Majestic Theater
240 South Mechanic Street,
Jackson,
MI
49201
240 South Mechanic Street,
Jackson,
MI
49201
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The Majestic Theater opened in January 1916 in the Athenaeum Building. A Hillgreen-Lane theater organ was installed. The Majestic Theater was closed and demolished in 1954.
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
This is an undated photo.
What a spooky looking old theatre!
Opened December 12, 1898 as the Athenaeum. Closed and demolished in 1954.
When the Athenaeum opened in 1928 it was the city’s only real theatre with two balconies and a large stage. It became the Majestic in 1927 according to information on a Jackson website. When it closed in 1954 the auditorium part of the building was demolished for a parking lot. The fromt part that remained became the Jackson Business University and later Baker College. At one time the second floor housed the city’s library and also was the home for Michigan Bell Telephone offices.
Jackson had a large number of theatres not listed on CT, The Rialto at 1708 Francis St., The Strand at 2445 E. Michigan Ave., The Temply, The Victor, The Colonial at 1630 E. Michigan Ave., The Bon Ton Theatre at 240 E. Michigan Ave., The Rex which later had the wall removed between it and the Kuhl Theatre and became one larger theatre. The Bijou which later became the Regent located on Francis at Courtland St. Does anyone know enough info that they can add them to Cinema Treasures?
An article about the Majestic’s first operator, W. S. McLaren, in the March 12, 1918, issue of Michigan Film Review quoted him as saying that he had opened the Majestic Theatre in the old Athenaeum building on January 21, 1916. McLaren also operated a 250-seat house in Jackson called the Colonial, which he had opened in January, 1915. Prior to that, he had operated a movie house called the Sylvan Theatre in the former opera house in his home town of Chelsea, Michigan.