RKO State Theatre
211 E. State Street,
Trenton,
NJ
08608
211 E. State Street,
Trenton,
NJ
08608
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Hunt's Theaters Inc., RKO, Walter Reade Theatres
Architects: Albert E. Westover
Previous Names: State Street Theatre
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The State Theatre was opened on December 9, 1903 with 1,500 seats. By 1931 it was operated by Hunt’s Theaters Inc. Listed as operating in the 1951 Film Daily Yearbook, this theatre has been closed for many years, probably since the late-1960’s or early-1970’s.
From MikeH’s post on the Trenton Strand Theatre:
“The RKO State Theatre was two blocks further down State Street. It was a small, non-descript house which played whatever it could get including move-overs from its more important sister theatres. That house is entirely gone now. It was torn down for a department store and now is a state office building of some kind. I don’t ever remember being inside the State Theatre”.
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Listed on page 126 of the 1917 Trenton City Directory under “Moving Pictures”. Listed as the State Street Theatre.
Listed on page 66 of the 1913 Trenton City Directory under “Amusements”.
This is stretching the CINEMA TREASURE postings… but often times in the 60’s I would go shopping to Arnold Constable &/or Neivus Voorhees before or after a Saturday matinee. Any info out there about the other beautiful Dept Store – Neivus Voorhees?
I lived in PA and still do… however always enjoyed Saturday matinees & shopping in Trenton @ Arnold Constable & Neivus Voorehees. The ladies with the those “little white gloves” that waited on you were incredibly polite and petite. But what fascinated me most was the pneumatic tube system that went from floor to floor so they could communicate with other departments above and below. Does anyone remember this or know anything about the family Neivus, etc?
This is stretching the CINEMA TREASURE postings… but often times in the 60’s I would go shopping to Arnold Constable &/or Neivus Voorhees before or after a Saturday matinee. Any info out there about the other beautiful Dept Store – Neivus Voorhees?
I lived in PA and still do… however always enjoyed Saturday matinees & shopping in Trenton @ Arnold Constable & Neivus Voorehees. The ladies with the those “little white gloves” that waited on you were incredibly polite and petite. But what fascinated me most was the pneumatic tube system that went from floor to floor so they could communicate with other departments above and below. Does anyone remember this or know anything about the family Neivus, etc?
I can remember going to Saturday Matinees at the State where you got to see 1 hour of cartoons, 2 or 3 serials, and a feature film. When you left the theatre you were handed a Dixie Cup of icecream and a wooden spoon. When you removed the cardboard cover from the Dixie Cup there was a picture of Trenton New Jersey’s handsome Mayor, Donal J. Connelly.
I just thought you’d like to know.
This theater was closed in October of 1972. The chain closed three additional NJ houses that month: Lincoln and Trent Theaters (Trenton)and the Internaional 70 in New Brunswick. Boxoffice(Eastern Edition) 10/30/72 p.E7
Unfortunately, the previous entry is incorrect, as the RKO State closed around 1951-52. I attended the Trenton theaters regularly in the late 50s, through the 60s, and into the early 70s. As far as I know, only the RKO Trent, RKO Lincoln RKO Capitol (International 70), Garden, and Mayfair were in operation downtown during that period.
Part of the Hunt’s chain in 1931. July 1 newspaper ads for the State and other Trenton theaters here.
The State Street Theatre was built by Altoona, Pennsylvania theater magnate Isaac Mishler. The Historic American Buildings Survey report on the Mishler Theatre in Altoona (Google Documents quick view) mentions the State Street Theatre as a 1904 project designed by architect Albert E. Westover, who would later design the Mishler Theatre.
Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for 1910-1911 reported that the seating capacity was 2,025.