State Theatre
148 Front Street,
Deposit,
NY
13754
148 Front Street,
Deposit,
NY
13754
4 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 26 comments
MarkNYLA: Everything is correct except who owns the theatre. It is actually owned by The Deposit Community Theatre and Performing Arts Center Inc. and it’s name technically is that as well. However, it is still known by many as the State Theater.
MarkNYLA: Very good news! Hope to visit this theatre next Spring or Summer as the exterior looks like black carerra glass or vitrolite.
The State Theatre was opened in 1937 as part of the Kallet Theatres chain. It has been operating continuously since then, except of a one year closure from September 1994 due to fire damage, after which the interior was almost completely rebuilt. There was also a brief closure in 2006 due to flood damage. The theatre’s status was changed to non-profit in March of 1987, and it is now owned by the Town of Deposit. The theatre held a successful fund drive for a digital projection upgrade, this was installed in September 2013. As of 10/13 there are still funds left over that will be used for audio/visual upgrades and marquee renovation. 10/13 exterior shot added to the photo page.
I had my first date at the State Theatre. The movie was “Little Big Man”.
I love the vitrolite that is still on the art deco exterior of this theatre!
Was this a Kallet house at one time?
If anyone would like some interior photos (2011) of the State Theater in Deposit, let me know and I will e-mail them to you.
The exterior is a material called Vitrolite.
the roof of the STATE THEATRE collapsed just hours after the last feature was over.City inspector,Herbert Smith thinks heavy snowfall could brought the roof down.Harry Nichols the owner of the STATE said the theatre was inspected a year ago by the insurance company that insures it.$50.000 damage to the theatre.The STATE Was built in the 30’s as a garage by 1939 it was a movie house.I know this was posted earlier,but i Put a few names in the story.
The photo from 2009 was taken before the sidewalk renovation last summer. The sidewalks in front of the theatre look really nice now. Also, if you still haven’t any photos from the interior, let me know, I’ll see if I can get some.
Very nice looking theatre.
Lost: Yes, that is a much better photo without the trash cans. Thanks.
Lost: Thanks so very very much for the Vitrolite site. Sure wish a hometown restaurant had kept that facade, but to this day the tile is gone and so is the restaurant! In the meantime, new owners have not been found and so the location is an eyesore for the residents of the old hometown where the Grand Theatre WAS located, too!
“The facade was faced with Vitrolite tiles.” I haven’t seen many theatre facades with the use of these tiles. It would be interesting to research the name, Vitrolite and see what we can find. I’m sure that in the 30’s this tile was used for other business facades such as restaurants and maybe even old gas stations.
I’ve been told that a building can be removed from NR if they don’t comply to the NR specifications when making changes. In this case, the State must have not complied though it would be interesting to learn the whys of it all. If you come across anything that might explain this, let me know. Thanks, again!
Lost: Now I know why your screen name is LOST MEMORY! ;–)
Lost: Any interior photos out there?
As President of Theatre Historical Society of America (www.historictheatres.org) I visited the State in mid-November after reading the article mentioned above. The town has just 1600 people! Yet their dedication and commitment to their little theater should make other communities hang their heads in shame. I met some of their senior volunteer team members – all passionate, dedicated and conscientious people. The town really rallies behind the theater and works hard to support it. That little theater has flooded, burned, collapsed and been burglarized and yet each time they fix it up, dust if off and keep right on going. BRAVO!! These folks should be commended for their loving care of the State Theater!
The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin has posted an article about Deposit’s State Theatre on their website. (The article is dated November 1, 2007, and the site apparently keeps articles on display for only seven days before they go into the pay-to-view archive.)
The story tells about the collapse of the theatre’s roof two hours after the audience had departed on a snowy night in February of 1985; the formation of a local group which purchased and rebuilt the theatre; the reopening in 1988; the fire in September, 1994, which destroyed everything but the facade and marquee; the successful rebuilding of the theatre a second time, and its reopening less than a year after the fire; the flooding of the Delaware River in June of 2006, which inundated the theatre’s stage and every row of seats; how more seats were acquired from another theatre and sufficient repairs made to reopen the State once again in September of 2006.
The article also quotes a spokesperson for the State who describes the theatre’s current condition: “Some flood damage still needs repair, we need to work on the stage curtain, the marquee needs some work, and our vintage 1937 popcorn machine broke down!”
The State’s own website appears to be defunct, but the theatre has a brief page at the Deposit Chamber of Commerce site. No events are currently listed, so I do hope the theatre hasn’t suffered another disaster since the publication of the newspaper article two days ago.
This is a copy of a color painting by Davis Cone in 1985, from his book “Popcorn Palaces”:
http://tinyurl.com/2pe9rb
Chuck: Please send me a photo of the State Theatre in Deposit NY. Thanks.
The roof did cave in over the auditorium years ago.(late 70’s/early 80’s ?) The auditorium was rebuilt and there was a fire and the auditorium was re-built again in the early 90’s
This theatre was part of the Kallet Theatre chain. My Grandfather was Joseph Kallet. I have some photos if anyone is interested.
Joe Pfeiffer Jr
Film Daily Yearbook 1950 gives a seating capacity of the State Theatre as 514.
Hi Joe, Are you sure about this theatre having burned down? I’ve seen this theatre at least twice in the past five years and the owner never mentioned a fire. I do know the roof caved in many years ago after an extremely heavy snowfall.