State Theatre
104 E. Baltimore Street,
Greencastle,
PA
17225
104 E. Baltimore Street,
Greencastle,
PA
17225
No one has favorited this theater yet
The Gem Theatre, possibly the first movie theatre in Greencastle, PA, was built around 1912. In addition to showing movies, the Gem Theatre was used for minstrel shows, vaudeville, plays and musicals.
In the 1940’s it was renamed State Theatre, which was still open in 1961. We don’t know when this theatre closed, but the building still stands and is currently used as a restaurant.
Contributed by
Ken Roe / Lost Memory
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The Gem Theatre at Greencastle was listed in the 1912-1913 Cahn guide as a ground floor house with 430 seats. The tiny stage was only 26 from the footlights to the back wall, with a six foot apron, and 28 feet between the side walls.
A poster from the State Theatre in Greencastle, advertising the 1946 movie The Bride Wore Boots, was for sale on Worthpoint, and the description included the line “[t]his was originally the Gem Theater built around 1912 at Hotel McLaughlin and then changed to the State Theater in the 1940’s.”
Other sources indicate that the McLaughlin Hotel was built in 1904, and the Gem Theatre was part of an addition built in 1911. H. W. McLaughlin’s intention to build a theater at Greencastle was noted in the April, 1911 issue of Motography.
The Alison-Antrim Museum just posted this photo to its Facebook page. It’s an undated interior shot of the Gem/State’s auditorium. One person commenting on the photo says they remember seeing the 1961 release “The Parent Trap” at the State. As the post is new (October 13, 2023), more comments are likely and might reveal even later operation of the house.