Regent Theatre
601 Genesee Street,
Blue Rapids,
KS
66441
601 Genesee Street,
Blue Rapids,
KS
66441
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Ladies' Opera House
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This opera house was constructed sometime around 1895. The 1893 Sanborn shows it under construction as a wood frame building, but as completed it was a simple two story building with a stone foundation (which rose about 4 feet up the sides) and the remainder veneered in brick. There was a hipped roof and a small dormer on the front. The stage tower was located at the rear, and as the building was built on a fairly steep slope, the basement of this section was later used as the town hall and fire station.
Up until at least 1918, it was shown as ‘Opera House’ on maps, but the name was later changed to the Regent Theatre. Pictures from 1971 show the building in decent shape, apparently still open, but it had been demolished by 1991, and the corner is a vacant lot.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
Architect was John McPherson. I tried adding that, guess it didn’t take.
Moving Picture World of November 9, 1918 noted a new owner for the Opera House in Blue Rapids: “O. A. Reed, of Blue Rapids, Kan., widely known throughout the northern portion of the state, has bought the opera there and is running a program of the best class of photoplays.”
The only theater listed at Blue Rapids in the 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory was called the Photoplay, listed on the east side of the square.
The Photoplay was not open in either 1911 or 1918. If I had to guess, it might be the bar at 18 Public Sq, which was a grocery in 1911, and a Ford garage in 1918.