Ritz Theater
133 Forsyth Street,
Barnesville,
GA
30204
133 Forsyth Street,
Barnesville,
GA
30204
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The mostly useless NRHP registration form for the Barnesville Commercial Historic District has this snippet about the town’s theaters as of May, 1995: “There are two theaters within the district. Although now used as an appliance store, the 1923 Ritz Theater still has its Art Deco influenced marquee. The 1929 Gem Theater on Main Street is now used as commercial space.”
The problem with the Ritz having been opened in 1923 is that the only house listed at Barnesville in the 1926 FDY was the 242-seat Mildred, and the Mildred was being mentioned in trade journals at least as early as 1920. I’ve found nothing to clarify the situation so far. I suspect that Barnesville’s theaters will remain a bit of a mystery for quite a while.
A photo caption in the Barnesville Herald-Gazette of May 23, 2023 notes that Ritz Park was dedicated in 2008 and confirms that “[i]t is located on the site of the old Ritz Theatre which collapsed due to a lack of upkeep some years prior.”
Ritz Park is a grassy area with a gazebo, at 133 Forsyth. That must have been the location. Ken’s picture link is dead, does anyone have a photo? The theater was demolished sometime before 2008.
The address makes no sense at all. The 300 block is purely residential. 126 is a possibility, the 100 block has several large vacant lots. This theater first appears in the 1937 listings, which confusingly show it operated by both the Central Amusement Co. and Lucas & Jenkins.
A friend an I rode by the site of this theater and it has been demolished.
It was a Georgia Theatre Company location for many years.What a sad picture.