Empire Theatre
Oak Street,
Lewiston,
ME
04240
Oak Street,
Lewiston,
ME
04240
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Is the Empire Theater still standing ? If so, what is it now used for ?
In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Empire, along with the Music Hall,Strand and Priscilla in Lewiston, was being operated by John Ford, an affiliate of Paramount Theatres.
Does anyone have any pics of the inside this theatre?
I saw the film “Rocky” here in late July 1977 for 99 cents, with a few co-workers of mine, on my first job, a summer job, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
I get my 30 year plaque or pin from the Corps of Engineers tomorrow.
1984 Photo
1986 photo of the empire Theatre.
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Here is a vintage exterior photo.
Just a small correction, on that page it lists the Empire as easily accessible to visitors of Poland Spring. There wasn’t one in Poland. Also, in my 47 years I never saw the theater resemble that postcard. None of that ornamentation was there when I first saw Bambi at age 4. I don’t know how long ago it was stripped off, but it had been a blighted eyesore for decades before it was torn down. it’s not the fault of the people who tore it down, it’s the fault of whoever took off the facade 50 or more years ago.
The theatre was demolished. Its gone.
This theatre has been brought to the attention of CT members and I, for one, feel it should be saved as I don’t think another parking lot is what the community needs for their downtown ‘development’!
Great links TC! Those links raise an interesting question. Both links list the Empire theater as being on Main St. The address above says Oak St. To add to the confusion, there is an Empire theater listed on Oak St in Poland Springs, Maine. On the following link (scroll down near the middle of the page) there is a postcard photo of an Empire theater in Poland Springs. It looks just like the Empire theater on Main St.
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old photos:
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this one has a lot of the history:
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Here is another postcard and the caption that was with it reads:
“Empire Theatre, Lewiston, Maine
Opened in 1903 with 1,400 seats in a town of 38,000. Began with a stage show, Yankee Consul. Became a church in 1984. The building still stands”.
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Here is an old postcard showing the Empire Theatre. Check also news on the Empire about the theatre’s imminent demolition.