Additional history credit Jenny at the Musser Public Library. (accompanied circa 1910 photo added to gallery)
“The building was located on the corner of East Second and Walnut streets. It sat right next to Trinity Episcopal Church, which you can see in this photograph. Building of The Grand Opera House started in the spring of 1900 and finished in the fall of 1901. It had a seating capacity of 1,100 with eight private boxes and plush opera chairs. By 1945, the building was no longer used for lavish theater productions but instead was the home of two cafes, a barber shop, and several professional offices. The second floor had two apartment flats. The rest of the building was used for storage. On March 10, 1945 a fire of undetermined origin broke out and gutted the building. Two firefighters suffered burns but no one else was injured.”
From Little Known Stories of Muscatine, courtesy Musser Public Library:
The evening of December 26, 1900, was a big occasion in Muscatine, perhaps the most costly and best attended social event ever held in the Port City. On that evening more than 1,200 men, women, and children were present to witness the opening of Muscatine’s brand-new theatre, the Grand Opera House. The seats were ten dollars each, making the box office receipts for the night somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000. The show was a rather mediocre opus, somewhat typical of the late 1890 and 1900 stage offerings. Its name was “Shore Acres”…..There seemed to be a general feeling that at ten dollars per ticket, a more imposing theatrical offering might have been selected. However, the price of ten dollars per seat had not been fixed because of the quality of the show; it was just a method of financing the erection of the building.“ On March 10, 1945 the building was destroyed by fire.
There apparently was a second Fraser Theatre at this location, opened circa 1949 based on photos I just added, and one that already existed in the gallery. Intersection was the same in the description the photo had.
In 1921 what became the Aladdin Theater was built at 411 Main Street. It’s original name was Maute’s Grand Theater. Same people owned both The Lamp and The Aladdin.
In 1921 what became the Aladdin Theater was built at 411 Main Street. It’s original name was Maute’s Grand Theater. Same people owned both The Lamp and The Aladdin.
Address is 222 Main Street.
Per the Downtown Irwin Facebook page:
HISTORY NUGGET: before the Lamp Theater ( b. 1937 ) there was The Grand Theater in the same location. This map is 1914 when they were called “Moving Pictures”. (map in gallery)
The JAM Productions Facebook page has dozens of photos of ongoing renovations in the link below. Today they posted 8 photos of old balcony seats removal and the installation of 820 new seats on that level.
Posted in gallery as well.
(I recall some of the old seats had Granada stenciled on their backs at past shows.)
The photos on this page belong to the State Theatre which has it’s own page on CT below.
As far as I can find Crothersville only had a State Theatre and a Grand Theatre.
Address is 105 E. Main Street and it is still standing. It closed in 1959, became Leo’s Laundry in the 70s, a pool hall in the 80s and later an athletic club.
It was most recently Redneck Computers.
As of 2021 a furniture business was slated to go into it.
The Google street view from November 2021 shows that to be the case.
Auditorium and fire photos added, credit Paul H. Fey Jr.
1920
It does not appear on the AMC website link above. The Fandango website lists it as Temporarily Closed. So not sure if the opening has happened yet.
Here is the Library of Congress link to the 1940 Russell Lee photo. Enlargeable for greater detail within link.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2017741723/
Here is the Library of Congress link to the 1940 Russell Lee photo. Enlargeable for greater detail within link.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2017741723/
Additional history credit Jenny at the Musser Public Library. (accompanied circa 1910 photo added to gallery)
“The building was located on the corner of East Second and Walnut streets. It sat right next to Trinity Episcopal Church, which you can see in this photograph. Building of The Grand Opera House started in the spring of 1900 and finished in the fall of 1901. It had a seating capacity of 1,100 with eight private boxes and plush opera chairs. By 1945, the building was no longer used for lavish theater productions but instead was the home of two cafes, a barber shop, and several professional offices. The second floor had two apartment flats. The rest of the building was used for storage. On March 10, 1945 a fire of undetermined origin broke out and gutted the building. Two firefighters suffered burns but no one else was injured.”
From Little Known Stories of Muscatine, courtesy Musser Public Library:
The evening of December 26, 1900, was a big occasion in Muscatine, perhaps the most costly and best attended social event ever held in the Port City. On that evening more than 1,200 men, women, and children were present to witness the opening of Muscatine’s brand-new theatre, the Grand Opera House. The seats were ten dollars each, making the box office receipts for the night somewhere between $12,000 and $15,000. The show was a rather mediocre opus, somewhat typical of the late 1890 and 1900 stage offerings. Its name was “Shore Acres”…..There seemed to be a general feeling that at ten dollars per ticket, a more imposing theatrical offering might have been selected. However, the price of ten dollars per seat had not been fixed because of the quality of the show; it was just a method of financing the erection of the building.“ On March 10, 1945 the building was destroyed by fire.
1956 was the last listing found by the Musser Public Library.
1940s facade.
http://www.umvphotoarchive.org/digital/collection/muspl/id/1959?fbclid=IwAR2KidO7s8_rRPGi0g9kxYbfUaTc45_DlbjQWDVmxNi76TvYjfMNTqEB928
1950 photo credit Joe+Jeanette Archie, enlargeable within Flickr link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarchie/3998463514?fbclid=IwAR3YXT7VQglVYS2k4YffKKHkuMcncj8d7zw1h1cE7eV_6KRl5uUzqSKOZuA
1955 photo credit Joe+Jeanette Archie, enlargeable within Flickr link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarchie/3549327067/in/photostream/
Address was 4505 Victoria Quay, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 6G2, Canada. Capelli Hair Design is on that site today per locals.
There apparently was a second Fraser Theatre at this location, opened circa 1949 based on photos I just added, and one that already existed in the gallery. Intersection was the same in the description the photo had.
Additionally, the address is 417 Main Street, and the building still exists today as Shidle Masonic Lodge.
Via the Downtown Irwin Facebook page:
In 1921 what became the Aladdin Theater was built at 411 Main Street. It’s original name was Maute’s Grand Theater. Same people owned both The Lamp and The Aladdin.
So the two pages may need merging.
Via the Downtown Irwin Facebook page:
In 1921 what became the Aladdin Theater was built at 411 Main Street. It’s original name was Maute’s Grand Theater. Same people owned both The Lamp and The Aladdin.
So the two pages may need merging.
Address is 222 Main Street. Per the Downtown Irwin Facebook page: HISTORY NUGGET: before the Lamp Theater ( b. 1937 ) there was The Grand Theater in the same location. This map is 1914 when they were called “Moving Pictures”. (map in gallery)
Updated official link for the Denis Theatre, as the link under Related Websites is dead. Also the Wikipedia page for the Denis Theatre.
https://www.denistheatre.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Theatre
September 1944
Landers Theatre; Springfield, MO. March, 1968. Image is from the Rafferty Collection, MSU Digital Archives.
1963 grand opening.
Mocked up for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” in 2018/2019.
The JAM Productions Facebook page has dozens of photos of ongoing renovations in the link below. Today they posted 8 photos of old balcony seats removal and the installation of 820 new seats on that level. Posted in gallery as well. (I recall some of the old seats had Granada stenciled on their backs at past shows.)
https://www.facebook.com/jamusa/
The photos on this page belong to the State Theatre which has it’s own page on CT below. As far as I can find Crothersville only had a State Theatre and a Grand Theatre.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/65642
Address is 105 E. Main Street and it is still standing. It closed in 1959, became Leo’s Laundry in the 70s, a pool hall in the 80s and later an athletic club. It was most recently Redneck Computers. As of 2021 a furniture business was slated to go into it.