Kearse Theatre

161-167 Summers Street,
Charleston, WV 25301

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Additional Info

Architects: Wilbur T. Mills

Firms: Mills & Millspaugh Co.

Nearby Theaters

Kearse Theatre

The Kearse Theatre opened in November 29, 1922 on Summers Street between Fife Street and Quarrier Street. The Kearse Theatre was closed in December 1979. Listed to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the theatre was nonetheless demolished in 1982.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 16 comments)

marcyw108
marcyw108 on January 18, 2010 at 12:01 am

Does anyone else have any photos or info on the Kearse thester?

rivest266
rivest266 on July 26, 2010 at 2:44 am

November 1922 grand opening ads is at http://en.calameo.com/read/000247928e122e03ac73d

marcyw108
marcyw108 on July 26, 2010 at 2:52 am

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 26, 2012 at 9:33 am

The theater for which construction contracts had just been let, according to an item in the January 14, 1922, issue of The American Contractor, must have been the Kearse:

“Theater: $250,000. 4 or 5 sty. Charleston, VV. Va. Archt. Mills & Millspaugh Co., 67 E. Long st., Columbus. Owner T. K. Kearse, Circuit of Theaters. T. L. Mearse, gen. mgr., Strand Theater bldg., cor. Summers & State sts., Charleston. Gen. contr., including excav. fdn., let to E. L. Harris, 1568 Jackson St., Charleston. Brk. mas. & carp, work by supt. Rfg. to W. F. Shawer, Eagan St., Charleston. Fdns. drawn.”

Erasmusinwv2
Erasmusinwv2 on July 5, 2012 at 5:21 am

Is this theater still around? I am in the process of buying and rehabbing the Philippi Grand and if it proves profitable I want to work on reopening other theaters in WV, KY, OH, PA, MD, and VA. There are so many wonderful old theaters with more character than any modern cookie cutter places.

herdintheupstate
herdintheupstate on November 17, 2014 at 2:51 pm

The official NRHP listings from the State of West Virginia Division of Culture & History website (http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/kanawha.html) state that this theater was demolished in 1982.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on February 28, 2016 at 1:00 pm

November 29, 1922 grand opening with the great “Blood and Sand” ad posted in photos.

marcyw108
marcyw108 on February 28, 2016 at 3:32 pm

Wheres the photo

marcyw108
marcyw108 on February 28, 2016 at 3:34 pm

I have one of the original Kearse Theater Movie Marquis. I am willing to sell if anyone is interested. It has the original shipping label in the back.

Nessa
Nessa on November 14, 2021 at 5:26 pm

Here’s a link to a nice photo https://wvhistoryonview.org/image/052406.jpg

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