Capitol Theatre
313 Central Avenue,
Dunkirk,
NY
14048
313 Central Avenue,
Dunkirk,
NY
14048
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 35 comments
In order to look at a 1912 tinted picture postcard of the lovely Mosonic Lodge (burned 1910) that
sat a few doors to the left of the Capitol Theatre go to Oklahoma Historical Society link and type
“dunkirk new york"
View link
It was a WARNER THEATRE Still in the Fifties. Showing Jan.8 1951 was “LAST OUTPOST”.
From the 1940s a postcard image of Central Avenue that captured a view of the Capitol Theatre in Dunkirk.
The block that this house was on has recently undergone some changes. As a result, only one building that shared the block with the Capitol remains standing. All have been lost in less than 45 years.
Lost Memory: The August 19, 2005 photo isn’t there now and I’d love to see it again! Thanks.
I wonder what happend to that organ and was it in the theatre when it was demolished?
I found there may be a way, but I am going to be on the road off and on during the next month, so I won’t be able to play too much.
Google Earth is a program you download. http://earth.google.com/
I can’t figure out how to send you the locations. I think I would have to upgrade from the free version in order to do that.
If you know where the Chrysler dealership is on the east side of town, the Westfield DI is across the street. You know where the Regent is. If you can find the D&F Plaza, the Cine is on the east end of the plaza, the (small) stand alone building, just to the west of the mini golf place. If you where Van Buren is, then you should be able to find the VBDI.
I don’t know how long it will take to download.
Paul: Could you post the exact site(s) for seeing these above theatres on Google Earth? Especially the former drive-in in Westfield.
I saw an ad in the ‘disturber’ in the late 40’s advertising a movie there. There’s a site that lists theaters past and present across the country. The one for the “Jamestown” area I think showed this one as being open for a short time. I don’t know anything beyond that. I’m currently on a mission to find out when the Japanese sub toured Dunkirk. :)
I’ve been playing with Google Earth as well. High resolution images of the Cine (before it was knocked down), the Regent, Van Buren DI, and the hotel drive in in Westfield.
Oh, and I thought I saw a snippet in the Observer that Dalton Burgett was a Sheriff’s Deputy during the 40’s.
Paul: Thank you so very much for posting this familiar site with theater photos now! I didn’t realize that Brocton had a theatre so would like to learn more about that one with photos as to the location in the town. Also the era it existed.
Patsy – Tim finally made a movie theater page on his website.
View link
If you go to View link you can post your comments as I just did concerning theatre information/memories.
Thanks Paul as I await an email from Tim in regards to his site and former theatres in the Dunkirk area.
It’s about Dunkirk, and DHS mostly, from what I gather. I haven’t seen the CD yet, so I can’t say what is on it. But since it is directed toward “high school”, I suspect that a trip to the historical society may also be fruitful. I say may, as I haven’t visited there, so haven’t any first hand knowledge of that, either.
Lost Memory: Your Aug. 19, 05 posted photo doesn’t seem to show the theatre now.
Paul: That is really strange as I do recall seeing photos of the Regent and thought they were on the ‘dhsclassof70’ site. I will take you up on stopping by Matt’s News. Is the CD about Dunkirk, in general and perhaps shows local theatres? I’d only be interested if the main topic was theatres though.
I didn’t find it.
Have you thought about stopping by Matt’s news for his CD? I know that there is more in there than you will ever want, but maybe it has those Regent photos. Matt’s is just down 3rd street from the Regent, near the corner of Main, right near Weiss Hardware. And shares (nearly) the back wall of Bells, oops, Quality Market. A hop, skip, and jump from where the State used to be.
Thanks for locating and posting this very sad photo of the Capitol demolition and marquee sadly laying on the ground. Now if you could locate for me the photo(s) of the former Regent I would appreciate.
http://dhsclassof70.yearbookhigh.com/photo3_3.html
A page with the top photo taken from the local paper. The marquee from the Capitol being removed. Last line from the caption: It is expected that the property will be used as a parking lot for the time being.
For the time being? I guess if you look at it from a geological perspective.
The Drohen Avenue Theatre (Capitol) opened on December 25, 1918. 6 weeks after the other theatres in town were closed for a short period of time due to the flu pandemic.
The Capitol Theatre was built in the mid teens as the Drohen Avenue Theatres. Shortly after the sale of the Drohen Theatre (which, upon reopening was renamed Regent) the Drohen Avenue Theatre changed its name to the Drohen Theatre. On October 20, 1923 the Drohen Theatre was renamed to Capitol Theatre. I don’t know the date it transformed into a parking lot.
I failed to mention that there was also an Empire Theatre in Dunkirk somewhere, and that one seems to have been a Paramount Theatre. I don’t know if it is Warner as in what you say, or Warner as in Warner Brothers.
The problem with most of the ads I have seen is that they do not include addresses on them, not full explanations of the company. Didn’t these folks know 50-80 years later we would have questions? How dare they just advertise their movies. :)
“A Warner Theater”…now that really peaks my interest as I’m researching Warner Theatres after meeting Cass Warner last April. She is the granddaughter of the late Harry Warner.
In 1949, ads for the Capitol included along the top a statement “A Warner Theater”.