Home State Theatre
621 N. Robinson Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
621 N. Robinson Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
1 person
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This theater originally had a Neo-Classical style exterior and a Byzantine style interior, which was remodeled into a Streamline design in the 1940’s. It is currently used as office space. The theater was in operation from 1923 to 1951.
Contributed by
Lauren Grubb
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
On this site can be seen two views of the 2200 seat auditorium. These photos would have been taken in the late 1940s after all the lavish Byzantine gingerbread had been stripped away to give the space a more contemporary, streamline look. There was also a 300 seat auditorium on the fifth floor.
Enter word ‘auditorium’ in search field field, then enter,
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They say seeing is believing, according to these 1940s photos the actual name must have been Home State Theatre. The Kimball pipe organ was so massive it had three separate consoles, and apparently was played up to the end.
Although the site is listed above I will re-enter it here for ease of navigation. To see upper floor auditorium type in word “stage”. To view Home State Theatre images enter word “theatre”-
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An important fact should be noted, once Warner Bros took over this house in 1930 the name changed to Warner’s Auditorium and the main entrance moved around the corner to 210 Northwest Sixth Street, and remained there until the theatre closed in 1951. Photos on above posting are of the Sixth Street entrance, showing the official name as Home State Auditorium.
During WWII years the tiny auditorium on the fifth floor began showing Fox News Reels, making this one of the first twin cinemas.
Official name of the former fifth floor newsreel cinema was Harding Hall. For a good auditorium image go to above okhistory web site and enter name “harding”.
The Home State Theater has a Kimball pipe organ quite similar to this one played by Simon Gledhill, on the 3/38 Kimball pipe organ inside the Oriental Theatre Milwaukee.
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It is located in what became the Journal-Record Building, which was heavily damaged in the OKC bombing on 19 April 1995. The building now houses the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum, which has its puvlic entrance on the west side. The north side of the building looks much like it did when the Home State Theatre was located there, minus the marquee. View link
Vintage photo of the Home State Theatre.
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As late as 1947 the Home State Theatre featured an organist during intermissions.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039958/
Interactive map of downtown Oklahoma City
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1947 photo of Home State Theater added to this site showing “The Vigilantes Return”. Theater was removed from the Home State building sometime in 50’s. Part of the building was used as a Military processing / induction center during the Viet Nam era 60’s – 70’s while also housing other commercial offices as well as a coffee shop. I never experienced the Theater but, did experience the good ole Army processing, induction in the early 60’s at this location along with several hundred other guys.