Orpheum Theater
620 Hampshire Street,
Quincy,
IL
62301
620 Hampshire Street,
Quincy,
IL
62301
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Balaban & Katz Corp.
Architects: Cornelius Ward Rapp, George W. Leslie Rapp
Firms: Rapp & Rapp
Nearby Theaters
The Orpheum Theater was opened December 24, 1914 as a venue for legitimate theater and vaudeville. The theater switched to movies sometime later. The Orpheum Theater was torn down in the 1960’s.
Contributed by
Matt Fessler
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
I have seen pics of this theatre at the Quincy Public Library. It was absolutely beautiful. If anyone had any to post, they are definitely worth seeing.
This was an early Rapp and Rapp design. The Rockford Morning Star for Sunday, February 31, 1915 states the following in an article heralding the opening of the Palace Theatre in Rockford, Illinois:
“…Messrs. George and C. L. Rapp have specialized in theater designing and among their latest masterpieces are the New Oprheum in Champaign, the Orpheum in Quincy, the Columbia in Davenport, Ia., the New Palace in Fort Wayne, Ind., the Hippodrome in Chicago, the Ringling Theatre in Baraboo, Wis., and the Palace in Rockford. They also have theaters under construction in Louisville, Ky. and Grand Rapids, Mich.”
Here is a 1929 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/326nf2
Here is a photo of the auditorium of the Orpheum Theatre.
This advertisement says that the Orpheum would open on Thursday, December 24, 1914.
Uploaded interior and exterior photos of the Orpheum as well as the announcement of the December 25, 1914 opening from the Quincy Public Library collection.
First talkies purported to be July 7, 1929.
What an odd auditorium. Don’t recall ever seeing boxes running along the front of a balcony. Interesting design. Too bad it didn’t survive the 1960s.
Must have had a pretty good orchestra in the day since I saw a reference that they played in Hannibal, MO on one occasion.
Hannibal is maybe 15 miles away, and quite bit smaller. Not exactly a big booking.