I don’t see how the photo from 1916 can possibly be the same building. The entry looks much taller. Even in the 1957 photos the building plainly has a very old cast iron front which must have been original to the building. Wherever the 1916 photo was taken, it was a much fancier building.
Street number is confusing. Corner lot (900 presumably) is a converted gas station which might be from about 1930. Then there is an empty lot, one side of which was filled as recently as 2012 by a low single-story wood frame store. The left half of the remaining building is 924. If it really was 904, it likely would have been right next door to the gas station, and should be listed as demolished.
The article says the theater opened in 1917, and closed in 1969, although there is a photo of it with the marquee advertising ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1970), and a bunch of new cars (presumably from the dealer) parked on the sidewalk. Go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter ‘Woodbine Carthage’ in the search bar to see the photo.
Theater was on the odd side of the 300 block of Oak. For streetview purposes, was right across from the little prefab shed (senior center). Photo here: http://www.dallascity-il.com/photos/viewalbum.php?album=8&photo=18
For an early ‘70s view of the building, go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter 'alton 1662 washington’ in the search bar. Can we confirm whether demolition was in ‘77 or '97?
The address looks wrong. 125-ish is the park behind the library, and a few of the trees look quite old. That also puts it all the way at the very edge of downtown, which is an odd location. Plenty of demolition in downtown, with the north side of the 200 block having suffered the most severely. Probably one of the missing teeth there.
I spent the night in Wells about 8 years ago, and drove out to the Kee on snowy roads. They were showing something I’d already seen, but I donated the price of a ticket, and the kindly old man who was running the place let me wander around and take a bunch of pictures. When I get them up on Flickr, I’ll share a link.
This is not a remodel, and was not done in 2014. Street view from 2008 shows it under construction. Maybe they tore down the old theater to build it? About half of the old downtown has been demolished, including almost the entire north side of Main, so I’m not sure where 4 theaters would have fit in such a tiny town (didn’t reach 1,000 people until the 1950 census).
Theater was around before 1941 for sure. Found a picture pre-remodel (1938), and the building at that point was your typical semi-fancy brick front thing from the ‘20s.
Marker is in the wrong place. The street number is between 300 and 308 (eastern corner of Main and Morris). The Odd Fellows hall next door is 310. Opening in 1937 was inauspicious, because the local coal mine closed in 1939, and the nearby mine in Jerome closed in 1945. Surprised it hung on as long as it did.
Google has shockingly poor coverage of this entire area. Most towns got one quick pass on the main road past town in 2008 and nothing since, so still no streetview. I had sent the one photo to John years ago so he could add this, and I’ve finally gotten around to editing the batch. I’ll post a link to Flickr when I upload them.
Lastly, there was another theater in town. It may have been called the Nicollette, and was much older. Based on the one photo I found, if it hasn’t been demolished, it might be the building on Center St next to the Borough Hall/Fire Station (marked on Google map). Sadly, I didn’t realize anything was on Center, so no picture of that.
Need to fix the description! Remove the part about the Palace, which is wrong. Figure out if the Palace was the other theater building on 12th, and create an entry if we can name it.
Streetview is facing the wrong way, and a bit too far East. 2008 streetview shows your typical turn of the century 2-story commercial block. Very deep, with a gable roof at the rear. Looks derelict already, 3 storefronts, one might have been a bar. Only really notable feature was the white glazed brick columns along the front.
Sorry, typo for the remodel date. I imagine it must have been about 1946, when it ‘opened’ according to the article. It’s clear from looking at the brick that the entire front of the building was removed and replaced. Also, those windows are not stained glass, it’s glass block, and there are three strips, not four.
I think Chuck was badly confused about this theater, and suggest the description be changed.
Looks like the name history in the listing is wrong. The photos clearly show the marquee said ‘New Moon’. Maybe ‘Moon’ was just a mistake in the first few listings? Anyhow, this should be listed under ‘New Moon’, not the shamefully lame ‘Showplace 3’, which was only toward the very end.
Anyhow, current usage as of my visit in 2014 was a church which runs the bowling alley on a reduced schedule. Marquee protected under some bland siding. Maybe they can restore it?
Exterior ruined with a coat of white paint. Of course, since they just used cheap stuff, it’s already peeling in the 2015 streetview. Hopefully someone will see sense and strip it all off.
I don’t see how the photo from 1916 can possibly be the same building. The entry looks much taller. Even in the 1957 photos the building plainly has a very old cast iron front which must have been original to the building. Wherever the 1916 photo was taken, it was a much fancier building.
Street number is confusing. Corner lot (900 presumably) is a converted gas station which might be from about 1930. Then there is an empty lot, one side of which was filled as recently as 2012 by a low single-story wood frame store. The left half of the remaining building is 924. If it really was 904, it likely would have been right next door to the gas station, and should be listed as demolished.
The article says the theater opened in 1917, and closed in 1969, although there is a photo of it with the marquee advertising ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1970), and a bunch of new cars (presumably from the dealer) parked on the sidewalk. Go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter ‘Woodbine Carthage’ in the search bar to see the photo.
Survived to at least 1956, another photo has it showing ‘The Searchers’.
Theater was on the odd side of the 300 block of Oak. For streetview purposes, was right across from the little prefab shed (senior center). Photo here: http://www.dallascity-il.com/photos/viewalbum.php?album=8&photo=18
For an early ‘70s view of the building, go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter 'alton 1662 washington’ in the search bar. Can we confirm whether demolition was in ‘77 or '97?
This is just a duplicate of a photo uploaded in 2015.
I don’t know what it was actually named after, but Alton is in Madison County.
Needs to be listed as demolished. Probably the parking lot in the 100 block of W Main.
The address looks wrong. 125-ish is the park behind the library, and a few of the trees look quite old. That also puts it all the way at the very edge of downtown, which is an odd location. Plenty of demolition in downtown, with the north side of the 200 block having suffered the most severely. Probably one of the missing teeth there.
Looks abandoned as of the 9/14 streetview.
I spent the night in Wells about 8 years ago, and drove out to the Kee on snowy roads. They were showing something I’d already seen, but I donated the price of a ticket, and the kindly old man who was running the place let me wander around and take a bunch of pictures. When I get them up on Flickr, I’ll share a link.
This is not a remodel, and was not done in 2014. Street view from 2008 shows it under construction. Maybe they tore down the old theater to build it? About half of the old downtown has been demolished, including almost the entire north side of Main, so I’m not sure where 4 theaters would have fit in such a tiny town (didn’t reach 1,000 people until the 1950 census).
Theater was around before 1941 for sure. Found a picture pre-remodel (1938), and the building at that point was your typical semi-fancy brick front thing from the ‘20s.
Extensively remodeled, current function is apartments and retail. White brick building, might be from the ‘20s originally.
Google has typically terrible coverage of this town, like most of the rest of central PA, but I think this is on Broadway between 5th and Center.
Owner’s daughters? There’s a tiny scrap of terrazzo left in front, and it’s written as ‘Mary-Lee’ there.
Marker is in the wrong place. The street number is between 300 and 308 (eastern corner of Main and Morris). The Odd Fellows hall next door is 310. Opening in 1937 was inauspicious, because the local coal mine closed in 1939, and the nearby mine in Jerome closed in 1945. Surprised it hung on as long as it did.
Google has shockingly poor coverage of this entire area. Most towns got one quick pass on the main road past town in 2008 and nothing since, so still no streetview. I had sent the one photo to John years ago so he could add this, and I’ve finally gotten around to editing the batch. I’ll post a link to Flickr when I upload them.
Lastly, there was another theater in town. It may have been called the Nicollette, and was much older. Based on the one photo I found, if it hasn’t been demolished, it might be the building on Center St next to the Borough Hall/Fire Station (marked on Google map). Sadly, I didn’t realize anything was on Center, so no picture of that.
Very well preserved for something closed so long. It’s now a bar, seemed popular with an older crowd.
Need to fix the description! Remove the part about the Palace, which is wrong. Figure out if the Palace was the other theater building on 12th, and create an entry if we can name it.
Streetview is facing the wrong way, and a bit too far East. 2008 streetview shows your typical turn of the century 2-story commercial block. Very deep, with a gable roof at the rear. Looks derelict already, 3 storefronts, one might have been a bar. Only really notable feature was the white glazed brick columns along the front.
Sorry, typo for the remodel date. I imagine it must have been about 1946, when it ‘opened’ according to the article. It’s clear from looking at the brick that the entire front of the building was removed and replaced. Also, those windows are not stained glass, it’s glass block, and there are three strips, not four.
I think Chuck was badly confused about this theater, and suggest the description be changed.
Looks like the name history in the listing is wrong. The photos clearly show the marquee said ‘New Moon’. Maybe ‘Moon’ was just a mistake in the first few listings? Anyhow, this should be listed under ‘New Moon’, not the shamefully lame ‘Showplace 3’, which was only toward the very end.
Anyhow, current usage as of my visit in 2014 was a church which runs the bowling alley on a reduced schedule. Marquee protected under some bland siding. Maybe they can restore it?
Exterior ruined with a coat of white paint. Of course, since they just used cheap stuff, it’s already peeling in the 2015 streetview. Hopefully someone will see sense and strip it all off.