Port Theatre

17 N. Conococheague Street,
Williamsport, MD 21795

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Additional Info

Functions: Housing

Previous Names: Princess Theatre, State Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Port Theatre Closure Article

Located on Main Street across the street from Williamsport MD Town Hall. Opened in the early-1920’s as the Princess Theatre. It became the State Theatre in the early-1940'’s and was soon renamed Port Theatre. It had a centrally placed pay box facing the street, with an entrance door on the right and an exit door on the left. It was closed in the early-1960’s. In its last years the Port Theatre was operating with only one single projector which caused a break between each reel. The Port Theatre played family fare & westerns and ‘sing-a-long’ shorts prompted by a bouncing ball.

In 2018 the building is in use as apartments.

Contributed by Ken Roe, JLMillerJR

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

JLMillerJR
JLMillerJR on February 9, 2024 at 9:34 pm

The theatre originally opened as the PRINCESS THEATRE. This was early in the 1920s. It operated with that name through the early 1940s. The Theatre changed owners and the name was changed to THE STATE THEATRE. The State Theatre operated until 1935 when yet another new owner renamed the theatre the PORT THEATRE. The theatre address was 17 N. Conococheague Street. It only had one projector (normally there are two projectors so that movies could be uninterrupted). Each film reel contained about 18-20 minutes of film. After a reel was presented it was necessary to place the next reel in the projector to continue the film. It reminds me of watching a movie or program on television. Every so often having a commercial between the scenes. Here is the PORT THEATRE photo once more. Also the newspaper and City Directory photos identifying the theatre names prior to being the PORT THEATRE. I am adding some screenshots from the City Directory to validate this information.

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