Vernon Theatre

913 Philadelphia Avenue,
Barnesboro, PA 15714

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Ideal Amusement Co.

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Vernon Theatre

Opened in late-1936, or early-1937, the Vernon Theatre was operated by the Ideal Amusement Company, headquartered in Johnstown, PA. It was closed in 1974 and was destroyed by fire on December 19, 1975.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 26, 2010 at 12:51 am

Vernon Scott was the head of the Ideal Amusement Company, according to Boxoffice of October 2, 1937. The item said that the Vernon Theatre had opened “…at the turn of the year….” I guess that would mean either December 31, 1936, or January 1, 1937.

At the time of Scott’s death in March, 1942, the Ideal Amusement company operated a circuit of 14 theaters. Scott was succeeded as President of the chain by former general manager F.X. McClellan.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on January 27, 2011 at 1:57 pm

Barnesboro is now known as Northern Cambria

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 31, 2015 at 8:42 pm

The Kittanning, Pennsylvania Simpson’s Leader-Times of December 20, 1975, said that the Vernon Theatre building in Barnesboro had been destroyed by a fire the previous day. Another source indicates that the house had closed in 1974.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 15, 2023 at 2:19 am

After the Vernon Theatre was destroyed by a fire, its site became the location of a small public open space called Fridman Park. It is on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue about 100 feet east of Crawford. Google Maps says it is at 950 Philadelphia, but that’s way off. The businesses across the street are at 910 and 914, so the theater would probably have been in the range of 911-915.

The house seen on the 1923 and 1930 Sanborns at 1002 Philadelphia must have been the one listed in 1926 and 1929 FDYs as the Russell. It’s the only theater listed those years besides Smith’s (which we know was not on Philadelphia Avenue.) The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory lists two houses on Philadelphia Avenue in Barnesboro, the Pastime and the Rex. It also lists two without locations, the Gaiety and the Grand. We have the Grand listed under the town’s modern name of Northern Cambria. Gaiety is still a mystery. Perhaps a missing aka for Smith’s?

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