Castle Theatre
209 E. Washington Street,
Bloomington,
IL
61704
209 E. Washington Street,
Bloomington,
IL
61704
6 people
favorited this theater
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Castle Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Balaban & Katz Corp., GKC Theatres, Publix Great States Theatres Corp
Functions: Concerts
Previous Names: Castle Cinema
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
309.820.0352
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 6, 2007 — Bank forecloses on Castle theater
- Jan 10, 2007 — Castle Theatre closes in Bloomington, Illinois
- Dec 3, 2003 — Castle Theater Builds on its Success
The Castle Theatre opened January 24, 1916 as a 1,000-seat movie theatre, and remained a popular Bloomington movie theater until 1988.
The Castle Theatre was reopened in 2003 by GKC Theatres, following a much-needed restoration as a “brew and view” style first-run movie house, but was closed again in January 2007.
A church, which has used the theater for Sunday morning services since 2005, continued to meet at the Castle Theatre until late-2010. New owners took over and it is now used as a concert venue.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 41 comments)
CLARENCE IRVIN was the main theatre operator in Bloomington, Illinois and all of his houses were in partnership with Balaban and Katz and later ABC Paramount!
Wow, I remember the renovation of this theater occurring and that it only had just reopened, back in my brief Illinois State University days in the mid-2000s! Also recall reading about the church that had started to use the Castle, after I sadly(due to grades) was forced to drop out of Illinois State. Great to hear it’s being used as a music venue, as of now.
January 24th, 1916 grand opening ad in photo section.
Photo added. Castle Theater concession stand February 16, 1953. ISU Milner Archives photo.
1917 photo added courtesy Kenneth R. Davis.
Moving Picture World Book about original Castle Opening.
https://books.google.com/books?id=saMbAQAAMAAJ&dq=castle%20theater%20bloomington&pg=PA1166&fbclid=IwAR2B7a8YuVvTk1msSZJezXXu1PJTwhGpN6LcVoPg0n6Dmw70G7EvQl4MKkE#v=onepage&q=castle%20theater%20bloom&f=false
Architect Aaron T. Simmons of George Howell Harris & Associates had two very different sets of plans for the New Castle. The first was more pertaining to a Castle and the second set of plans much more like the high rise it became.
The previous Castle Theatre didn’t quite make it to the January 24, 1916 opening. It had been deemed unsafe operating to the end of March of 1915 and razed in April of 1915. It has its own Cinema Treasures page. Organist Harry Wilson, who played the Hammers pipe organ at the previous Castle, was rehired as the organist at the launch of the new Castle. He made factory visits and helped design the custom pipe organ installed at the New Castle.
Last operated by GKC, closed on June 9, 1988 with “Nightfall”. This was once known as Castle Cinema.
Fun Fact: GKC Theatres was also its last operator prior to its original June 9, 1988 closure.
Once operated by Publix Great States Theatres.