There was never a Family Dollar here. The theater entrance has been filled in, and it’s part of the hotel building, which is now low-income apartments. Probably an office of some sort in this location.
SethG
commented about
Theatreon
Jun 10, 2024 at 8:00 pm
You could definitely have fit 700 people in here, although I don’t know how anyone would have seen the screen with the building only being 15 feet tall. There’s a 1927(?) map, but it’s not online.
Small correction to the history. Based on my photos from 2010, this building was remodeled around 1920 as a J.C. Penney. It was vacant when I saw it, and became the eastern addition to the bank. 107-109 became the drive through portion. This happened sometime before 2014. I can’t figure out exactly when.
The address is wrong, and has the directions of the streets confounded. The correct address is likely 321 W 2nd. The building appears to be one of those semi-derelict structures that rural folks use to store junk. It has a horrible sheet metal facade. Looks like it was constructed out of concrete ‘brick’.
Last map available online is 1912. A new building likely would have been on the western half of the block between Ottawa and Concord, or possibly somewhere on the block between Sheridan and Rock (this block seems the most likely location for the replacement theater).
The E 2nd St address must be wrong. All businesses are on W 2nd, E 2nd starts at Rock and is all residential.
I wonder if the listing should not really belong to the newer building constructed next door. It must have been to the west, since the building to the east on the 1905 map is still there.
The later maps for Osborne can’t be viewed online, so I have no idea how long this operated. It would have been a very small theater, and likely only on the ground floor, so I assume it closed before 1920. There was a Cunningham Auditorium next door (now gone). It was much larger, and would have been a better theater location. The building was still there around 1940, at least.
This entry needs to be corrected. It’s been a vacant lot for a long time, and there was never anything masonic here. This block is pretty well trashed on both sides. Vacant lots and awful remodels are the order of the day. The building would have been next to the ugly little formstone bar.
Must have been the community hall at 121 Main St. Still there, and seems to be in use for the original purpose. Originally built with lovely yellow local limestone in 1917, later addition of a brick lobby and offices (possibly a WPA project) in the ‘30s.
This is a very vague listing, and might not even have the dates correct. There is a theater on the 1911 map, but it’s in a building that is still there. Wherever this was (almost certainly on Main St), it’s been demolished.
They seem to be using FB as their website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nova-Theater-61550447717693/
I’m a little dubious of the 1926 date. Probably a different building, possibly not even at this address. The KS Historical Society says it was built in 1933 by E.G. and Merle Swank. Dates are sometimes a bit off. Here’s their entry, generated long ago after it had closed: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=079-4000-00933
Website is gambling spam. According to the website Debra posted in 2011, the theater closed in 1974, and started restoration in 1997. It reopened in late 2001.
Going by the initial entry, it seemed like the cinema operation was known as the Electric, although the building was the G.A.R. Hall. Style should be removed as well.
SethG
commented about
Airdomeon
May 18, 2024 at 8:56 pm
That must be the same place. It does seem odd nothing ever replaced it, but it is sort of on the fringe of downtown.
SethG
commented about
Airdomeon
May 18, 2024 at 2:50 pm
The address would today be somewhere on S Main (Chestnut was renamed sometime after 1918). I don’t find any evidence of an airdome on the July 1911 map, but it only went as far south as Wilson (now 6th), and only shows the north side of that intersection. That is really far out of downtown though, so I suspect this was somewhere between 7th and 9th streets. Nothing on the 1918 map, but if it was dismantled in 1916, there wouldn’t be. Comparing the 1911 and 1918 maps makes it hard to see where it would have fit. Possibly the west side of Main just south of 8th, or the NE corner of Main and 7th.
The earlier airdome would have been at the corner of what was then Chestnut and Normal. The only logical place would have been the NE corner, everything else is occupied by the same buildings on the 1905 and 1911 maps.
This is not demolished. The only thing gone is that revolting street level brick garbage. The building has been restored, and is a restaurant.
There was never a Family Dollar here. The theater entrance has been filled in, and it’s part of the hotel building, which is now low-income apartments. Probably an office of some sort in this location.
You could definitely have fit 700 people in here, although I don’t know how anyone would have seen the screen with the building only being 15 feet tall. There’s a 1927(?) map, but it’s not online.
That capacity makes more sense, and the drawing matches the building on the map.
I’ve added the 1917 view. In 1911, the section past the faint line through the building was vacant storage, so the theater was significantly expanded.
Small correction to the history. Based on my photos from 2010, this building was remodeled around 1920 as a J.C. Penney. It was vacant when I saw it, and became the eastern addition to the bank. 107-109 became the drive through portion. This happened sometime before 2014. I can’t figure out exactly when.
This should be listed as demolished. There’s a very ugly clinic there now.
The address is wrong, and has the directions of the streets confounded. The correct address is likely 321 W 2nd. The building appears to be one of those semi-derelict structures that rural folks use to store junk. It has a horrible sheet metal facade. Looks like it was constructed out of concrete ‘brick’.
Last map available online is 1912. A new building likely would have been on the western half of the block between Ottawa and Concord, or possibly somewhere on the block between Sheridan and Rock (this block seems the most likely location for the replacement theater).
The E 2nd St address must be wrong. All businesses are on W 2nd, E 2nd starts at Rock and is all residential.
I wonder if the listing should not really belong to the newer building constructed next door. It must have been to the west, since the building to the east on the 1905 map is still there.
The later maps for Osborne can’t be viewed online, so I have no idea how long this operated. It would have been a very small theater, and likely only on the ground floor, so I assume it closed before 1920. There was a Cunningham Auditorium next door (now gone). It was much larger, and would have been a better theater location. The building was still there around 1940, at least.
The building was constructed before 1883, and the 1905 map shows a pool hall here.
This entry needs to be corrected. It’s been a vacant lot for a long time, and there was never anything masonic here. This block is pretty well trashed on both sides. Vacant lots and awful remodels are the order of the day. The building would have been next to the ugly little formstone bar.
Must have been the community hall at 121 Main St. Still there, and seems to be in use for the original purpose. Originally built with lovely yellow local limestone in 1917, later addition of a brick lobby and offices (possibly a WPA project) in the ‘30s.
This is a very bare bones listing. This theater has a much better entry under the Blair name. The listings should be merged.
This is a very vague listing, and might not even have the dates correct. There is a theater on the 1911 map, but it’s in a building that is still there. Wherever this was (almost certainly on Main St), it’s been demolished.
Looks like the KS links don’t work, but you can go to the site, put Stockton as the city, and Nova as the name.
They seem to be using FB as their website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nova-Theater-61550447717693/
I’m a little dubious of the 1926 date. Probably a different building, possibly not even at this address. The KS Historical Society says it was built in 1933 by E.G. and Merle Swank. Dates are sometimes a bit off. Here’s their entry, generated long ago after it had closed: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=079-4000-00933
Website is gambling spam. According to the website Debra posted in 2011, the theater closed in 1974, and started restoration in 1997. It reopened in late 2001.
Probably on Mill St, but possibly on Jefferson or Main. Even though Plainville reached 1,000 people by 1900, there don’t seem to be any maps.
The 1918 Sanborn gives the capacity as 700. It was likely an estimate or perhaps reduced by new seating over the years.
Going by the initial entry, it seemed like the cinema operation was known as the Electric, although the building was the G.A.R. Hall. Style should be removed as well.
That must be the same place. It does seem odd nothing ever replaced it, but it is sort of on the fringe of downtown.
The address would today be somewhere on S Main (Chestnut was renamed sometime after 1918). I don’t find any evidence of an airdome on the July 1911 map, but it only went as far south as Wilson (now 6th), and only shows the north side of that intersection. That is really far out of downtown though, so I suspect this was somewhere between 7th and 9th streets. Nothing on the 1918 map, but if it was dismantled in 1916, there wouldn’t be. Comparing the 1911 and 1918 maps makes it hard to see where it would have fit. Possibly the west side of Main just south of 8th, or the NE corner of Main and 7th.
The earlier airdome would have been at the corner of what was then Chestnut and Normal. The only logical place would have been the NE corner, everything else is occupied by the same buildings on the 1905 and 1911 maps.
I’ve added a Sanborn view of the G.A.R. Hall.