotes from famous films: “There’s no place like home.â€
Those are great. Thanks for sharing. The exterior of this theatre is very beautiful, it would fit right in on the Plaza. I’d love to see pictures from it’s heyday!
Drove by yesterday on I-70 and the vertical marquee is up, it looks nice, unusual to see this kind of marquee on theatres around here. There are also big red modern AMC signs visible from the highway.
Just ran into a few sets of antique seats pulled from this theatre for sale on ebay. If you are in the Topeka area for pickup the price is very reasonable:
The end-cap seat standards seem unusual to me, not the heavy high-relief molded iron that are often seen; it seems like maybe a native american inspired art deco design?
Last night Kansas City’s PBS Station, KCPT 19, aired a 30 minute documentary about the Coleman Theater. It is available for purchase here: http://www.rsupublictv.org/shop.htm
Here you go… from the link above, it doesn’t list it as Wonderland but if it was also known as the 12th street:
Name: Twelfth Street
Additional Names: Esquire
Location: Near 12th & McGee, Kansas City, MO
Opened:
Ownership: Fox
Current Status: Demolished in 1960.
Other Info: Rumored to be the site of Gypsy Rose Lee’s first striptease performance.
As for the wonderland: Here is a listing of many of KC’s theatres, it doesn’t list a wonderland but lists several on 12th street, maybe it had another name? http://members.aol.com/screenviews/theatres.html
Nice to see that the restoration is complete! From the pictures and website it seems a job well done. Congrats to all of those involved. I’ll have to check it out again next time I’m in Springfield. There was still a lot of work to be done when we toured this theatre in 2004 on the THSA Conclave listed above & I remember the story about Elvis being spotted here at one time.
It was listed on http://members.aol.com/screenviews/theatres.html with the following info:
Name: Mission
Additional Names: Aztec (1940s)/Fine Arts (after current renovation)
Location: 11119 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS
Opened: 1927
Ownership: Dickinson (1940s)/Fine Arts Theatre Group
Current Status: Closed as movie house in 1975, then used for bank storage. Currently under renovation to replace the Fine Arts Theatre.
Other Info: Built by Marion Summerour, the third mayor of Shawnee. Designed by Boller Bros. architects.
Looking back I do not see it on a list I have of Boller theatres so I can’t guarantee where the owner of that site got their info. I would love to see this theatre open, it is just blocks from my home.
Had a chance to see Pirates Of The Caribbean 2 there this weekend. It is well worth the visit! They’ve done a great job with the restoration, the addition of restrooms is not only convenient but doesn’t detract from the integrity of the original design. Plenty of parking. Reasonable ticket & concession prices.
Butch, You are my hero, thanks to you (and Wade) for saving this landmark. I fell in love with it as a child in the 80’s. Can’t wait to see Pirates of the Caribbean in this gem!
Though I haven’t been able to find any news stories on it, a friend told me that this past weekend the building next door burned to the ground. Apparently the Granada wasn’t damaged & they interviewed someone involved in the restoration. I plan to drive by to check it out soon.
The Dickenson Top Two Theatre is now gone from this location and it is now owned by a photograpy company called Kansas Memories. Check out: http://www.themissiontheatre.com/about.html
Their website mentions that the first events at this new venue are to begin in July of 2006, weddings, parties, etc… and that there will sometimes be classic & family movies shown.
I may be wrong but having been to both theatres & the MU connection along with the look of the outside, I would say that the creator of the link you attached has used an incorrect photo for the St. Joe theatre.
The Missouri Theatre of Columbia was owned by Commonwealth Theatres (the center of the Marquee in your link refers to Comonwealth Theatres. The current exterior, which appears almost exactly as the link above can be seen at: http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=9925
I think that the picture referenced above is actually of the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, MO where MU (Mizzou Tigers) listed on the marquee are. /theaters/4966/
I’m confused? 1 Mile south of Shawnee, KS on Highway 10 is the old address but I believe the address of the current location is 12505 W. 63rd, Shawnee, KS 66216.
According to http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/parisoftheplains/webexhibit/musical/mus-10.htm this was an African-American theatre. Advertised as “the theater beautiful,” the 1,500-seat Lincoln Theater opened in February 1920.
Story in today’s KC Star about the reopening: View link
Features of the theatre mentioned in the article:
•All seats are reserved. If you buy tickets online you will be given the best available seats. But you can always exchange them for other seats in person at the box office.
•Six all-digital auditoriums, three downstairs and three upstairs (the upstairs houses are Cinema Suites and feature full food service). And one can show 3-D films.
•Oversized screens twice as big as the industry standard for auditoriums of this size; digital projection offering four times the resolution of HDTV.
•Expanded digital sound with speakers overhead and at the rear of the auditoriums.
•Red leather seats throughout. Plus, each seat is wired with subwoofers that vibrate to low-frequency noises on the soundtrack.
•Improved leg room. Even a 7-footer can stretch out.
•Foot railings. Each row has a raised railing on which patrons can rest their feet, sort of like an old-fashioned saloon, except you’re sitting.
•A “flavor wall†where you can spike your soda with specialty flavorings or sprinkle toppings on your popcorn.
•The Marquee, a full-service restaurant in the lobby.
•Digital posters. Yep, even the movie posters move here.
•Movie-themed restrooms. A life-size Bogie and Bacall greet you at the doors.
•Quotes in the floor. Inlaid in the terrazzo lobby floor are quotes from famous films: “There’s no place like home.â€
The Star has a nice photo slideshow with several old and new pictures: http://www.kansascity.com/938/gallery/1146145.html
It’s sad that none of the interior was saved but I’m excited to check this place out.
Those are great. Thanks for sharing. The exterior of this theatre is very beautiful, it would fit right in on the Plaza. I’d love to see pictures from it’s heyday!
Here’s a photo I found of the marquee being installed:
View link
And another taken Saturday, A little blurry but all lit up:
View link
Drove by yesterday on I-70 and the vertical marquee is up, it looks nice, unusual to see this kind of marquee on theatres around here. There are also big red modern AMC signs visible from the highway.
the history listed on the website I mentioned above is strangely similar to the description at the top of this page :)
Marquee also has a web address: http://midlandkc.com/
The website has a few conceptual drawings, and a sign-up form for their email list.
Just ran into a few sets of antique seats pulled from this theatre for sale on ebay. If you are in the Topeka area for pickup the price is very reasonable:
View link
View link
View link
The end-cap seat standards seem unusual to me, not the heavy high-relief molded iron that are often seen; it seems like maybe a native american inspired art deco design?
Last night Kansas City’s PBS Station, KCPT 19, aired a 30 minute documentary about the Coleman Theater. It is available for purchase here: http://www.rsupublictv.org/shop.htm
Here you go… from the link above, it doesn’t list it as Wonderland but if it was also known as the 12th street:
Name: Twelfth Street
Additional Names: Esquire
Location: Near 12th & McGee, Kansas City, MO
Opened:
Ownership: Fox
Current Status: Demolished in 1960.
Other Info: Rumored to be the site of Gypsy Rose Lee’s first striptease performance.
As for the wonderland: Here is a listing of many of KC’s theatres, it doesn’t list a wonderland but lists several on 12th street, maybe it had another name?
http://members.aol.com/screenviews/theatres.html
New website including an old picture:
http://www.screenland.com/theatre/armourindex.html
Nice to see that the restoration is complete! From the pictures and website it seems a job well done. Congrats to all of those involved. I’ll have to check it out again next time I’m in Springfield. There was still a lot of work to be done when we toured this theatre in 2004 on the THSA Conclave listed above & I remember the story about Elvis being spotted here at one time.
Yes, it is open, every weekend. Currently playing Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End. See www.screenland.com
It was listed on http://members.aol.com/screenviews/theatres.html with the following info:
Name: Mission
Additional Names: Aztec (1940s)/Fine Arts (after current renovation)
Location: 11119 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS
Opened: 1927
Ownership: Dickinson (1940s)/Fine Arts Theatre Group
Current Status: Closed as movie house in 1975, then used for bank storage. Currently under renovation to replace the Fine Arts Theatre.
Other Info: Built by Marion Summerour, the third mayor of Shawnee. Designed by Boller Bros. architects.
Looking back I do not see it on a list I have of Boller theatres so I can’t guarantee where the owner of that site got their info. I would love to see this theatre open, it is just blocks from my home.
Another photo:
View link
Article about the tulips on troost where the Isis once stood:
http://chuck.mahost.org/weblog/?p=1341
Here is a thread on the possible renovation of this theatre along with pictures; old, new, and proposed:
View link
Had a chance to see Pirates Of The Caribbean 2 there this weekend. It is well worth the visit! They’ve done a great job with the restoration, the addition of restrooms is not only convenient but doesn’t detract from the integrity of the original design. Plenty of parking. Reasonable ticket & concession prices.
Check out information & renovation photos at:
http://www.screenland.com/theatre/Granada.html
Butch, You are my hero, thanks to you (and Wade) for saving this landmark. I fell in love with it as a child in the 80’s. Can’t wait to see Pirates of the Caribbean in this gem!
Though I haven’t been able to find any news stories on it, a friend told me that this past weekend the building next door burned to the ground. Apparently the Granada wasn’t damaged & they interviewed someone involved in the restoration. I plan to drive by to check it out soon.
The Dickenson Top Two Theatre is now gone from this location and it is now owned by a photograpy company called Kansas Memories. Check out: http://www.themissiontheatre.com/about.html
Their website mentions that the first events at this new venue are to begin in July of 2006, weddings, parties, etc… and that there will sometimes be classic & family movies shown.
I may be wrong but having been to both theatres & the MU connection along with the look of the outside, I would say that the creator of the link you attached has used an incorrect photo for the St. Joe theatre.
The exterior of the Missouri Theatre in St. Joseph is very ornate:
http://www.wallybloss.com/MissouriTheatre.htm
The Missouri Theatre of Columbia was owned by Commonwealth Theatres (the center of the Marquee in your link refers to Comonwealth Theatres. The current exterior, which appears almost exactly as the link above can be seen at: http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=9925
I think that the picture referenced above is actually of the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, MO where MU (Mizzou Tigers) listed on the marquee are. /theaters/4966/
I’m confused? 1 Mile south of Shawnee, KS on Highway 10 is the old address but I believe the address of the current location is 12505 W. 63rd, Shawnee, KS 66216.