The comment above is wrong. The shops had the auditorium behind them, and were part of the theater complex. The lobby was on the corner, and was torn down in 1997. The theater was built in the ‘30s, and closed in the late '60s. The entire structure was demolished in 2021. The site is now apartments. I doubt any of the gorgeous tile work was salvaged.
As I said, it’s listed open in 1936, closed in 1937. Very odd that it reopened right next to a much nicer theater. It’s still listed in 1956, and the address was indeed 521. We just need to fix the dates. I wonder if the Idle Hour became the Mecca? I’ll make a listing for it under the Idle Hour name.
Now some sort of studio, with a tacky ground floor dating to a recent run as a Mexican restaurant. The building was constructed in 1919, and says ‘Kirkendall’ at the top, perhaps the first owner?
The capacity clearly relates to the second address, not this one, since it moved in 1944. The 1936 Yearbook lists 386. Assuming the purported address is correct, the first Lyric was located in a very old two story brick building constructed sometime before 1884. This still exists, with a rather drab ground floor. It is a tax service office.
The March 1911 Sanborn shows this as a ‘Cheap Theatre’. The building was built sometime between 1893 and 1899. It was probably shortly after 1893, since the 1893 Sanborn shows a one story building there which had been damaged by fire that June. Originally a two story brick building with a shallow bay window, the 1905 map shows hardware & harness here. This building received an International style remodel around 1950. It had most recently been a thrift store, but seems to be vacant.
Correct address is 416. This building is in very poor shape, with some ugly wooden fill on the ground floor. It appears to be used as a garage (probably just junk storage), with what seems to be a residence on the second floor. The capacity is wrong. A December 16, 1920 article about the theater gives it as 685 (540 main, 145 balcony).
It seems this was closed by 1926, as only the far larger Towanda, PA is listed. It sounds like this was open before 1918. The building appears to be from sometime around 1910, and the cars in the photos look like very early models. The purpose-built theater, if it ever happened, is likely gone. There is a 1926 map, but it is not available online.
The front at least was demolished long ago, and the correct address is 127. The theater first appears on the February 1912 map, in a one story brick building with a tin front. This may have been either the Meze or the Elite, both of which are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. The building does not appear on the 1905 map. By 1917, it had either been remodeled into or replaced by the Gem. The Gem was quite a bit deeper, but the two story section was only about 20' deep. The theater site is now a Mexican restaurant in a drab one story box. That matches the footprint of the theater from the satellite view. It’s possible it may just be a really bad remodel.
Address was 104 S Main. It was a very old one story brick store, quite narrow. Built sometime before 1884, it is shown as vacant on the 1912 map. This was demolished long ago, and the site is a bank drive-through.
Note also that the 1912 map shows just a few small wooden stores here. The Odd Fellows were at 118, and not involved with the Belmont/Palace, or the cinema at 120.
The address is wrong. The theater was at 124, and this building was demolished long ago. There was a bank on the corner, which appears to have expanded sometime around 1960 into the odd one story building there today. The 1923 map shows a different balcony from the 1917 map, and notes the capacity as 775.
There was a theater at 511, and it is older, appearing on the 1915 map. It can’t possibly have seated 400 people. We need to untangle this. I suspect the older theater was actually the Mecca.
The history or the address is wrong. This building was constructed sometime between 1915 and 1917. Augusta is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. The 1917 map does indeed show a theater here. 400 seems a bit large, and the 1926 Yearbook also shows a Mecca with 200 seats. Unfortunately, the 1923 map is not available online. The building is now a hair salon. The Isis lasted until 1936-37. It’s listed as closed in the 1937 Yearbook.
The theater was damaged in a 1949 fire. I was told when I visited long ago that the fire caused a lot of the vitrolite to fall off. All I can say for sure is that the slipcover was up by 1990. The original commercial structure that was remodeled into the theater was built sometime between 1915 and 1917.
Definitely Nottowa, Blackstone is in Nottoway County. The Nottowa first appears in the 1931 Yearbook, with 285 seats. Beginning in 1940, the capacity is listed as 499. Sometime between 1946 and 1951, it increases again. There must have been a relocation or expansion. Hopefully someone can provide an actual address.
They nuked him, but left my comment.
Thanks! It opened on my birthday!
Thanks for helping with the ID and all the other info!
Definitely open well before 1943, and again, the auditorium was not demolished until 2021.
The comment above is wrong. The shops had the auditorium behind them, and were part of the theater complex. The lobby was on the corner, and was torn down in 1997. The theater was built in the ‘30s, and closed in the late '60s. The entire structure was demolished in 2021. The site is now apartments. I doubt any of the gorgeous tile work was salvaged.
As I said, it’s listed open in 1936, closed in 1937. Very odd that it reopened right next to a much nicer theater. It’s still listed in 1956, and the address was indeed 521. We just need to fix the dates. I wonder if the Idle Hour became the Mecca? I’ll make a listing for it under the Idle Hour name.
I’ve added an entry for the second location, and the reference to the remodeling, etc. should be removed to prevent confusion.
Now some sort of studio, with a tacky ground floor dating to a recent run as a Mexican restaurant. The building was constructed in 1919, and says ‘Kirkendall’ at the top, perhaps the first owner?
The capacity clearly relates to the second address, not this one, since it moved in 1944. The 1936 Yearbook lists 386. Assuming the purported address is correct, the first Lyric was located in a very old two story brick building constructed sometime before 1884. This still exists, with a rather drab ground floor. It is a tax service office.
The March 1911 Sanborn shows this as a ‘Cheap Theatre’. The building was built sometime between 1893 and 1899. It was probably shortly after 1893, since the 1893 Sanborn shows a one story building there which had been damaged by fire that June. Originally a two story brick building with a shallow bay window, the 1905 map shows hardware & harness here. This building received an International style remodel around 1950. It had most recently been a thrift store, but seems to be vacant.
The KHRI entry here: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=115-1023 has some pdfs of old articles/photos.
Correct address is 416. This building is in very poor shape, with some ugly wooden fill on the ground floor. It appears to be used as a garage (probably just junk storage), with what seems to be a residence on the second floor. The capacity is wrong. A December 16, 1920 article about the theater gives it as 685 (540 main, 145 balcony).
It seems this was closed by 1926, as only the far larger Towanda, PA is listed. It sounds like this was open before 1918. The building appears to be from sometime around 1910, and the cars in the photos look like very early models. The purpose-built theater, if it ever happened, is likely gone. There is a 1926 map, but it is not available online.
Sometime before 1917, when the maps shows the one story building on the right replaced by a two story building.
The front at least was demolished long ago, and the correct address is 127. The theater first appears on the February 1912 map, in a one story brick building with a tin front. This may have been either the Meze or the Elite, both of which are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. The building does not appear on the 1905 map. By 1917, it had either been remodeled into or replaced by the Gem. The Gem was quite a bit deeper, but the two story section was only about 20' deep. The theater site is now a Mexican restaurant in a drab one story box. That matches the footprint of the theater from the satellite view. It’s possible it may just be a really bad remodel.
Address was 104 S Main. It was a very old one story brick store, quite narrow. Built sometime before 1884, it is shown as vacant on the 1912 map. This was demolished long ago, and the site is a bank drive-through.
Long ago demolished. Nondescript one story buildings there now.
Note also that the 1912 map shows just a few small wooden stores here. The Odd Fellows were at 118, and not involved with the Belmont/Palace, or the cinema at 120.
The address is wrong. The theater was at 124, and this building was demolished long ago. There was a bank on the corner, which appears to have expanded sometime around 1960 into the odd one story building there today. The 1923 map shows a different balcony from the 1917 map, and notes the capacity as 775.
There was a theater at 511, and it is older, appearing on the 1915 map. It can’t possibly have seated 400 people. We need to untangle this. I suspect the older theater was actually the Mecca.
The history or the address is wrong. This building was constructed sometime between 1915 and 1917. Augusta is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. The 1917 map does indeed show a theater here. 400 seems a bit large, and the 1926 Yearbook also shows a Mecca with 200 seats. Unfortunately, the 1923 map is not available online. The building is now a hair salon. The Isis lasted until 1936-37. It’s listed as closed in the 1937 Yearbook.
The theater was damaged in a 1949 fire. I was told when I visited long ago that the fire caused a lot of the vitrolite to fall off. All I can say for sure is that the slipcover was up by 1990. The original commercial structure that was remodeled into the theater was built sometime between 1915 and 1917.
Supposing the address is accurate, this has been demolished, and is the parking lot for an ugly bank.
Definitely Nottowa, Blackstone is in Nottoway County. The Nottowa first appears in the 1931 Yearbook, with 285 seats. Beginning in 1940, the capacity is listed as 499. Sometime between 1946 and 1951, it increases again. There must have been a relocation or expansion. Hopefully someone can provide an actual address.
Note that one map calls it ‘Electric Theatre’, but it’s unclear whether that’s a name or designation.