State Theatre
402 6th Street,
Honey Grove,
TX
75446
402 6th Street,
Honey Grove,
TX
75446
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March 7, 1940 Grand Opening.
The building is now the home of Eagerly Sought – Antique and Vintage Treasures. While the sun ray sidewalk still exist, and the balcony of the Theater exist. The current owner of the building, Brian, still has some of the projectors, reels, and movie clips he shows off in the store. Honey Grove is a precious little town with a rich history.
The NICKELODEON was the first movie theater in Honey Grove.
Opened by Bob Byran on the West side of the square about 1911.
At the NICKELODEON, Harry Thompson, and Grady Ragsdale would
sing as Bee Tidwell played the piano, while slides were shown.
Two theaters BON TON & HOME, were opened in the early teens on
the South side of the square.
The BON TOO was located near the west end of the block, while the
HOME was located in the building occupied by John Black for many
years.
The TOPIC theater was located in the middle of the block on the
West side of the square.
Opened in 1921 by Alver Gill who also opened the STRAND in about 1923.
The STRAND was the most popular for many years, but it started
downhill when the STATE took over popularity, but it did open on
rare occasions until finally shutting down for good about 1944.
I enjoyed many hours in the STRAND, STATE, and GROVE.
I refer to them as! THE GREAT MOVIE PALACES OF HONEY GROVE.
Billy Holcomb Denison,Texas.
Please enter listings for all these houses — the Strand, the Grove, the Nickelodeon, the Bon Ton, etc.
Sounds like a lot of action for what seems to be a one-horse town.
The STATE Theater at Honey Grove was my introdustion to movies at
the tender age of 4.
My first movie to see was RED RIVER VALLEY with GENE AUTRY, who still
is my favorite movie star after 65 years.
The STATE was opened in 1940 on the East side of the square.
It was filled to capacity during its heyday.
The STATE was opened by TRI STATES Theater Circuit, when they decided
to shut down the STRAND, which was located a few doors North from the
current Library.
The Braudrick sisters worked at the STRAND, moving over to the STATE
for a spell.
The STATE met the end in 1950 when the all new GROVE was opened on the North side of the square to meet the demands of overcrowding.
All that remains of the STATE is the colorful sidewalk leading the
folks to the box office.
The GROVE burned in 1956, and it was moved to the Southeast corner
of Highway 82.
Other old time theaters of Honey Grove included: NICKELODEON, BON TON, HOME,and the TOPIC…
BILLY HOLCOMB DENISON, TEXAS
Scroll about halfway down the page for a photo of the State:
http://tinyurl.com/rjfpl