Empire Theater

A two-page article about the 1940 remodeling of the Empire Theatre appears in the April 27 issue of Showmen’s Trade Review. Here is a scan from the Internet Archive. There are photos from before and after the streamlining designed by architect Michael J. DeAngelis.

As much as I like DeAngelis’s work, I must say that in this case I wish he’d left more of the original detail in place. Tabor & Baxter’s design had some very nice features.

Does anybody know anything about the Crescent Theatre on South Salina Street? I have an old postcard of this street showing the Empire Theatre and directly across the street is the Crescent. This card is not dated, but it is very early (c.1920?). The Empire is shown with a horizontal sign, over a canopy which extends to the edge of the sidewalk. Another 1950’s card shows the Empire, but it appears the Crescent building has been replaced.

Wellington W. Taber and George W. Baxter were active architects in Syracuse at the turn of the 20th century. I’m presently compiling a list of their bldgs. Here is a useful obit for Baxter, who is the lesser known of the two.

George W. Baxter (1851-1917)

[from: http://www.cuddebackfamily.org/genealogy/descendants/cfic201.htm]

Syracuse Journal (Syracuse, NY), 13 June 1917. “The funeral of George Washington Baxter, 66, a member of the architectural and engineering firm of Taber & Baxter, who died suddenly Tuesday night at his home, 104 McLennan av., will be held from there Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Masonic services at the grave in Oakwood Cemetery.

He was in his usual health last evening when he returned home from his office, where he had been all day. He was entering his bedroom about 9 o'clock when he was stricken. Dr. Allen Cone was summoned, but Mr. Baxter was beyond aid at the arrival of the physician. Mr. Baxter was born in Brooklyn in 1851, and came to this city when he was 20 years of age, going into the salt business. Several years later he was engaged in architecture and opened an office under the name of Baxter & Buell.

After Mr. Buell’s death he entered the employ of the Solvay Process Company, where he worked for several years. Then he entered into partnership with Wellington W. Taber. He was a member of Central City Lodge, No. 305, F. and A. M., and the Citizens Club. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Eva Beecher Baxter; a son. Robert A. Baxter; one daughter, Mrs. James L. Crabtree; four grandchildren, Donald B. Baxter, William B. Crabtree, Eva Crabtree and John P. Baxter; three brothers and a sister."

Then please excercise it. This has been going on since June.

Pardon me but I did no such thing. My original comment concerned that fact that three individuals took credit for a posting which only had a theatre name, the city and the state. Then, within days there was a link to a postcard image of the theatre. My presumption being that the postcard was the original triggering event in which case at least the street name, if not the actual address could have been established from square one since there was another theatre image on the postcard and that theatre was already on CT. The rest, as we see is being gradually fleshed out. But this discussion on my original comment seems to never end. I deliberately avoided responding to Joe’s recent comment hoping we’d get on with the business of updating the site and not resorting to personalities.
Billy apologized to me, above, for a comment he had made, I believe you also owe me one.

CWalczak is right. Had Billy, Don, and Billy not submitted this theater I would not have come across it while I was actually looking for another Syracuse theater. The listing provided a starting point for my research. I might never have found out that the theater even existed had it not already been listed here.

The Postcard showing the name DeWitt on the vertical sign must be from 1932, as the movie “This Is the Night” (Cary Grant’s feature film debut) is on the Paramount’s marquee.

The way to find an address is quiet exoensiveI should Know_ I have
spent a lot contacting libraries & historic museums, which charge a healthy sum to go thru old city directories to give an address, if they have old city directories, which many don’t.
I have addresses to all the pictures of theaters that are dear to me.
Others, you will just have to go thru the same process—Too Expensive
Billy Holcomb-AKA: Panhandle.
I am also sorry for taking an undue shot at you..I Apologize.

Panhandle – I questioned Don about the background of the theatre because all he put up (with two other individuals) was the name of the theatre, the city and state. I never had the postcard which he was then able to add after he established the theatre. Fine, good sequence of events. But, it is apparent that, since he had the postcard, he, at least, had the street on which the theatre was located, if not the actual address at the time the theatre was added. If I had seen a street name I wouldn’t have made any comment. I don’t see that as a cause for name calling.

Don,I try to submit Theatres and would love to add much more like you guys would,but sometimes you just don’t have the info.Getting the theatre is the big part hopefully CT members in that city will complete what you present.

From the 1920s a picture postcard view of the Demitt and Paramount Theaters in Syracuse.

My point would be if there are three people I would have hoped they had more than a name, a city and a state. How did you come to know about it, if it were personal you and your compadres should have first hand info. There are a number of sites which were established with just about the same basic information but the following blurb gave a little more insight into it. Then they say more info is needed. In my opinion more info was needed before this was established. For example, in my memory there was a theatre in an east end community. I’m 100% of this but until I have some confirmation I’m not going to put it up. I’m going to the library, old newspapers, the historical society or whatever until I have one tangible piece of corroborating evidence.

There is an outdoor theatre called the Casino listed as being on Shelter Island, NY listed on CT. I have been trying to nail this one down but the historical society and the library have no knowledge of it. So where did the idea for the original posting come from since the theatre was supposed to have been destroyed in a hurricane almost 70 years ago and CT has only been around for a relatively short period of time. The legal term would be heresay.

Pardon me but something has got to be wrong here. All we have is the name of the theatre, the city and state. Yet three people’s names are given as having submitted this.