Miami Theater
236 W. Pearl Street,
Union City,
IN
47390
236 W. Pearl Street,
Union City,
IN
47390
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The Miami Theater, located in the J.A. Rosenbush Block on W. Pearl Street (just up the street from the Grand Theater), operated from 1925 until the early-1960’s.
After the theater closed, a newspaper office took over the space.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
In 1928 there were four theatres listed as open in Union City. The Union Grand, Victory, Strand and the Miami. So the Miami was open in 1928 and at that time seated 450.
The Miami Theatre was at 236 W. Pearl Street. It was mentioned in the January 7, 1928 issue of Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World, so must have been in operation by 1927. The Grand was a few doors east at (approximately) 224 W.Pearl.
The Miami was not in the Kerr Block, which is 202-208 N Columbia. It was in the J.A. Rosenbush Block, which was at 234-236 W Pearl. The building still exists, with a disgusting modern facade perhaps from around 1960. It appears to perhaps be depressing apartments. The structure has all the charm of a prefab building at a Soviet mining camp.
The Rosenbush Block was constructed sometime between 1901 and 1911. The 1920 map shows 236, then the western portion, as a barber shop. The central stair is gone, and the entire building seems to be using the 236 address. The map marker is several blocks too far to the west.
Found a bad copy of the 1940 update of the 1931 map, and it appears that at the very least, the theater was a substantial remodel of the old building. The central wall and stair are gone, although the height of the building and the footprint are identical. Still has the addresses 234-236.
Added a picture of the Kerr Block in which the repellent Miami appears at right.
My great grandfather, Roll S. Wenger, operated the Miami, as well as the Grand and Victory theatres in the 20’s and 30’s. The Miami was renovated from the poolroom and barber shop in 1925.