Liberty Theater

Tinseltoes on July 4, 2012 at 1:44 pm

1950 renovation: boxoffice

lostmemory on May 5, 2009 at 7:43 pm

1982 Photo

kencmcintyre on March 16, 2009 at 9:54 am

The Benton Harbor News-Palladium reported on the closing of the theater on October 29, 1972. Here is an exceprt from the 10/24/72 article as well as a photo from that day’s issue:
http://tinyurl.com/9zf2p5

The “last picture show” will play Sunday, October 29, at the Liberty Theater in Benton Harbor. That isn’t the title of the film, but the curtain will drop for the last time on the Liberty under the operation of Butterfield Theaters.

Harry Himes, Liberty manager, said Butterfield’s lease terminates Nov. 1 with the owner of the building, Highland Building orporation, 1701 West 87th street, Chicago. Himes said Butterfield decided not to renew the building lease because of declining attendance caused by opening of new theaters in area shopping centers.

Butterfield will leave the Liberty as an operating theater â€" fully equipped and ready to go. Edward David, president of Highland Building Corporation, said he is hopeful of finding a new tenant to continue operation as a theater. Himes, Liberty manager since 1950, said he will remain with Butterfield as supervisor of a group of theaters in western Michigan. Butterfield operates 50 theaters in the state. Himes will continue residency here for the present.

The Liberty has been a Benton Harbor landmark at 212 East Main Street since it opened in 1922 â€" the days of vaudeville and silent films. “Talkies” arrived in 1929 when “Submarine” drew a record single day crowd of 7,000 as the first “sound” film at the Liberty. The Liberty has been remodeled several times to keep abreast of cinematic technology and provide comfort for the audience to make it one of the top showplaces in western Michigan.

Nostalgia buffs will remember it as a theater where stage shows and movies appeared on the same billing, where Blossom queens were crowned, where “Gone With The Wind” was first shown in this area.

lostmemory on December 1, 2008 at 1:56 pm

In 1955 the Liberty Theater had 1,438 seats.

Chuck1231 on October 25, 2005 at 3:54 pm

From the Michigan Historic Site Online.
The Liberty Theater is a rectangular, two-story, flat-roof, brick commercial structure whose Sullivanesque front facade displays white terra cotta ornamentation of historical inspiration. The central portion of the facade projects forward slightly and its stepped parapet holds a central cartouche enframed by festoons above a main cornice with garland frieze that caps the second story. The second story contains five, square-head windows. Terra cotta medallions of identical design decorate the wall surfaces beside the windows and the parapet at either end of the festoon band. A lintel below the windows is supported on decorative consoles. The wall surface to either side of the facades projecting central area is treated as a panel. Each panel displays a centrally positioned ornamental cluster with cartouche and festoons, and, below, a medallion identical in design to those at second-story and parapet levels. The facades renovated street level has a Moderne treatment, including enamelled metal panels on the V-shaped marquee. The theater interior with its arched ceiling displays elaborate plaster work which is now deteriorated due to water infiltration.

The Liberty Theater has historical significance as Benton Harbors largest movie palace and as the site of movie patronage for over fifty years. Completed in February 1922, the Liberty was constructed by the Blair McElroy and Kenneth Fitzpatrick theater syndicate. A little less than seven years later, the Liberty Theater, now owned by the Walter Scott Butterfield theater chain, hosted the first sound film viewed in Benton Harbor. After over half a century of patronage, and with the opening of multi-screen theaters, the Liberty Theater closed in 1975. The city purchased the building in 1989. While the theater remains vacant, the city of Benton Harbor hopes historic designation will lead to financial assistance from the public and the private sector to restore and to rehabilitate the former movie palace.
Unfortunately there was no restoration achieved as the roof collapsed and the building was demolished.

Chuck1231 on August 19, 2005 at 9:32 pm

Another vintage photo of the Liberty Theatre.
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