Columbia Theatre
500 Broadway Street,
Paducah,
KY
42001
500 Broadway Street,
Paducah,
KY
42001
4 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 63 of 63 comments found
Here is modern photo of the Columbia Theater.
Paducah! This theatre’s exterior facade is beautiful and the theatre needs to be restored as so much of it seems to be there though in need of some TLC! Which theatres had a pipe organ?
lostmemory: Great photo, but am sad to read that the theatre was “twinned” in the 80’s enclosing the balcony area.
This is a 1947 photo of the Columbia Theater.
Around 1980, the Columbia was “twinned” by enclosing the balcony (as mentioned before, it dated from the days of segregation). I recall seeing “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn” in the upstairs theater.
In the mid 20’s there were three theaters in Paducah, KY that are listed as having a theater organ installed. Those theaters are the Arcade theater, the Columbia theater and the Orpheum theater. The organ was a Barton 2/7.
Henry: THIS is an interesting question as I’ve quickly learned in my research of old movie theaters that many of the old movie houses do not have their pipe organs anymore. There is an organ website which you might enjoy as it also shows photos and history of the Carolina Theater in Charlotte NC where the organization is based. Go to http://theatreorgans.com/nc/metrolina/ My husband’s hometown theater was also called the Columbia, but it doesn’t seem to be included on the Cinema Treasures website. The hometown was Brookville PA.
No the Columbia Does not has a pipe organ.
Does the Columbia Theater have a pipe organ?
The Columbia, built in the years of discrimination, had a separate balcony for blacks when it was built.
They would enter on the left side of the theatre in an alley between buildings with stairs to the balcony.
Yes,you are correct these are two seperate theatres. However, for the purpose of the RFP’s we want to transfer the property as one unit. The arcade still has a retail arcade connected to the entrance and currently 3 spaces are occupied.The city of Paducah is the current owner and is accepting proposals on this property. Will probably transfer free of charge to the right developer. We are looking for someone to restore them. Carol
According to the info I have they were two seperate theatres and the Arcade later in its life had two seperate auditoriums. The Arcade had a retail arcade connected to the theatre also.
Weren’t these two separate theatres? According to the 1949 Film Daily Year Book, the Arcade had 700 seats, while the larger Columbia had 1,500. At that time, Paducah also had two other movie theatres, the 1,200-seat Kentucky and the 438-seat Rialto.