Druid Theater
9840 Main Street,
Damascus,
MD
20872
9840 Main Street,
Damascus,
MD
20872
1 person
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There was a small narow stage behind the screen. I actually plaed on the stage two times in my life. the first time was in 1979 with the Damascus Comunity Band. Directed by Mat Kuhn. and the second time in 1987 with my band Spynee Norman when I released two singles. As a child I saw many movies there
I remember the theater very well. Went to school with the crate clan and loved seeing Mr. and Mrs. Crate at the theater (along with working on their vehicles). These are the projectors that were in the Theater. Not a picture of the exact projectors but almost the same setup. When the theater was “remodeled” I had the projectors cut out and taken to the street level to save them from the dumpster. Just as I was getting them loaded the demolition contractor decided he was going to “donate” them to a museum somewhere (I don’t remember where he said it was, probably his garage). Anyway I don’t know what happened to them. Peerless E-7 Magnarc Projectors. http://www.moorlyn.com/Strandimages/Strand12.jpg
I remember hearing stories from Mrs. Clodfelter how she used to roller skate up and down Main Street. I walk by that house every week to go to Rite Aid and I miss seeing it there. I’m sure everyone had fond memories of them and Damascus.
I love and appreciate all the information on this site. Going to the Druid is one of my favorite childhood memories. Does anyone have any pictures from inside? I’ve been teaching my students about Damascus History and would love to be able to share even more.
Thanks!
I was carried here when I was a child for my Nana Miles funeral. I was taken by my father James Robert Clodfelter and my Mother, Elizabeth W. Clodfelter to visit the family when I was a newborn.
Christopher A. Clodfelter
Who owns Druid theater now? There is a group that would like to lobby to revitalize it.
Impressive looking theatre.Nice picture and Stories.
I know a little about the Druid Theater, my parents lived in the upper level aparment in 1982. They were part of the Crate Family that ran the Druid. I wasn’t alive when they lived there, but got to visit the Druid many times as a young child. My Grandparents Donald & Grindela Crate was running the Theater at the time that I would visit. I remember he would sit me and my cousing on the glass candy counter and trick us by holding candy right under the glass and wait for us to grab for it. The Tuxedo shop and a Produce Stand were also a part of the Druid history.
My father also oped Studio 108 on route 108 facing the theater on the right. It was a Teen Disco Tech. There slogan was “Studio 108, Twice as good as 54".
Glad to find this site. I lived in an apartment on the upper level of the theater building from 1947 to 1952. If you faced the front of the theater, Dr. Boyer’s office was on the left and Count’s restaurant was on the right. My dad was the only dentist in town at the time and his office was also on the upper level of the theater building until his retirement in 1970. Many great memories are associated with the Druid Theater and the Clodfelter family.
Here is another photo. It looks there is a drug store in at least part of the building:
http://tinyurl.com/36gspb
I worked the projection booth at the Druid as a teenager in the 1980s. It was operated as a second-run theater by then, showing films that had been out for several weeks and charging less for them.
The theater was still operating with its original 1940s projection equipment at that time: carbon arc lighthouses and twin projectors with manual changeovers. I believe this equipment was still in working order when the theater was gutted.
The theater also had a private viewing box next to the projection booth, and a small apartment above the lobby (neither open to the public).
It was granted historic landmark status, which is why they had to leave the facade intact when they converted it to retail space.
I am sure glad to hear from someone who has first hand knowledge of the theater. This place has left such a memeory in my mind and life that I will never forget. I was heartbroken when the theater was turned into an office space/retail store. I was really hoping that someone would have step up and tried to restore the grand ole place. Thanks for joining the forum here.
I am very familiar with the Druid Theatre, since I lived next door and worked there as a teenager. My dad was the owner and operator…Druid A. Clodfelter…I am Druid M. Clodfelter.Dad always
said he named the theatre after me, however he was such a humble person I was never sure about this. One of the unique things about this theatre, being built in 1947, was it had Central Air Conditioning…not many homes, if any had this feature.Dad use to laugh and swear , folks came to the theatre to cool off, whether they
like the movie or not. Walt Disney movies always drew the biggest
crowds…sure glad, I found this web site. !!!
Druid Clodfelter
Where the tuxcedo shop was use to be the concession stand. In the back of the lobby, I think where they moved the concession stand use to be an setting area for intermissions and a place to use the telephone. As a child, my father would go there on Saturdays and watch movies all day for a dime. I grew up in Damascus and went there up until I moved away. In grade school, all of my friends would there on Friday nights. As I remember, the ticket price was a $1.50. I have a lot of memories of that fantastic theater.
I went to the druid theater a couple of times right before it closed. My parents live in damascus so I get to drive buy the druid everytime I see them. A rite aid and some offices are there now. When the theater was in operation it had a tuxedo shop in the theater. Right before it closed I remember the theater was in disrepair.
I don’t think thay either the Clodfelter nor the Crate family has anything to do with the property anymore. I remember before it was turned into offices that I read an interview with the owner and it was a man with a different name.
Actually, it was a first name. The Theatre was founded by a Mr. Druid Clodfelter. Mr. Clodfelter passed away in the late 70’s (?) and the theatre was then managed by the Crate family. Does anyone know if they still have the property?
Kind of an odd name for a movie house… was the owner a Druid?
The Druid Theatre seated 420 people.