Crown Theatre
19 N. Court Street,
Crown Point,
IN
46307
19 N. Court Street,
Crown Point,
IN
46307
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 14 comments
The Gary, IN-based Bikos circuit added this theater in May 1926.
In March 1922 the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company took over the original Crown theater in Crown Point, owned and operated by Fred Bartholmae. At the time the Gregory firm was operating the Parthenon, Orpheum and DeLuxe theaters in Hammond, IN. It had previously operated the Illinois theater in Chicago Heights, IL, until it was spun off to Fitzpatrick-McElroy.
Update:
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/former-crown-theatre-manager-to-pay-279k-to-investors-judge-rules/article_8fc2325e-62fe-5955-be2f-db07ea23807e.html?utm_source=NWITimes&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Latest+News&fbclid=IwAR0bd8pk4tv8TAAQXq0rrPc3gmTps68-b2FxsCSi-OMzx22lmpG7Ol56F6k
Recent article.
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-newsletter/complaints-against-crown-theatre-continue-to-mount-as-grand-opening/article_4f37665a-7b6b-5952-a312-dccfb95769fa.html
1948 and 2018 photos posted. Newer facade is being removed and original facade is exposed.
New ownership as of today.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/new-crown-theater-owner-hopes-to-fill-the-entertainment-void/article_6074b838-4305-5989-bf32-4e7cfbd36f65.html?utm_content=bufferd6d66&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC
First opened as the Crown in April 1917. Remodeled as Palace in 1926.
This theater is now closed (see my photos taken earlier this month).
This theater has been known as the Crown since the late 1960’s. I went here many times as a kid in the 70’s and saw such films as THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and JAWS.
As a young boy I remember going to the palace theater in crown point. there were two theaters side by side at that time {1950s} one was named the Rex and had a balcony. I don’t recall what happened to the Rex. I was away for a few years so maybe it closed during that period of time.
The name CROWN Theater came of course from the city name of CROWN Point. Sota a strange name for a place first known as Robinsons Prairie, for Solon and Milo Robinson. Allegdly, when Solon Robinson saved his neignbors' lands from speculators, he was nicknamed ‘KING of the Squatters,’ and the settlement was named ‘CROWN’ for the ‘KING’ and ‘Point’ for the elevation on which Robinson’s cabin and the old beautiful historic courthouse now still stands. And now you know the rest of the story!
Opened around 1924 and may have been called the Crown Theater.
1930-1961 Palace Theater
1940-1950 Owned by Theatrical Managers, Inc.
1955-1961 Owned by Y&W Theaters.
Early 1960’s Closed.
1990- Crown Theater
1924 a 2/manual (keyboard) Barton Organ Company Theater Pipe Organ was shipped to the CROWN Theater. Dan Barton of Oaskosh, Wisconsin founed his company in 1918 and it became the fifth largest builder of theater pipe organs. I don’t know what happened to the organ. Any pipes left in the theater?
105 year old (in 2012) Edith “Sautter remembers watching silent movies accompanied by piano music at the Palace Theater (now Crown Theater).”
See also the [url=/theater/25681/]Rex Theater[/url] in Crown Point
Anyone have old photos, photos of the inside, more info?
Thanks Mary Harrigan
Looked this theatre up for a friend who used to live there,he said it was the only movie house in Crown Point.
Photos of this theater are HERE. I hope the inside is gorgeous, because the outside sure isn’t.
I LOVE the Crown Theater! I am shocked it is still open though.. but GOOD, I’m glad. The inside is gorgeous! Love it.