Comments from SethG

Showing 1 - 25 of 2,011 comments

SethG
SethG commented about Liberty Theatre on Jul 12, 2025 at 5:55 pm

According to the picture DMT added some time ago, this closed sometime in the ‘60s, became a bowling alley/billiard hall, and burned down in February 1968.

I’ve added a 1924 view of the theater.

SethG
SethG commented about Fairy Dream Theatre on Jul 12, 2025 at 5:49 pm

Built between 1884 and 1893, replacing a two-story building. Very drab and unattractive wooden facade, shown as of the 1906 map, which has this building as a store with a photo studio above. Closed by 1914-15, when the AMPD lists two Fairylands (not on Carson), but no Fairy Dream.

SethG
SethG commented about Diamond Theatre on Jul 12, 2025 at 5:42 pm

If this was at 1120, it has been demolished. 1120 initially was the other half of 1122, and was replaced sometime after 1924. The 1906 map does show 1122 as an ‘Amusement Arcade’, and the 1924 shows it as a drugstore. 1120 is just a generic ‘Store’ on both maps.

SethG
SethG commented about Diamond Theatre on Jul 12, 2025 at 5:39 pm

This history is confusing. The 1914-15 AMPD has three Lyrics in Pittsburgh. None are on Carson. The Diamond is listed at 1120 Carson. The other problem is that what was 1211 is using the 1209 address that belongs to the small two story building, and that the present 1211 was historically 1213.

Going back to 2007 on streetview shows no indication of a ceramics shop, but does show what was 1211 being remodeled into a bar. It’s likely the contributor meant that structure. It’s impossible to give a history without knowing where this actually was.

SethG
SethG commented about Vale Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 7:06 pm

I’ve added a 2010 photo of the theater, which again is not demolished.

SethG
SethG commented about Midland Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 7:01 pm

Can we not do better than a picture of some light bulbs?

SethG
SethG commented about Alpine Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 6:57 pm

I’ve added a recent photo of this very much undemolished theater.

SethG
SethG commented about Rex Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 10:01 am

This is now a nightclub called Enclave, which seems to have opened sometime between August 2021 and November 2022.

SethG
SethG commented about Rex Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 9:51 am

The 1914-15 AMPD does not list a Strand, Rex, or New Strand. It gives addresses or at least intersections for everything, and there is no theater on this block.

SethG
SethG commented about Rex Theatre on Jul 11, 2025 at 9:46 am

The 1906 map shows a wooden storefront here, used by a plumber. There is no month given on this set of maps. There’s also an unfortunate gap in coverage, as the next map was not created until 1924. That does show the theater, although the lobby portion is only one story. I’ve added that year’s view to show the odd arrangement, with the auditorium around the corner to the east.

SethG
SethG commented about Star Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:39 pm

The building is not Colonial Revival. It is just a standard 1910s commercial building, perhaps with some Prairie influence.

SethG
SethG commented about Princess Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:26 pm

The Princess was at 216-218, and should be listed as demolished. It was replaced by the Lyric at some point after 1914-15. It was a very basic wooden one story building with a two story brick stage tower. It does not appear on the 1906 map, but had opened by 1913. If the Lyric history is correct, it was probably demolished around 1921. Both the Lyric and the Princess are still listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks, so it’s possible that the present Lyric building dates to sometime after 1921.

The theater at 106 Seneca was the Majestic. It may be that the Majestic was remodeled in 1916, and renamed the Lyric. The problem is that the large bank at 106 was constructed in 1926, meaning the Lyric name had to have been moved again.

SethG
SethG commented about Venango Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:18 pm

The 1950 map claims that this building was built in 1914-15. If that’s true, this may originally have been the Plaza or Hippodrome, both of which are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. There is an infuriating 37 year gap in the Sanborns, which is inexplicable given the many buildings constructed between 1913 and 1950.

SethG
SethG commented about Star Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:12 pm

The Odd Fellows building may have been constructed around 1914-15. The architectural style certainly matches. The curious thing is that the Star is listed at 222-224 in the 1914-15 AMPD, but that was the address of the Orpheum, which is also listed, and was demolished to allow the Odd Fellows to be constructed. The building appears to be derelict today. If the address is accurate, the theater was in the southern half.

SethG
SethG commented about Lyric Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:04 pm

All of the AKAs are spurious. The Princess was much smaller and was demolished to build the Lyric, the Orpheum was further north. The Cameo is listed in the 1926 and 1927 Yearbooks separately from the Lyric.

SethG
SethG commented about Lyric Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 10:00 pm

Odd little one story building with a boxy stage tower at the rear. Very nondescript facade of black metal paneling, which likely dates to the 1955 retail conversion. The stage portion is much older. Unfortunately, (this seems to happen frequently in small cities), the Sanborn map of 1913 is the last until a 1950 update, which is rather sloppily edited.

The 1913 map shows the Princess here, but that building was mostly wood, and not nearly as deep. It’s not clear when exactly the Princess was replaced by/remodeled into the Lyric, but the Princess is still listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. Oddly, the 1950 map does not show the stage tower, but it must have been there.

The website’s history is wrong. The Orpheum was to the north, and was replaced by the Odd Fellows building sometime after 1914-15. The Orpheum does not appear on the August 1906 map, so it likely could not have opened by the end of that year.

SethG
SethG commented about Majestic Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 9:39 pm

This theater was open by 1913. It was located in the Oil Exchange, a large 3 story brick building constructed sometime before 1886. The building is still retail and offices on the 1906 map. The maps show the address as 106.

SethG
SethG commented about Majestic Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 3:31 pm

If that address is correct, this must have been demolished. The entire block is the massive Oil City National Bank, from 1926.

SethG
SethG commented about Venango Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 3:27 pm

The tile in the entry, obscured by the ugly storefront and cheap aluminum door, indicates that this was a J.C. Penney store for some time.

SethG
SethG commented about Drake Theatre on Jul 7, 2025 at 3:24 pm

The site is now a parking lot with a wall around it. Some of the ornamentation either survived or was reproduced to be included in the wall, and there’s a plaque on the corner about the theater.

SethG
SethG commented about Latonia Theater on Jul 7, 2025 at 3:19 pm

This has been closed for a long time. The inside looks like a mess, and the website is wrong.

SethG
SethG commented about Alpine Theatre on Jul 2, 2025 at 6:13 pm

This has not been demolished. It’s a True Value hardware store, and has been for many years. The address is 455 Ridgely St. The building is much older than 1929. It was originally a small church, which likely dated to the early 1800s. The church appears on the 1911 map, and was extended both at the front and rear to create the theater. You can still see the bricked-in windows.

SethG
SethG commented about Vale Theatre on Jun 25, 2025 at 1:58 pm

Reminder that the status is wrong.

SethG
SethG commented about Novelty Theatre on Jun 17, 2025 at 4:56 pm

The building was a conversion. It appears on the 1905-06 map, and possibly also on the 1893 map, although only half as deep. It is currently vacant.

SethG
SethG commented about Community Center on Jun 13, 2025 at 12:51 pm

This seemed to be vacant in 2010. It had been city hall. I have a very bad picture of the stage through the dirty front windows, and they were clearly working on it. It may be back to its original function. I assume it was built sometime in the ‘20s. It’s not on the 1918 map. I couldn’t find a cornerstone.