Erie Theatre
117 W. Jackson Street,
Hugo,
OK
74743
117 W. Jackson Street,
Hugo,
OK
74743
2 people
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The ERIE has been demolished. See latest photo 27 February 2024.
Two previous locations of the early years ERIE in Hugo: 116 E Jackson St (ca.1911 and current location of HR Block) and 114 W Jackson St (ca.1914), which is directly across the street from the final location at 117 W. Jackson St. As of April, 2021, the ERIE’s abandoned structure still exists, though demolition is said to be imminent.
Hello theater historians!
I am compiling a book for History Press about early theaters in Oklahoma. Can anyone send me a photograph of the Eirie at 300 dpi? FULL CREDIT will be given' Thank you, Dr. John Wilson, Stillwater, Oklahoma
This item is from the October 4, 1919 issue of The Moving Picture World:
O. Gill is mentioned in quite a few trade journals in the 1910s and 1920s, having been Hugo’s movie theater mogul during the period.Should be shown as 640 seats.
Burn scars are still visible from the arson attempt in 1933: behind the screen area and under the alternate stairway access to the upper levels, east side of building.
An interesting legal document re: William Weaver and his accomplices overturning their conviction for the attempted arson of the Erie in 1933. Of course they were guilty as sin! https://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/court-of-appeals-criminal/1936/52094.html
I was the projectionist for the last film shown in 1965 on the night the steel support beam holding up the marquee collasped.
The Erie actually moved from east Jackson St (the Kirkpatrick bldg) to its permanent location on west Jackson street sometime around 1913/1914. Mr. O. Gill acquired the theatre in 1914 and continued as its owner/operator until the Griffith Amusement Co lease commenced in March of 1933.
Shame on them for covering that original Craftsman exterior with a crappy false front
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/406
The 1924 map of downtown Hugo to which Okie Medley linked above has been moved Here. You can also fetch any of the other photos in dead rootsweb links by changing the domain in their url from rootsweb.com to okgenweb.org.
Sharp period photos of the Erie exterior and interior leave no dought as to what this theatre looked like before and after the remodel job. To see images type in word “erie” …
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Here are proceedings against one William Weaver, who allegedly torched the Erie in May 1933:
http://tinyurl.com/2atbtv
This 1924 downtown map shows the location of two Hugo early day movie houses, lot 117-Erie Theatre, and lot 110-Ritz Theatre
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This link will take you to a 1938 photo of Hugo’s Erie Theatre;
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and here are images of Hugo’s Dixie Theatre -
sidewalk view
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facade view
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For more info look at the Mac Theatre.
Still winter quarters to Carson-Barnes Circus, Hugo was once the off season respite for fifteen different cirus units. Take a look at this link to learn about Showmen’s Rest Reprieve;
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The open dates I previously listed were a little inaccurate. The Erie actually opened in 1919 and closed the first time in 1965. During most of those years it was owned by the Griffith Amusement Co., later known as Griffith Consolidated Theatres and also Video Independent Theatres. The dates listed on the Erie’s second incarnation, 1969-1982, are correct.