Arcade Theatre

SethG on April 19, 2020 at 11:17 am

The Arcade’s original address was 160 W Main St, later changed to 156. At some point after 1914, the street name was changed. The theater first appears on the 1908 map, but the building was constructed sometime before 1886. It was originally a three story brick house and store, not very deep, with a small 2-story extension to the rear. By 1908, it had been much modified, and most of the front section had become the entrance, with a small confectionery in the eastern third. The extension to the rear had been merged into these two spaces.

The original auditorium was a long and narrow wooden single story structure with tin cladding. The stage was at the rear. ‘Continuous Performance’ is noted on the 1908 map, but it is not clear whether this is vaudeville or movies. By 1914, the auditorium is shown as partially brick construction, and the stage is now more substantially built. The structure is now extended all the way to the alley in the rear, removing several small wooden sheds. The entrance has been narrowed slightly to allow a tiny shoeshine stand to occupy the western edge.

Judging by the modern eyesore that occupies the lot, the structures were likely demolished in the late ‘60s to early '70s.