Gem Theatre

404 W. Main Street,
Lexington, KY 40507

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robboehm
robboehm on January 2, 2021 at 3:05 am

The article referred to by Joe Vogel also indicated the Lincoln was housed in the former Pekin.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 26, 2017 at 1:52 am

According to the Notable African Americans Database at the University of Kentucky (about halfway down this web page), the Blue Grass Theatre, opened in 1907, was in 1910 renamed the Gem Theatre by the new operators, John Clark and Chester Brady, two African American businessmen formerly of Cincinnati.

The original Gem closed sometime in 1913, and the name was moved to the former Lincoln Theatre at 415 W. Main Street. It operated at that location until 1916. The theater at 404 was converted to offices for an insurance company by 1914. The second Gem was no longer listed in the 1916-1917 city directory.