Newk's Theater

The Haight Building was constructed in 1897/8 at 103 N. Third Street. During the show-store era of quickly-created nickelodeons, Burlington’s first moving picture show was the Electric Theatre in the Haight launching on May 6, 1908. Residents were intrigued by films including news footage of the Kansas City flood that year and the Electric needed more space. The improved and expanded Electric moved to 118 Neosho Street. A choral hall moved into the former Electric space within the Haight in 1909 until 1911.

In March of 1911, J.W. Richards decided to built an even larger, 350-seat theatre back into the Haight called the Berlin Theatre. Two months later, John J. “Newk” Newcomb purchased the Berlin and changed it to Newk’s Theatre relaunching May 11, 1911. Newk operated a hotel, a cigar factory and a bill poster plant as well as his long-running theatre. For more than 30 years, J.J. Newcomb entertained locals before his death on December 6, 1941. The Dickinson Circuit took over operation of the Newk’s Theatre before closing it years later and the space being retrofitted for other purposes.