Orpheum Theater
108 W. 8th Street,
Topeka,
KS
66603
108 W. 8th Street,
Topeka,
KS
66603
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This is a very rare theater in Topeka, Kansas that has pretty much been buried with the passage of time. I found a bit of information on it at the public library.
Built in 1915, it was located downtown at 108 West 8th Street, two blocks west of the Dickinson Theater, a block south of the Jayhawk Theater, and three to four blocks south of the Grand Theater. It originally seated 700, and functioned as movies only. It was renovated in 1948, and 300 seats were added, making it 1,000 seats total.
A couple of tidbits about its history: out of the four big theaters downtown (including the Jayhawk, Grand, and Dickinson), this theater was the last of them to get sound equipment for “talkies”, but it was the first to show 3-D movies. By the 1950’s or so, advertisements would dub this theater as the “cool Orpheum”.
This theater would stand for 50 years, and would be demolished in 1965 in order to make room for a high-rise bank building and parking garage, which still remain.
Contributed by
Michael J Parsons
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
A Reuter theater organ opus 199 size 2/8 was installed in the Orpheum Theater in 1926.
There is a photo of the Orpheum in The Reel Journal, August 9, 1924.