Art Theatre

The Art Theatre was located at 1670 Main Street and it was listed at having 934 seats.

The Art was also known as the Nelson and the Fox.

Built and opened in 1909 as Nelson's Theater, it became the Fox in 1919. In 1934, it became the Art. It closed in 1956 and was razed in July, 1961. The Art had no balcony. It's exterior front had a small, old marquee (left over from it's Fox years) with small spaces for titles on it's sides and on the front. Looming above the marquee was a verticle sign spelling out ART that was capped by a circle. This sign lit up at night and was a bookend to the Paramount's own verticle sign just seven doors down on Main St. A ticket booth stood in the center with two doors on either side of it.

This dingy theater had a reputation of being a haven for drunkards and drug addicts during the late 1950's. Most teens were warned not to save 50 cents by taking a date to this second run Warner house. Apparently, this theater did have its prime during the Nelson and Fox years. It appeared that once the Paramount became Springfield's premiere movie palace the Art, being several doors south, settled for being the has been.

There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Art in Springfield. The 1941 photo shows the Art's entrance in the middle of a large office building. There is a small marquee with a large vertical sign above. Attractions are "Strawberry Blonde" and "Mistic Circle Murders". Below the marquee is a center boxoffice, with double doors on either side, flanked by poster cases. Someone penciled in "WB" on the report, probably for Warner Bros. The Report states that the Art is on Main St., that it is not showing MGM product, that it's over 15 years old; is in Good condition, and has about 1,000 seats, all on one floor. Also typed on the form is "Last Run".