The Plaza Theatre opened with “Fun in a Turkish Bath” on April 12, 1914. The architect for the project was Ralph R.C. Jackson. The Plaza was equipped with sound to remain viable and with widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Plaza Theatre and the neighboring Hotel burned down on June 27, 1971 ending its run. The buildings had been scheduled for demolition in urban renewal plans.
As for the Cinema I, it was a block away and in its second location. Pennington Management Co. had opened Cinema I on Pleasant Street and operated the adult Center Theatre, as well. Pennington opened the Cinema I loaction at 415 South Main Street on August 22, 1980.
It was supposed to have been programming unrated XXX adult films; but protests changed the opening to “The Blues Brothers.” The Cinema I ran Hollywood fare for two months. But in October of 1980, the Cinema ran X-Rated fare and protests were loud. When it went XXX, it created a firestorm. Cinema I operated into the summer of 1985 when it closed on May 12, 1985 with Colleen Brennen in “Trinity Brown” and Anne Sprinkle in “Dirty Looks.” The City took over the property and demolished it.
William B. Stecker launched the Palace Theatre to the plans of architect Ralph R.C. Jackson on August 22, 1910. An over capacity crowd filled the 800-seat venue and the gathered saw vaudeville and movies. In January of 1923, a modern building was designed to augment “broker’s row” in downtown Fall River - and spelled the end of the Palace as it would be located at 87 Bedford Street.
The final showtime at the Palace Theater appears to be January 13, 1923 with “The Doll House.” In April of 1923, the Palace was torn down and the scrap from the building was sold at the Bedford Street location.
The Nickelodeon Musee on Pleasant Street began advertising in January of 1897. It shortened to the Nickelodeon. It closed in the Fall of 1909 and was retrofitted as a theatre likely losing the arcade units. It operated until showtimes of July 1, 1927 when a projection booth fire appears to have ended operations. It had 30 years of documentable operation - an amazing run for the Pleasant Street exhibitor. In October of 1927, the space was retrofitted becoming the Island Park Shooting Gallery amusement place.
Augustus E. Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Under new operators, Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn decided to reopen here as the downsized, 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.
Frank Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn reopened here as the 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.
Charles Baxter and Archibald Hall took on the Odd Fellows Building for entertainment programming in 1887. As the renamed Puritan Hall, it relaunched on December 11, 1889. Under new operators, it became Wonderland Musee & Theatre, a family entertainment center, opening in the Puritan Hall Block on May 18, 1891. It was shortened to the Wonderland Theatre. After a refresh, it reopened as the Casto Thetre with vaudeville on September 27, 1897.
The Casto became the short-lived Boston Theatre in 1907 and then became the 700-seat Premier Theatre in October of 1907 also playing only motion pictures. In 1915 and into the 1920s, the venue went in and out of business fairly regularly. The Premier came back for consistent operation beginning on April 11, 1925 with “Charley’s Aunt” on the big screen.
The Premier’s final shows were on February 2, 1928 with “Legionnaires in Paris” and “Your Wife and Mine” with Phyllis Haver and Stuart Holmes. Both the Rialto and the Premier burned down on February 3, 1928. The remaining sliver of the building was torn down later that week. This entry or the Premier entry should be combined as the Premier Theatre formerly the Puritan Hall, Wonderland Theatre, Wonderland Musee and Theatre, Casto Theatre, and Boston Theatre.
Charles Baxter and Archibald Hall took on the Odd Fellows Building for entertainment programming in 1887. As the renamed Puritan Hall, it relaunched on December 11, 1889. Under new operators, it became Wonderland Musee & Theatre, a family entertainment center, opening in the Puritan Hall Block on May 18, 1891. It was shortened to the Wonderland Theatre. After a refresh, it reopened as the Casto Thetre with vaudeville on September 27, 1897.
The Casto became the short-lived Boston Theatre in 1907 and then became the 700-seat Premier Theatre in October of 1907 also playing only motion pictures. In 1915 and into the 1920s, the venue went in and out of business fairly regularly. The Premier came back for consistent operation beginning on April 11, 1925 with “Charley’s Aunt” on the big screen.
The Premier’s final shows were on February 2, 1928 with “Legionnaires in Paris” and “Your Wife and Mine” with Phyllis Haver and Stuart Holmes. Both the Rialto and the Premier burned down on February 3, 1928. The remaining sliver of the building was torn down later that week. This entry or the Premier entry should be combined as the Premier Theatre formerly the Puritan Hall, Wonderland Theatre, Wonderland Musee and Theatre, Casto Theatre, and Boston Theatre.
The town’s tiny silent-era theatre had operated from 1915 by D.J. Bless to its end after a fire destroyed it on December 7, 1936. A new venue was built as the Weston Theatre.
Local optometrist Dr. Abe Shafer, Sr. built the Shafer Theatre and Airdome next door to each other opening on June 5, 1915 in the Airdome and later that year with the hardtop. The Airdome’s 1930 season featured RCA sound on film technology which the company said was the smallest town in the United States with a sound on film venue. Edgerton had just 427 residents at that time. The equipment was moved into the Shafer Theatre that fall.
The 1930s were challenging and local Judge Abe Shafer, Jr. closed the theater twice due to lack of ticket sales. The venues had operated seasonally until the Shafer Airdome’s final season ender, September 8, 1938’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Due to Judge Shafer’s death, the family sold the theaters in 1938 to George and A.F. “Peck” Baker of Baker Enterprises which operated it briefly before closing.
The Shafer family reopened the hardtop theater before closing it in 1942. Mrs. Shafer had said that Edgerton’s tiny population and proximity to nearby Kansas City - about 35 miles away - posed great challenges. The local merchants reopened the theater operating it from 1942 until its permanent closure.
The Capitol Theatre opened in Glendale won Christmas Day 1930. It was known as Young’s Capitol, the Fox Capitol and the UA Capitol despite UA having half interest in the theatre at its initial launch.
The Cap’s final operator, solely owned by United Artists, closed the UA Capitol Theatre permanently at the expiry of its second 30-year leasing cycle following the April 15, 1990 showings of “Joe v. The Volcano.”
The suburban Gateway Shopping City was conceived of in 1955 to be built on the Traffic Circle by a Boston-based firm with White House Dry Goods having a store as the original anchor. It was the sister of Houston’s Gulfgate Plaza. 21 other stores signed on for the first wave of Gateway City including J.J. Newberry, Woolworth’s and Henke & Pilot. Gateway Shopping City launched theatre-less on September 19, 1957.
In the luxury suburban era of theatres, that would change. An expansion brought about Boston-based General Cinema building a $250,000 twin, 1,000 seat (auditorium one with 600 seats and #2 with 400 seats). William Riseman and Associates had the plans with ground breaking on June 29, 1971. Local associate architect Milton Bell supervised the project. It launched February 18, 1972 with George C. Scott in “The Hospital” & Paul Newman in “Pocket Money”.
Launched August 30, 1940 with “Sing You Sinners.” The Highland closed on December 9, 1947 with Barbara Stanwyck in “California” with all bookings moved to the new Center Theater. The former theater became a full-time fraternal hall for the Odd Fellows in 1956.
The Reel Theatre moved to the new Bluebird Theatre on August 3, 1916. The venue was renamed on November 20, 1947 as the Center Theatre with “The Bachelor & the Bobby-Soxer.“ Closed at the opt out point 15 years later on April 21, 1962 with "Kidnapped.” Had a brief run as a community and live events venue.
Opened on July 1, 1988 as Miller Theater’s Encore Park 1, 2 & 3 Theatres with “Willow,” “The Great Outdoors,” and “Big Business.” It was considered stage 1 of a larger build out and had 745 total seats. GKC purchased the venue in July 1990 and they finished Stage 2 relaunching as the Encore Park Cinemas on October 25, 1991 now with 1,143 seats. On August 14, 2004, GKC then finished Stage 3 with the theatre hitting a megaplex-era appropriate 14 auditoriums.
In 2005, Carmike bought the GKC branded locations and this one became the Carmike Encore Park 14. In 2016, AMC purchased Carmike Theatres. AMC briefly ran it under the AMC Elkhart 14 moniker until its corporate office announced a new branding of the inherited Kerasotes, Starplex and Carmike venues - ones most not likely getting upgrades - as AMC Classic locations. Here, the ‘plex became the AMC Classic Elkhart 14 in February of 2017.
The AMC Classic Elkhart 14 closed along with virtually all hardtop theaters on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 30, 2020. Stages Four and Five of the venue’s lifecycle were completed when AMC closed here with a lump of coal on December 18, 2023. After an auction in 2024 that raised very little capital, stage 5 was completed in February of 2025 with the theater’s demolition.
On July 30, 1915, the Mayor of Elkhart forbade the playing of the Eastland newsreel in which 844 people were killed while docked at the Clark Street Bridge just six days prior. Family Theatre Manager Peter Sarantos felt that amounted to censorship and played the film.
On August 4, 1915, Elkhart Mayor F.E. Smith found Sarantos guilty but - instead of permanently removing his license to operate the theater - gave him a ten day suspension provided that he didn’t violate a future order by His Honor. Theaters in Goshen and Chicago were not allowed permission to show the same film. The issue was that the rapidness of the newsreel’s production commercially exploited the grief of those impacted.
Carrol’s Development opens its 80th screen in an outparcel just outside the 1972-launched Concord Mall on March 16, 1973 with “The World’s Greatest Athlete” and “The Train Robbers”
“Lethal Weapon” is playing on May 31, 1987 and the title was prophetic as the theater’s manager admitted to gunning down William P. Miller - CEO of Miller Theaters - inside the theater… a tragic nightmare on Main Street. And the police tape closed the theater for the day. (Miller’s wife would sell the chain to GKC Theatres in 1990.)
The Plaza Theatre opened with “Fun in a Turkish Bath” on April 12, 1914. The architect for the project was Ralph R.C. Jackson. The Plaza was equipped with sound to remain viable and with widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Plaza Theatre and the neighboring Hotel burned down on June 27, 1971 ending its run. The buildings had been scheduled for demolition in urban renewal plans.
As for the Cinema I, it was a block away and in its second location. Pennington Management Co. had opened Cinema I on Pleasant Street and operated the adult Center Theatre, as well. Pennington opened the Cinema I loaction at 415 South Main Street on August 22, 1980.
It was supposed to have been programming unrated XXX adult films; but protests changed the opening to “The Blues Brothers.” The Cinema I ran Hollywood fare for two months. But in October of 1980, the Cinema ran X-Rated fare and protests were loud. When it went XXX, it created a firestorm. Cinema I operated into the summer of 1985 when it closed on May 12, 1985 with Colleen Brennen in “Trinity Brown” and Anne Sprinkle in “Dirty Looks.” The City took over the property and demolished it.
The Cinema I needs its own entry.
Grand opening was February 1, 1926 with “Just Suppose”.
The Academy’s interior was auctioned in 1979 and gutted in 1982.
William B. Stecker launched the Palace Theatre to the plans of architect Ralph R.C. Jackson on August 22, 1910. An over capacity crowd filled the 800-seat venue and the gathered saw vaudeville and movies. In January of 1923, a modern building was designed to augment “broker’s row” in downtown Fall River - and spelled the end of the Palace as it would be located at 87 Bedford Street.
The final showtime at the Palace Theater appears to be January 13, 1923 with “The Doll House.” In April of 1923, the Palace was torn down and the scrap from the building was sold at the Bedford Street location.
The Nickelodeon Musee on Pleasant Street began advertising in January of 1897. It shortened to the Nickelodeon. It closed in the Fall of 1909 and was retrofitted as a theatre likely losing the arcade units. It operated until showtimes of July 1, 1927 when a projection booth fire appears to have ended operations. It had 30 years of documentable operation - an amazing run for the Pleasant Street exhibitor. In October of 1927, the space was retrofitted becoming the Island Park Shooting Gallery amusement place.
Augustus E. Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Under new operators, Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn decided to reopen here as the downsized, 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.
Frank Rich’s Theatre was located at 187-189 Second Street (listed initially at a different address but renumbered here). It launched with live vaudeville fare on October 22, 1894. Rich’s was renamed as the Puritan Theatre on November 27, 1907 exclusively with movies. The venue ended up at auction in 1909.
Julius Cahn and Lowe Theatre Company bought the Puritan in 1909 to rid the city of competition. But Cahn reopened here as the 400-seat Puritan Theatre on December 25, 1912. It closed again on February 17, 1913. The building was auctioned in December of 1914 and the new buyer eventually decided to tear down the property. The building was demolished 1917.
Charles Baxter and Archibald Hall took on the Odd Fellows Building for entertainment programming in 1887. As the renamed Puritan Hall, it relaunched on December 11, 1889. Under new operators, it became Wonderland Musee & Theatre, a family entertainment center, opening in the Puritan Hall Block on May 18, 1891. It was shortened to the Wonderland Theatre. After a refresh, it reopened as the Casto Thetre with vaudeville on September 27, 1897.
The Casto became the short-lived Boston Theatre in 1907 and then became the 700-seat Premier Theatre in October of 1907 also playing only motion pictures. In 1915 and into the 1920s, the venue went in and out of business fairly regularly. The Premier came back for consistent operation beginning on April 11, 1925 with “Charley’s Aunt” on the big screen.
The Premier’s final shows were on February 2, 1928 with “Legionnaires in Paris” and “Your Wife and Mine” with Phyllis Haver and Stuart Holmes. Both the Rialto and the Premier burned down on February 3, 1928. The remaining sliver of the building was torn down later that week. This entry or the Premier entry should be combined as the Premier Theatre formerly the Puritan Hall, Wonderland Theatre, Wonderland Musee and Theatre, Casto Theatre, and Boston Theatre.
Charles Baxter and Archibald Hall took on the Odd Fellows Building for entertainment programming in 1887. As the renamed Puritan Hall, it relaunched on December 11, 1889. Under new operators, it became Wonderland Musee & Theatre, a family entertainment center, opening in the Puritan Hall Block on May 18, 1891. It was shortened to the Wonderland Theatre. After a refresh, it reopened as the Casto Thetre with vaudeville on September 27, 1897.
The Casto became the short-lived Boston Theatre in 1907 and then became the 700-seat Premier Theatre in October of 1907 also playing only motion pictures. In 1915 and into the 1920s, the venue went in and out of business fairly regularly. The Premier came back for consistent operation beginning on April 11, 1925 with “Charley’s Aunt” on the big screen.
The Premier’s final shows were on February 2, 1928 with “Legionnaires in Paris” and “Your Wife and Mine” with Phyllis Haver and Stuart Holmes. Both the Rialto and the Premier burned down on February 3, 1928. The remaining sliver of the building was torn down later that week. This entry or the Premier entry should be combined as the Premier Theatre formerly the Puritan Hall, Wonderland Theatre, Wonderland Musee and Theatre, Casto Theatre, and Boston Theatre.
The town’s tiny silent-era theatre had operated from 1915 by D.J. Bless to its end after a fire destroyed it on December 7, 1936. A new venue was built as the Weston Theatre.
Local optometrist Dr. Abe Shafer, Sr. built the Shafer Theatre and Airdome next door to each other opening on June 5, 1915 in the Airdome and later that year with the hardtop. The Airdome’s 1930 season featured RCA sound on film technology which the company said was the smallest town in the United States with a sound on film venue. Edgerton had just 427 residents at that time. The equipment was moved into the Shafer Theatre that fall.
The 1930s were challenging and local Judge Abe Shafer, Jr. closed the theater twice due to lack of ticket sales. The venues had operated seasonally until the Shafer Airdome’s final season ender, September 8, 1938’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Due to Judge Shafer’s death, the family sold the theaters in 1938 to George and A.F. “Peck” Baker of Baker Enterprises which operated it briefly before closing.
The Shafer family reopened the hardtop theater before closing it in 1942. Mrs. Shafer had said that Edgerton’s tiny population and proximity to nearby Kansas City - about 35 miles away - posed great challenges. The local merchants reopened the theater operating it from 1942 until its permanent closure.
The Capitol Theatre opened in Glendale won Christmas Day 1930. It was known as Young’s Capitol, the Fox Capitol and the UA Capitol despite UA having half interest in the theatre at its initial launch.
The Cap’s final operator, solely owned by United Artists, closed the UA Capitol Theatre permanently at the expiry of its second 30-year leasing cycle following the April 15, 1990 showings of “Joe v. The Volcano.”
Stone and Pitts architectural drawing in photos.
The suburban Gateway Shopping City was conceived of in 1955 to be built on the Traffic Circle by a Boston-based firm with White House Dry Goods having a store as the original anchor. It was the sister of Houston’s Gulfgate Plaza. 21 other stores signed on for the first wave of Gateway City including J.J. Newberry, Woolworth’s and Henke & Pilot. Gateway Shopping City launched theatre-less on September 19, 1957.
In the luxury suburban era of theatres, that would change. An expansion brought about Boston-based General Cinema building a $250,000 twin, 1,000 seat (auditorium one with 600 seats and #2 with 400 seats). William Riseman and Associates had the plans with ground breaking on June 29, 1971. Local associate architect Milton Bell supervised the project. It launched February 18, 1972 with George C. Scott in “The Hospital” & Paul Newman in “Pocket Money”.
Launched August 30, 1940 with “Sing You Sinners.” The Highland closed on December 9, 1947 with Barbara Stanwyck in “California” with all bookings moved to the new Center Theater. The former theater became a full-time fraternal hall for the Odd Fellows in 1956.
The Reel Theatre moved to the new Bluebird Theatre on August 3, 1916. The venue was renamed on November 20, 1947 as the Center Theatre with “The Bachelor & the Bobby-Soxer.“ Closed at the opt out point 15 years later on April 21, 1962 with "Kidnapped.” Had a brief run as a community and live events venue.
Demolished in 2026.
Demolished in 2026.
Closing March 15, 2026
Launched August 30, 1940 with “Sing You Sinners.”
September 28, 1897 grand opening ad in photos.
Opened on July 1, 1988 as Miller Theater’s Encore Park 1, 2 & 3 Theatres with “Willow,” “The Great Outdoors,” and “Big Business.” It was considered stage 1 of a larger build out and had 745 total seats. GKC purchased the venue in July 1990 and they finished Stage 2 relaunching as the Encore Park Cinemas on October 25, 1991 now with 1,143 seats. On August 14, 2004, GKC then finished Stage 3 with the theatre hitting a megaplex-era appropriate 14 auditoriums.
In 2005, Carmike bought the GKC branded locations and this one became the Carmike Encore Park 14. In 2016, AMC purchased Carmike Theatres. AMC briefly ran it under the AMC Elkhart 14 moniker until its corporate office announced a new branding of the inherited Kerasotes, Starplex and Carmike venues - ones most not likely getting upgrades - as AMC Classic locations. Here, the ‘plex became the AMC Classic Elkhart 14 in February of 2017.
The AMC Classic Elkhart 14 closed along with virtually all hardtop theaters on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 30, 2020. Stages Four and Five of the venue’s lifecycle were completed when AMC closed here with a lump of coal on December 18, 2023. After an auction in 2024 that raised very little capital, stage 5 was completed in February of 2025 with the theater’s demolition.
On July 30, 1915, the Mayor of Elkhart forbade the playing of the Eastland newsreel in which 844 people were killed while docked at the Clark Street Bridge just six days prior. Family Theatre Manager Peter Sarantos felt that amounted to censorship and played the film.
On August 4, 1915, Elkhart Mayor F.E. Smith found Sarantos guilty but - instead of permanently removing his license to operate the theater - gave him a ten day suspension provided that he didn’t violate a future order by His Honor. Theaters in Goshen and Chicago were not allowed permission to show the same film. The issue was that the rapidness of the newsreel’s production commercially exploited the grief of those impacted.
Carrol’s Development opens its 80th screen in an outparcel just outside the 1972-launched Concord Mall on March 16, 1973 with “The World’s Greatest Athlete” and “The Train Robbers”
“Lethal Weapon” is playing on May 31, 1987 and the title was prophetic as the theater’s manager admitted to gunning down William P. Miller - CEO of Miller Theaters - inside the theater… a tragic nightmare on Main Street. And the police tape closed the theater for the day. (Miller’s wife would sell the chain to GKC Theatres in 1990.)