I do not know whether the Palms Theater was an open air theater, but apparently the fire was started by a boy playing with matches. An older resident of New Port Richey told me recently that he was “certain” that a friend of his (whom he named) was playing with matches on a Sunday morning and inadvertently caused the fire. (A check of a calendar confirms that Jan. 30, 1938, was a Sunday.)
I do not know whether the Palms Theater was an open air theater, but apparently the fire was started by a boy playing with matches. An older resident of New Port Richey told me recently that he was “certain” that a friend of his (whom he named) was playing with matches on a Sunday morning and inadvertently caused the fire. (A check of a calendar confirms that Jan. 30, 1938, was a Sunday.)