After college I had one of my first apartments at 123 N. Queen St. The second block was then the “theater district” of old Lancaster. I was still living there in the midst of the catastrophic demolition from which Lancaster has apparently still never quite recovered.
Four theaters were razed, including an abandoned old classic called the Hamilton. I am very sorry I never got to see the interior.
The night the wrecking ball was taken to the Brunswick Hotel was like a sequence in a Fellini movie!
My apartment was a few doors down from the Grand.
Of all the vintage Lancaster theaters only the historic Fulton Opera House survived. It was still showing films when I moved to the city.
John S: Now that you mention it I think there was a roller rink at Playland. If you faced the property from the highway the miniature golf course and pool were on the left, and the rink was to the right. I think you drove in between them.
The golf course was right in front of the pool which, as I said, was uniquely elevated and shaped like a kind of oval or horseshoe-shaped bowl. Behind the pool there were grounds, mostly grassy lawn, for sunbathing.
There were large paintings of sea creatures on the bottom of the pool and there was a large slide to the right, a smaller children’s one on the left side.
I thought the whole complex was magical, the underwater windows on the dive area were fascinating.
Aside from Hershey Park, Playland was the closest you could come to Disneyland in Pennsylvania. I always looked forward to our trips down from Harrisburg.
Do you (does anyone?) remember Playland? It was probably before your time. My parents took me there when I was a kid. I loved it. I don’t know how long it survived.
Here’s what a friend, Stateboy from Columbia, recalls:
“The Playland Pool underwater viewing windows (which I only ever glimpsed from the highway as Dad drove by) remind me of the Marineland scenes in REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, where Lori Nelson and ‘Blackie’ sort of…well, ogle each other. …” :–)
The other Lancaster drive-in was, as I recall, the Sky Vue, on route 30 east. That, as you said, quickly became prime real estate.
Thanks for all the info, John S. I know little about the York drive-ins, other than vague memories of attending them from time to time. I remember the Lincoln as being fairly rural at the time.
I also attended the Comet and one other drive-in in Lancaster.
Strange you should mention the “cannibalized” Stony Brook projection booth.
I’ve added three new photos including one of the very “no frills” projection building. View link
Interesting. I always wondered what happened to the remains of the Senate. I have some color photos somewhere. Thanks.
I have to admit I have never gotten over that theater’s demolition. The Senate and the Penway were the key theaters where I first discovered movies when I was growing up.
Harrisburg had little regard for it’s vintage theater history. No downtown theaters survived. Then I went through the whole demolition trauma thing – deja vu all over again – when I lived on the second block of N. Queen St. in Lancaster. But there is happened all at once, within a few weeks and, like some recurring nightmare, my apartment was right in the middle of it!
A Photoshop-ed “CinemaScope image of the Stony Brook Drive-In on the east side of York. As yet it seems this has not been included here. I have other photos from some years ago. I assume the Stony Brook no longer exists? View link
Also on 13th St. was the Capitol. It was down towards Market St. and part of the 13th & Market shopping district that also included a Lee’s Five & Ten, a florist, a bakery, a drugstore (on one of the corners), and of course a big farmer’s market. Later there was a Robert Hall’s.
The Capitol was even seedier than the Roxy (which actually was not that seedy). Nobody ever seems to remember or mention the Capitol. I seem to remember when it was razed, probably in the early ‘50s, there was a parking lot there for a time. The theater was just up from the corner drugstore towards and on the same side of the street as the Roxy. I think there may also have been a firehouse near or next to the theater. I know there was another church besides Christ Lutheran up the street too.
I wish there were photos of both of these theaters but I doubt any exist.
Don’t forget pretzel sticks in a little cellophane-covered box and chocolate covered raisins.
The lady at the Penway refreshment stand once said I was going to turn into a chocolate-covered raisin!
I really liked the Uptown.
The Roxy shared a newspaper block ad with the Penway, the Grand, and the Valle. It was across the street from the cathedral-like Christ Lutheran Church. (Christ Lutheran had a neon cross on its high tower. It could be seen at a distance from many points in Harrisburg and was a sort of landmark).
I saw the Roxy every Sunday when we went to church when I lived on Hoerner St. And often wished I was going there instead, though this was a theater I seldom attended.
I vaguely recall that at that period it was not considered one of the “nice” theaters (like the Penway). I assume the whole neighborhood is probably not that nice now.
But will it fit on the marquee?
Just saw PETULIA and THE MUSIC LOVERS there on Saturday night. Richard Chamberlain also appeared to discuss the films.
MUSIC LOVERS was a gorgeous Panavision print!
Hello John – My e-mail is
Thanks! I’ll look forward to reading it.
We did not attend the Paxtang very often and so my memories are spotty. So I really enjoyed your piece. Many of my Central Dauphin H.S. friends lived in Paxtang and Lenker (sp?) Manor.
I have a collection of film material from the days when it was affordable to collect. I remember once the editor of Cinefantastique (for which I used to write) sold a bunch of original Disney material very cheap. I also used to find stuff in the Lancaster flea markets, Renninger’s, etc. Like a lot of movie magazines.
Was there a York theater called the Hi-Way (or something?)
I’d like to read it. Could it be e-mailed or linked?
Later in life my mother lived in an apartment to the left of the Paxtang. I used to park on the back lot and on one visit noticed a pile of trash behind the theater. Much to my mom’s mortification I immediately started rooting through it. A prize discovery, among other items, was a poster for MGM’s “Sweet Bird of Youth” starring Geraldine Page and Paul Newman.
I still have it. But can’t help but wonder many posters, stills, and lobby cards were thrown out in a similar fashion? Sad.
I also remember that when I was a small child Paxtang Park (in the same general area as the theater, through an underpass at the intersection near the theater) seemed very natural, woodsy, and beautiful. I have vague memories of an old stone mill-type structure with a millpond of sparkling clear water. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
I think now one of the Harrisburg bypasses runs over or along the park.
Foureyes – Yes, I remember neighbors named the Hibners and Flossie.
My parents were also friends with a couple named John and Addie down the street. I always thought Addie was an odd name, probably a nickname.
Our backyard faced some of the backyards on 17th St. We also used to visit neighbors who lived on 17th, about two or three houses down from Liberty. I remember they had rather large front porches.
My relatives, the Kings, lived on Miller St., a small street, almost an alley, about half a block over from State and a half block down from the Penway.
I write a lot about film music and composers. I’d be interested in who Natalie married?
Also in more photos of any Harrisburg theaters.
I’d really be interested in an interior shot of the Penway. These are rare or impossible I know. I remember large mural-type illustrations on the inside wall of the auditorium.
After college I had one of my first apartments at 123 N. Queen St. The second block was then the “theater district” of old Lancaster. I was still living there in the midst of the catastrophic demolition from which Lancaster has apparently still never quite recovered.
Four theaters were razed, including an abandoned old classic called the Hamilton. I am very sorry I never got to see the interior.
The night the wrecking ball was taken to the Brunswick Hotel was like a sequence in a Fellini movie!
My apartment was a few doors down from the Grand.
Of all the vintage Lancaster theaters only the historic Fulton Opera House survived. It was still showing films when I moved to the city.
PS: DennisZ: Great entry. Break your comments into paragraphs & they would make a good entry on the Comet &/or the Sky Vue….
Wish I could join you too, but I’m in California. I remember seeing GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER at the Comet. It had a neat sign at the entrance too.
John S: Now that you mention it I think there was a roller rink at Playland. If you faced the property from the highway the miniature golf course and pool were on the left, and the rink was to the right. I think you drove in between them.
The golf course was right in front of the pool which, as I said, was uniquely elevated and shaped like a kind of oval or horseshoe-shaped bowl. Behind the pool there were grounds, mostly grassy lawn, for sunbathing.
There were large paintings of sea creatures on the bottom of the pool and there was a large slide to the right, a smaller children’s one on the left side.
I thought the whole complex was magical, the underwater windows on the dive area were fascinating.
Aside from Hershey Park, Playland was the closest you could come to Disneyland in Pennsylvania. I always looked forward to our trips down from Harrisburg.
Do you (does anyone?) remember Playland? It was probably before your time. My parents took me there when I was a kid. I loved it. I don’t know how long it survived.
Here’s what a friend, Stateboy from Columbia, recalls:
“The Playland Pool underwater viewing windows (which I only ever glimpsed from the highway as Dad drove by) remind me of the Marineland scenes in REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, where Lori Nelson and ‘Blackie’ sort of…well, ogle each other. …” :–)
The other Lancaster drive-in was, as I recall, the Sky Vue, on route 30 east. That, as you said, quickly became prime real estate.
Thanks for all the info, John S. I know little about the York drive-ins, other than vague memories of attending them from time to time. I remember the Lincoln as being fairly rural at the time.
I also attended the Comet and one other drive-in in Lancaster.
Strange you should mention the “cannibalized” Stony Brook projection booth.
I’ve added three new photos including one of the very “no frills” projection building.
View link
RE: Stony Brook/Lincoln:
View link
Wasn’t there a cool little snack place called The Spot across Market Square from the Senate?
This should take you to my in-progress FLICKr album:
View link
Interesting. I always wondered what happened to the remains of the Senate. I have some color photos somewhere. Thanks.
I have to admit I have never gotten over that theater’s demolition. The Senate and the Penway were the key theaters where I first discovered movies when I was growing up.
Harrisburg had little regard for it’s vintage theater history. No downtown theaters survived. Then I went through the whole demolition trauma thing – deja vu all over again – when I lived on the second block of N. Queen St. in Lancaster. But there is happened all at once, within a few weeks and, like some recurring nightmare, my apartment was right in the middle of it!
Now on FLICKr:
View link
Now on FLICKr:
View link
A Photoshop-ed “CinemaScope image of the Stony Brook Drive-In on the east side of York. As yet it seems this has not been included here. I have other photos from some years ago. I assume the Stony Brook no longer exists?
View link
Close up of the marquee:
View link
Also on 13th St. was the Capitol. It was down towards Market St. and part of the 13th & Market shopping district that also included a Lee’s Five & Ten, a florist, a bakery, a drugstore (on one of the corners), and of course a big farmer’s market. Later there was a Robert Hall’s.
The Capitol was even seedier than the Roxy (which actually was not that seedy). Nobody ever seems to remember or mention the Capitol. I seem to remember when it was razed, probably in the early ‘50s, there was a parking lot there for a time. The theater was just up from the corner drugstore towards and on the same side of the street as the Roxy. I think there may also have been a firehouse near or next to the theater. I know there was another church besides Christ Lutheran up the street too.
I wish there were photos of both of these theaters but I doubt any exist.
Don’t forget pretzel sticks in a little cellophane-covered box and chocolate covered raisins.
The lady at the Penway refreshment stand once said I was going to turn into a chocolate-covered raisin!
I really liked the Uptown.
The Roxy shared a newspaper block ad with the Penway, the Grand, and the Valle. It was across the street from the cathedral-like Christ Lutheran Church. (Christ Lutheran had a neon cross on its high tower. It could be seen at a distance from many points in Harrisburg and was a sort of landmark).
I saw the Roxy every Sunday when we went to church when I lived on Hoerner St. And often wished I was going there instead, though this was a theater I seldom attended.
I vaguely recall that at that period it was not considered one of the “nice” theaters (like the Penway). I assume the whole neighborhood is probably not that nice now.
What’s happened to Foureyes?????
But will it fit on the marquee?
Just saw PETULIA and THE MUSIC LOVERS there on Saturday night. Richard Chamberlain also appeared to discuss the films.
MUSIC LOVERS was a gorgeous Panavision print!
PS Actually the Kelly Retro was March 25-28.
AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE Gene Kelly Retrospective, March 25-27, 2010
View link
Hello John – My e-mail is
Thanks! I’ll look forward to reading it.
We did not attend the Paxtang very often and so my memories are spotty. So I really enjoyed your piece. Many of my Central Dauphin H.S. friends lived in Paxtang and Lenker (sp?) Manor.
I have a collection of film material from the days when it was affordable to collect. I remember once the editor of Cinefantastique (for which I used to write) sold a bunch of original Disney material very cheap. I also used to find stuff in the Lancaster flea markets, Renninger’s, etc. Like a lot of movie magazines.
Was there a York theater called the Hi-Way (or something?)
I’d like to read it. Could it be e-mailed or linked?
Later in life my mother lived in an apartment to the left of the Paxtang. I used to park on the back lot and on one visit noticed a pile of trash behind the theater. Much to my mom’s mortification I immediately started rooting through it. A prize discovery, among other items, was a poster for MGM’s “Sweet Bird of Youth” starring Geraldine Page and Paul Newman.
I still have it. But can’t help but wonder many posters, stills, and lobby cards were thrown out in a similar fashion? Sad.
I also remember that when I was a small child Paxtang Park (in the same general area as the theater, through an underpass at the intersection near the theater) seemed very natural, woodsy, and beautiful. I have vague memories of an old stone mill-type structure with a millpond of sparkling clear water. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
I think now one of the Harrisburg bypasses runs over or along the park.
Foureyes – Yes, I remember neighbors named the Hibners and Flossie.
My parents were also friends with a couple named John and Addie down the street. I always thought Addie was an odd name, probably a nickname.
Our backyard faced some of the backyards on 17th St. We also used to visit neighbors who lived on 17th, about two or three houses down from Liberty. I remember they had rather large front porches.
My relatives, the Kings, lived on Miller St., a small street, almost an alley, about half a block over from State and a half block down from the Penway.
I write a lot about film music and composers. I’d be interested in who Natalie married?
Also in more photos of any Harrisburg theaters.
I’d really be interested in an interior shot of the Penway. These are rare or impossible I know. I remember large mural-type illustrations on the inside wall of the auditorium.
Very nice piece. I almost missed it because I’ve always considered Paxtang part of Harrisburg.
I also remember a firehouse next to the theater. You can sort of see it to the right of the photo.
John S – I’d like to read your piece on the Paxtang and anything else you’ve done. How? Please let me know.