Mike – The STATE was right down from Capitol Park, about a half a block, so you could say it was around the corner from the Capitol buildings. It was about a block and a half from Front St. and the Susquehanna river.
Harrisburg, my hometown, was quite a nice city in its prime. I don’t know what’s it’s like now. All the downtown theaters were razed. I think the Senate on Market Square was the last to go.
When I was there a few years ago I think they had an IMAX on Market St., down from the square.
Dennis – As I recall they tore down a major section of the “new” second block, where the Capitol had been, a few years after they put it up. And then the whole thing was redone sometime after that. It was an on-going mess and apparently still is.
It changed so often I hardly remember what was there when I left Lancaster about fifteen years ago.
I remember originally there was a lot of concrete, elevated walkways, stairs, a fountain, etc.
The businesses on the Grand/my side of Queen never really took off. A Hess’s (?) department store was there for awhile. There was a theater that had a great wide screen – I saw DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER there about six times. But it was eventually twinned. It was on the second level and there was an escalator up to it.
But you probably know all this already.
I do appreciate your comments on the other theaters. They were not there long enough for them to be implanted in my memory like the Harrisburg theaters were. I remember the Capitol was rather ornate with a kind of lobby balcony that led to the theater balcony. Sort of Spanish themed?
I don’t know why I did not take photos of these theaters. I was just out of college and was going pretty wild at the time.
Do you know when the Hamilton closed?
Dennis – As I’ve described elsewhere on CT, I had an apartment at 123 N. Queen St. (close by the Grand) and remained there for a good part of the notorious demolition. The night the wrecking ball struggled to knock down the sturdy old and resisting Brunswick Hotel was like something out of Fellini.
It was also painful deja vu for me, as I also lived through the razings of my favorite Harrisburg theaters, though not in such an abrupt and dramatic fashion.
I remember seeing the backstage trappings, curtains, drapes, glass chandeliers, still hanging in the theater (Capitol ?) on the corner.
It was very poignant and I’ve never forgotten those few weeks. And I hope Lancaster has not either (though I’m sure it has).
It was a pathetic, stupid waste of an entire cluster of classic theaters.
I’d be very interested in anything you might remember about the Hamilton. It was closed when I moved to Lancaster. I remember the entrance was set back from the sidewalk in a kind of arcade. I never got to see the interior unfortunately.
It seemed like it might have been a rather elegant theater in its time. Thanks.
I’d be very interested in anything you might remember about the Hamilton. It was closed when I moved to Lancaster. I remember the entrance was set back from the sidewalk in a kind of arcade. I never got to see the interior unfortunately.
It seemed like it might have been a rather elegant theater in its time. Thanks.
PS: This low angle shot clearly shows the large vertical letters that ran up the front of the building. They are not always visible in some of the other photos.
Mike – The STATE was right down from Capitol Park, about a half a block, so you could say it was around the corner from the Capitol buildings. It was about a block and a half from Front St. and the Susquehanna river.
Harrisburg, my hometown, was quite a nice city in its prime. I don’t know what’s it’s like now. All the downtown theaters were razed. I think the Senate on Market Square was the last to go.
When I was there a few years ago I think they had an IMAX on Market St., down from the square.
Also see: my album of Pennsylvania, California, and a few other vintage cinemas around the world + some ads & a bit of memorabilia:
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SENATE Theatre; THIS ISLAND EARTH:
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1956 photo of the State showing WAR AND PEACE in VistaVision:
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Million Dollar sculpture:
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Million Dollar facade detail, 3rd St.:
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Recent view of ornate side entrance on 3rd St.:
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Recent view of ornate side entrance on 3rd St.:
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QUESTION: Was the Tomkat Theatre on Santa Monica ever a legitimate movie theater?
El Rey NEON:
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Dennis – As I recall they tore down a major section of the “new” second block, where the Capitol had been, a few years after they put it up. And then the whole thing was redone sometime after that. It was an on-going mess and apparently still is.
It changed so often I hardly remember what was there when I left Lancaster about fifteen years ago.
I remember originally there was a lot of concrete, elevated walkways, stairs, a fountain, etc.
The businesses on the Grand/my side of Queen never really took off. A Hess’s (?) department store was there for awhile. There was a theater that had a great wide screen – I saw DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER there about six times. But it was eventually twinned. It was on the second level and there was an escalator up to it.
But you probably know all this already.
I do appreciate your comments on the other theaters. They were not there long enough for them to be implanted in my memory like the Harrisburg theaters were. I remember the Capitol was rather ornate with a kind of lobby balcony that led to the theater balcony. Sort of Spanish themed?
I don’t know why I did not take photos of these theaters. I was just out of college and was going pretty wild at the time.
Do you know when the Hamilton closed?
Dennis – As I’ve described elsewhere on CT, I had an apartment at 123 N. Queen St. (close by the Grand) and remained there for a good part of the notorious demolition. The night the wrecking ball struggled to knock down the sturdy old and resisting Brunswick Hotel was like something out of Fellini.
It was also painful deja vu for me, as I also lived through the razings of my favorite Harrisburg theaters, though not in such an abrupt and dramatic fashion.
I remember seeing the backstage trappings, curtains, drapes, glass chandeliers, still hanging in the theater (Capitol ?) on the corner.
It was very poignant and I’ve never forgotten those few weeks. And I hope Lancaster has not either (though I’m sure it has).
It was a pathetic, stupid waste of an entire cluster of classic theaters.
A CHILD IS WAITING at the Orpheum, 1963:
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The VIRGIN QUEEN (Bette Davis, Joan Collins, CinemaScope) at the Senate. Coming ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY:
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I’d be very interested in anything you might remember about the Hamilton. It was closed when I moved to Lancaster. I remember the entrance was set back from the sidewalk in a kind of arcade. I never got to see the interior unfortunately.
It seemed like it might have been a rather elegant theater in its time. Thanks.
I’d be very interested in anything you might remember about the Hamilton. It was closed when I moved to Lancaster. I remember the entrance was set back from the sidewalk in a kind of arcade. I never got to see the interior unfortunately.
It seemed like it might have been a rather elegant theater in its time. Thanks.
PS: This low angle shot clearly shows the large vertical letters that ran up the front of the building. They are not always visible in some of the other photos.
Organizing my photos for FLICKr I found some pristine color slides of the Senate I didn’t know I had! Here is the first one:
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1996 photo with surrounding high rises:
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What is the current status of this beautiful theater?
A seasonal view across 8th St., 2007:
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Color photo of the Vista showing MAGNOLIA:
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Robby Ready 4 His Close-Up at the Egyptian:
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Robby the Robot, Anne Francis, Earl Holliman at the Egyptian:
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Ken leaves the Aero:
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