Princess Theater
432 E. Main Avenue,
Bowling Green,
KY
42101
432 E. Main Avenue,
Bowling Green,
KY
42101
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The 1925 map shows this theater as vacant, so there must have been a pause in operations.
Current use is office space and retail.
This is almost identical to the Princess in Murfreesboro, TN.
Andrew, I too am trying to find the Dreamland and the Palace.
The October 1914 Sanborn map for Bowling Green shows the theatre at 430-432 Main but doesn’t give a name. It does show the outline of the balcony.
The January 1909 Sanborn map shows a storefront Moving Picture Theatre (again no name) at 411 Park Row, the other side of the square from the Princess. The little theatre at 411 is no longer there in the 1914 map.
Regarding the Palace, several maps show the Potter Opera House at yet a 3rd location on the square. A fairly substantial building, it is conceivable it was renamed Palace at a later date.
BTW, smoe, not all, the Kentucky Sanborn maps are available on line for free – not all states – but KY and a handful of others. Not all the KY maps are there, but up into the teens for some towns.
http://genealogy.about.com/od/historical_maps/tp/Sanborn-Fire-Insurance-Maps-Online.htm
Marilyn Dee Casto’s book “Actors, Audiences, and Historic Theaters of Kentucky” says that the Princess Theatre opened in 1914.
Tony Sudekum not Troy owned Crescent Amusment Co.
on facebook
Jane Forshee-Brown’s Photos – Old pictures of Bowling Green
has an old shot with the Princess in the background and comments.
View link
I just looked, and Bowers says there was a “Dreamland” theatre as well in Bowling Green, with another Reproduco organ.
According to Bowers' “Encyclopedia” page 551, there was a “Palace” theatre in Bowling Green equipped with a Reproduco organ made by the Operators Piano Co. I could not find a page for the Palace, so I am putting this here for the time being.
Actually they are now ironically in the building next to the State. There’s a photography studio in the Princess.
Also, it appears that 416 E. Main is at least the current mailing address for The Capitol.
It appears that this agency is currently occupying the theater building, or at least an office therein:
http://www.downtownbg.org/
Belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that
had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960.