Princess Theatre
110 E. Main Street,
Tucumcari,
NM
88401
110 E. Main Street,
Tucumcari,
NM
88401
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The H-H Theater is located on E. Main Street between 1st Street and 2nd Street, seating a little over 700. It was opened in 1917 presenting vaudeville and was soon presenting movies as part of the program.. In 1921 it was renamed Princess Theatre. It was remodeled in 1938 in a Streamline Moderne style, reopening on October 5, 1938 with Warner Baxter in “Vogues of 1938”. The front façade is in a cream color with chocolate and deep brown trim and accent lines.
It was gutted by a fire in February 1943. It was repaired and reopened only for the front of the theatre to be damaged by fire in October 1962. The marquee has been removed and the front entrance has been boarded up and painted a dark brown.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Plans were discussed in June 2007 to restore the theater, however a November 2007 photo by Keith Lubeley finds the Princess fire-damaged and vacant:
http://tinyurl.com/5r5tmc
http://tinyurl.com/6edbz6
From the Albuquerque Tribune June 6, 1963, discussing the closing career of Milas L. Hurley, operator of Hurley Theatres, “The Princess was the hard-luck theater of the three. A morning fire in February, 1943, gutted most of the building. … Almost 20 years later, in October, 1962, fire again struck the theater, partially destroying the front. … The theater has been closed since”.
Boxoffice, Jan. 15, 1949: “Milas Hurley … recently improved his Princess Theatre with the installation of 600 spring-back American Seating Bodiform chairs.”
Boxoffice, April 9, 1949: “TUCUMCARI, N. M. – New plush and leatherette seats are being installed in the 750-sear Princess Theatre here, according to Manager Milas Hurley.”
Originally built and opened as H-H Theater in 1917 by Arch Hurley & Gene Hawkins. Also featured live vaudeville type shows. Renamed Princess in 1921 when Hurley took over sole ownership. Full history in 2015 pdf below, and 1919 film and stage show print ads as H-H Theater added to gallery.
https://www.tucumcarimainstreet.org/resources/Documents/pricess%20article%20original.pdf