Jones County Cinema
109 E. Main Street,
Anamosa,
IA
52205
109 E. Main Street,
Anamosa,
IA
52205
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Additional Info
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Grand Opera House, Niles Theatre, Evans Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Originally opened in the late 1890s as the Grand Opera House, the building was remodeled in 1921 as the Niles Theatre. The theater suffered a fire in the 1940s and was remodeled.
In 1953, the theater was acquired by the Evans family from its original owner, Charles Niles and renamed the Evans. It was completely remodeled in 1959. The Evans' sold the Evans Theatre to Roy Metcalfe in 1971.
The Evans was owned by Peterson Theatres of Waverly later in the 70’s and into the 80’s
The Evans was damaged in January 1984 in a fire from an electrical short. It was rebuilt again, in the mid-to-late 80s as the Jones County Cinema. The theater is now closed.
Contributed by
Chuck, Lon Peterson
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
Here is a June 1993 article from the Anamosa Journal-Eureka:
The marquee on Jones County Cinema last week listed the coming attraction, “Indian Summerâ€, which seemed like a satirical comment about the recent streak of cold, rainy weather. Although it was not in jest, the cinema’s marquee is often the site of commentaries about local issues. Mike Grassfield says the accolades and critical comments are the work of his father, Dave Grassfield.
But Mike is owner-operator of the theatre. And he is one of those rare individuals who really enjoys what he is doing. He says operating a theater is a fun job because he enjoys talking to and joking with the crowd that drops in on weekends to relax and watch the movie while munching on freshly cooked popcorn and an assortment of other refreshments. Jones County Cinema is appropriately named because it is the only remaining theater in the county, other than the Starlighters Theatre, which is for live performances only.
Other theaters once in existence in the county are long gone because of the stiff competition from other areas, which makes Jones County Cinema even more remarkable. It shows current films, not the ones you saw ten years ago, and offers them at reasonable prices. It’s an inexpensive evening out for a family, and surprisingly enough, Jones County Cinema does not show movies that are billed as suitable for a restricted audience. According to Grassfield, they just don’t sell in Anamosa. But at other theaters, it is hard to find movies appropriate for families.
Jones County Cinema is a family theater in many respects with a community-minded spirit To those who are laid off, admission is half-price. “They will remember us when times are good again for them,” Grassfield said. Jones County Cinema offers two shows on Friday and Saturday evenings. At the earlier time, 7 p.m., children can come without adult supervision, but at the later show, 9 p.m., they must be accompanied by adults.
Grassfield plans to expand the theater and open up the balcony by fall. In this way, he will be able to show two different movies at the same tune. He is always working on ways to improve the theater even though it isn’t always apparent to the casual observer. Some of the latest improvements include a new air conditioner and energy-efficient furnace, a new roof and two new platters for the film reels.
From the early 1940s a photo postcard image of the Niles Theater in Anamosa.
Something must have happened to the Niles Theatre in 1936. The December 18, 1937, issue of The Film Daily ran this item:
Clifford Niles and his son Charles were operating three theaters in Anamosa in 1937, according to another issue of the same publication, though it didn’t give their names. One of them must have been the Circle, but I’ve been unable to find the name of the third.