Hi, Lost Memory I thank you for the pictures. I sure wish I could find some old pictures of the theatres in McKeesport. I also want to thank Jerry B. for the names of the theatrew in McKeesport. I do not know or remember where 9th street was but maybe you remember where May Street was located. I did go to 5th Ave. school for 2 yrs. before going to St. Mary’s German school. Do not remember the address but can remember how to get there. We were close to a YMCA & the bus stop. I was 6 yrs. old when you were born. Edith L. M. Wingate
I do not know much about the office building you are talking about but I do know that Adelphia used the school building(corner of Main & water St.) for their offices at one time. The high school I went to is the one on the corner of Main Street & Water Street. We use to go to the theatre in the 1950’s & if I remember correctly there was a balconey. I just e-mailed someone to see if I can find out for sure & what happened to the balconey if there was one. Some of the people in Coudersport still do not believe that it was John Regis who did wrong. They feel there were others but since they did not want to go to jail they did not talk. Who know’s? It is a shame because when I lived there we only had one stop light & no 24 hr. store. A lot changes in 50 yrs. It was a great town to be in during your teen yrs. At least I thought so. There are also a lot of $150,000+ homes sitting empty & will probably remain that way because there are no jobs that will pay you enough to make payments. It would be a great place for a warm weather home if you had lots of money for the upkeep & taxes. When I was there on Sept. 15th for my class reunion of 50 yrs. they were talking about the building. There is a possibility Penn State University may buy it. I believe there is a religious organization that is interested also. It would be great for the town if the university bought it & it became a college town. Only time will tell.
I really do not know if the balcony has been removed but I will try to find out for you. There is a Coudersport Historical Society in Coudersport and Robert Currin, curator, may know. The web site is www.pottercountypa.net/history The address is Potter County Historical Society, 308 N. Main Steet, P.O.Box 605, Coudersport, PA 16915. John Regis is not available to ask.
I was just there for my 50 year class reunion on Sept.15th but did not go to the theatre.
Edith L.M. Wingate
Hi Pasty, Thank you for the information & site about the Coudersport theatre. One of these days when I can get the time I am going to try & find some pictures taken in the 1950,s that I believe have pictures of the theatre. Carol Shalkowski Predmore is a person who was in my high school class. She worked at the theatre in the 1950’s. We both Graduated together. I also graduated with a Julia Kolat who may be related to the gentleman in one of the pictures. In fact Carol & Julia may be related to the people in the pictures. Again thank you. Edith
I love the close up view of the Coudersport Theater posted by Lost Memory on May 11, 2007. I believe the little shop shown next door is a small watch & jewelery repair shop but I am not positive. Lost Memory do you happen to live in Coudersport or the surrounding area? Just curious. I sure enjoyed the theatre when I was a teen. Such a long time ago. Do any of you happen to know what happened to the drive in theatre outside of town going toward Roulette & Port Allegany? I do not remember the name of it but we had a lot of fun going there about 1955—1956. Edith L. McIntosh Wingate
I lived in McKeesport during 1945 & 1950 with my sister, mom, dad & grandparents. We lived at 729 May Street. It no longer is there & neither is the house we lived in. Myself, my sister & our friends use to walked down the long flight of stairs that connected our street with 5th ave. We then either took the street car or walked to the theatre. There were 4 theatres at the time. I believe one was called the Capital Theatre. The Memorial was the one at the other end of 5th ave so it was quite a walk but we enjoyed the walk. We paid 10 cents to see a double feature, cartoons, & news reel. I believe coke was 5 cents & pop corn 10 cents. We watch a lot of singing cowboy movies, musicals, & scary movies.(Frankinstein, The Thing). We had a lot of fun & if I had known then what I know now I would have been sure to take a lot of pictures. As they say hind sight is better than foresight. I am truly sorry to hear about The Memorial Theatre. McKeesport has changed a lot since I lived there. Even the steel mill is gone. I wish I could remember the other names of the theatres. Just about everyone I know that would remember the names is dead.
Pasty, Thank you for the welcome. Are you from Coudersport or surrounding area? Reason I ask is I wonder if we may know each other. Would be nice. Again thank you for your welcome. Edith
I am happy I found this site. Between 1954 & 1957 I use to attend this theater. We lived on a farm near Sweden Valley. My Mom would take me, my sister & our friends to the theater on Saturday afternoons. It was only 25 cents to go in so a dollar went a long way. We moved into town(Coudersport)& the theater was a block away. My Dad owned Mac’s Body & Repair Shop. We lived above it in an apartment that he built. Then the theater was just around the corner. I would get 50 cents from my Mom & then get 50 cents from Dad to go see the movie. I worked for Bruzzi Cleaners right next door. Neither building is there anymore but the memories of the fun I had going thru my teen years in Coudersport & going to the theater are still with me. The school was just across the street from where we lived so there was no skipping school. I will see if I can find some pictures of the theater & send them to you. I am now 67 & live in Round Rock,TX with my daughter, granddaughter, greatgrand daughter & a friend.
Hi, Lost Memory I thank you for the pictures. I sure wish I could find some old pictures of the theatres in McKeesport. I also want to thank Jerry B. for the names of the theatrew in McKeesport. I do not know or remember where 9th street was but maybe you remember where May Street was located. I did go to 5th Ave. school for 2 yrs. before going to St. Mary’s German school. Do not remember the address but can remember how to get there. We were close to a YMCA & the bus stop. I was 6 yrs. old when you were born. Edith L. M. Wingate
Hi, I just found a ticket for the Coudersport theatre but no date on it. I do know it is from the 1950’s. It cost 20 cents to go to the theatre.
Hi, I just received an e-mail from the Historical Society in Coudersport, PA. The balcony was closed in 1970 & then removed.
I do not know much about the office building you are talking about but I do know that Adelphia used the school building(corner of Main & water St.) for their offices at one time. The high school I went to is the one on the corner of Main Street & Water Street. We use to go to the theatre in the 1950’s & if I remember correctly there was a balconey. I just e-mailed someone to see if I can find out for sure & what happened to the balconey if there was one. Some of the people in Coudersport still do not believe that it was John Regis who did wrong. They feel there were others but since they did not want to go to jail they did not talk. Who know’s? It is a shame because when I lived there we only had one stop light & no 24 hr. store. A lot changes in 50 yrs. It was a great town to be in during your teen yrs. At least I thought so. There are also a lot of $150,000+ homes sitting empty & will probably remain that way because there are no jobs that will pay you enough to make payments. It would be a great place for a warm weather home if you had lots of money for the upkeep & taxes. When I was there on Sept. 15th for my class reunion of 50 yrs. they were talking about the building. There is a possibility Penn State University may buy it. I believe there is a religious organization that is interested also. It would be great for the town if the university bought it & it became a college town. Only time will tell.
I have not had time to find out any thing but will do so in the next couple of days. Edith
I really do not know if the balcony has been removed but I will try to find out for you. There is a Coudersport Historical Society in Coudersport and Robert Currin, curator, may know. The web site is www.pottercountypa.net/history The address is Potter County Historical Society, 308 N. Main Steet, P.O.Box 605, Coudersport, PA 16915. John Regis is not available to ask.
I was just there for my 50 year class reunion on Sept.15th but did not go to the theatre.
Edith L.M. Wingate
Hi Pasty, Thank you for the information & site about the Coudersport theatre. One of these days when I can get the time I am going to try & find some pictures taken in the 1950,s that I believe have pictures of the theatre. Carol Shalkowski Predmore is a person who was in my high school class. She worked at the theatre in the 1950’s. We both Graduated together. I also graduated with a Julia Kolat who may be related to the gentleman in one of the pictures. In fact Carol & Julia may be related to the people in the pictures. Again thank you. Edith
I love the close up view of the Coudersport Theater posted by Lost Memory on May 11, 2007. I believe the little shop shown next door is a small watch & jewelery repair shop but I am not positive. Lost Memory do you happen to live in Coudersport or the surrounding area? Just curious. I sure enjoyed the theatre when I was a teen. Such a long time ago. Do any of you happen to know what happened to the drive in theatre outside of town going toward Roulette & Port Allegany? I do not remember the name of it but we had a lot of fun going there about 1955—1956. Edith L. McIntosh Wingate
I lived in McKeesport during 1945 & 1950 with my sister, mom, dad & grandparents. We lived at 729 May Street. It no longer is there & neither is the house we lived in. Myself, my sister & our friends use to walked down the long flight of stairs that connected our street with 5th ave. We then either took the street car or walked to the theatre. There were 4 theatres at the time. I believe one was called the Capital Theatre. The Memorial was the one at the other end of 5th ave so it was quite a walk but we enjoyed the walk. We paid 10 cents to see a double feature, cartoons, & news reel. I believe coke was 5 cents & pop corn 10 cents. We watch a lot of singing cowboy movies, musicals, & scary movies.(Frankinstein, The Thing). We had a lot of fun & if I had known then what I know now I would have been sure to take a lot of pictures. As they say hind sight is better than foresight. I am truly sorry to hear about The Memorial Theatre. McKeesport has changed a lot since I lived there. Even the steel mill is gone. I wish I could remember the other names of the theatres. Just about everyone I know that would remember the names is dead.
Pasty, Thank you for the welcome. Are you from Coudersport or surrounding area? Reason I ask is I wonder if we may know each other. Would be nice. Again thank you for your welcome. Edith
I am happy I found this site. Between 1954 & 1957 I use to attend this theater. We lived on a farm near Sweden Valley. My Mom would take me, my sister & our friends to the theater on Saturday afternoons. It was only 25 cents to go in so a dollar went a long way. We moved into town(Coudersport)& the theater was a block away. My Dad owned Mac’s Body & Repair Shop. We lived above it in an apartment that he built. Then the theater was just around the corner. I would get 50 cents from my Mom & then get 50 cents from Dad to go see the movie. I worked for Bruzzi Cleaners right next door. Neither building is there anymore but the memories of the fun I had going thru my teen years in Coudersport & going to the theater are still with me. The school was just across the street from where we lived so there was no skipping school. I will see if I can find some pictures of the theater & send them to you. I am now 67 & live in Round Rock,TX with my daughter, granddaughter, greatgrand daughter & a friend.