Wareham Theatre
410 Poyntz Avenue,
Manhattan,
KS
66502
410 Poyntz Avenue,
Manhattan,
KS
66502
2 people
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The Moore’s Opera House Opened On August 17th, 1893. The Theater Reopened As The Wareham Theatre On September 15, 1938.
The Oct. 27, 1951 issue of Boxoffice had a two-page story, with pictures, of the Wareham and how it rebounded from terrible flood damage in July that year.
I found a couple photos of the Wareham Theater I had taken years ago. Uploaded both of them (one twice somehow, sorry). One of the concession stand and the other of the screen area (now removed). They both look much smaller than I remember from working there in the 1970’s.
I just learned of this theatre in Manhattan, Kansas known as “the little Apple”. Very nice.
Tinseltoes: The Carlton is not yet listed. CinemaTour gives the address of the Carlton Theatre as 300 S. 4th Street. It is probably the same building that now houses Ady’s Appliance, 302 S. 4th (southwest corner of Pierre Street), though architect Louis Siebers' streamline modern facade has been given a boxy modernization
I’m afraid I’ve reached the limits of my memory. I remember, as a boy and teenager, crossing the river and seeing the drive-in. How far east, I’m not sure but certainly not too far. Venturing a guess, I would say maybe a mile or two at the most east of the river.
I’m not sure what is on the property now but I know Manhattan has expanded somewhat in that direction (more so to the west). I do get back there occasionally and will check it out and post back
Thanks yet again, Hendy. How far east of the river was the Edgewood? Do you know what occupies the the former Edgewood & Bob’s properties now?
I just looked at the postcard again and I believe I can make out the Edgewood’s screen tower just above the motel roof and behind the trees. Here is a link to the postcard: View link
You are getting closer. Just a bit farther to the east on US24 and across the Blue River. The theater was located on the north side of the highway. Using Mapquest, I cannot find any street/road names that would be helpful but what I’m describing is the general area. I Googled Bob’s Motel (right next to the Edgewood) and found an old postcard with a picture of the motel. It describes being next door to a theater but no solid address given.
Thanks again, Hendy. I have pinpointed the Sky Vue, but am not sure about the Edgewood. What street/road was the Edgewood on? Perhaps on/near McCall & Kretschmer Dr?
No, neither location is correct. Both of the areas you reference are on the west and northwest side of Manhattan. The theaters were not located there. The Edgewood was about 2 miles east of Manhattan just north of Rt. 24 near Bob’s Motel (now also gone). The Sky-Vue was on the southwest part of town. The theater was bounded by Rt. 18, Rosencutter Rd., and Stagg Hill Rd. Go to Mapquest and you’ll see the area I’m talking about. The Sky-Vue land was used for a flea/farmers market for awhile, eventually sold and developed.
Hey Hendy, thanks! Was the Edgewood DI was on US 24 at Walters Dr? And the Sky Vue was at the corner of Claffin Rd and Browning Ave?
Hi Wareham. I have great memories of your family’s Wareham Theater as a boy. I attended my first movie there. I remember being overwhelmed by the size of the auditorium and the “magic” of the huge picture being shown from that “little room” way up at the back of the balcony. When the balcony was open, I used to sit in a seat directly below the viewing window the projectionist (Olin Remmert at the time) would sit at while the reels were running. I would sneak peeks into the room and watch the projectionist at work. Eventually, he invited me in for a look and this is when my interest in theaters and the projection room blossomed. Do you remember Harry Wareham’s home on Poyntz Avenue (Tanglewood)?
ronkimball, the Sky-Vue Drive-In Theater was located on the southwest side of Manhattan. I was the projectionist there for a short while in the summer of 1966. There was, however, another drive-in (The Edgewood) on the east side of Manhattan on Highway 24. I believe it was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s. As memory serves, there was a trailer park nearby.
There were two other theaters in Manhattan during the early 60’s that haven’t been mentioned above; the State and the Co-Ed.
WOW! The Wareham is just like I remember my Mom describing it to me when I was a little boy. This was my Grandfathers Hotel & Cinema.
My Mom was Sandra Wareham. Thank you, for perseving this historical
Cinema.
hello, was the sky vue drive in located in the north side of town, on us 24 and by a trailer park?
The Wareham in 1991:
View link
Very Strange: I went to the Wareham for a wedding of our friends, and while we were there, we found 2 very strange rooms after entering the 2 doors at the top of the balcony. What we found was a 3rd room after entering a small hole in the wall! The room had tons of square holes in it and looked as if it was once a projector room; hence the faded sign on a door leaning in the far corner. check out these pics: View link
The current occupant is the Wareham Opera House, which is a banquet hall for wedding receptions and meetings. Interestingly enough, the Wareham Theater replaced the Wareham Opera House back in the early part of the twentieth century. Here is a December 2007 article about the renovation of the theater by the current owners:
http://tinyurl.com/56c4be
The Wareham Theatre was located on Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan in the heart of the old downtown area. It was probably 3-4 miles away from KSU and “Aggieville” as we locals called the college area. The Campus and Varsity Theatres were located in Aggieville. I grew up in Manhattan and worked at all the Manhattan Theatres including the Sky-Vue Drive In. I remember the Saturday morning kids summer movies at the Wareham when you could gain admission with “tabs” from milk cartons. The matinees were 25 cents, popcorn and a coke 10 cents each, shows at 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9.
Although called the Wareham Hotel, the building next door is actually apartments. Lived there for several years—charming old hotel rooms, built like bunkers. In addition to dinner theater, they do live music at the theater. Also, in addition to the Campus Theatre now closed, there used to be Varsity Theatre—more likely to be the one you’re thinking of that is near the campus and used to be a dollar theater. Moro—the main drag for college drinking in town, dead ends in the Varsity. The Varsity is closed, too. The bookstore next door, Varney’s, bought the theater and turned it into more retail space.
This may be the one you are thinking of, it is close to the Kansas State campus, but the “Campus” theatre is located even closer, the “Campus” Theatre is closed.
I worked in Manhattan for a few months, a few years ago. I remember going to a “dollar house” to see Howard Stern’s bizarre bio-pic. It was right on the edge of the university campus. Was this the Wareham, or is there another very old theatre in that part of town?