Pocahontas Theatre
McDowell Street,
Welch,
WV
24801
McDowell Street,
Welch,
WV
24801
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Opened Christmas Day, 1928 in Welch, WV, “the heart of the billion dollar coalfields”. One of the first theatres to use indirect lighting in the auditorium, and, with its magnificent theatre organ, was called “The Showplace of McDowell County”.
Managed in the 1950’s by L.E. Rogers, who was mayor of Welch. Later, managed by “Buddy” Rogers, his son. The Rogers family was sued in the 1950’s by the film companies for under-reporting grosses at the Pocahontas Theatre and their other theatre in Welch, the Temple Theatre.
The theatre was remodeled and prospered during the 1940’s and 1950’s, but when the coal boom ended, and as McDowell County lost 80% of its population over the next several years, it began to deteriorate. It was destroyed by fire (possibly an insurance arson fire) in 1978.
Contributed by
Jarrell Greever
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Here is a history of the Pocahontas Theater.
Here is a photo of the Pocahontas Marquee:
Here is a vintage photo showing the Pocahontas Theater and the Temple Theater.
There is an interior photo of the Pocahontas on this page:
http://tinyurl.com/3qozpv
The year given for this photo is 1979 but it could be from 1978.
The West Virginia History page Lost Memory linked to says that Alex B. Mahood was the architect of the Pocahontas Theatre.
Mahood also designed a Jewell Valley Theatre in Jewell Valley, Virginia, which opened in 1944, according to Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of August 18, 1945. The 350-seat house was the first movie theater ever built with radiant floor heating. I don’t find the Jewell Valley Theatre listed at Cinema Treasures.