Colonial Theatre

This theatre appears to have been an entertainment destination on and off for about 60 years in downtown Astoria. The 19th Century venue began as Carter’s Hall - an event space - becoming Carter’s Opera House playing live plays and music. It may have been the first place that Astorians saw movies as silent short films were brought to town sporadically.

The venue became the New Colonial Theater as opera houses in small towns commercially stumbled during World War I. The New Colonial Theater booked films and had an amazing run though closing in two different periods.

In the 1940’s, the theatre became part of the Dale Kennedy Circuit of 21 small town movie houses that switched to lower cost 16mm films. Theatres in nearby Vermont, Table Grove, and Blandinsville appear to be in that circuit. The 16mm operation appears to have failed. The venue switched back to 35mm projection in September of 1947 under new operators continuing into the 1950’s. The Colonial Theatre ceased operations under intense pressure from television. The venue became a long-running funeral home.

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