This entry is a bit garbled, and could use a re-write to drop the irrelevant sentences about a different theater. I assume this theater and the other were somewhere on Main St. There is almost nothing on the side streets. It’s possible one or both buildings are still there.
Western Kansas is a black hole. There are almost no Sanborn maps of any towns, and the KHRI coverage is very poor. If it’s not the high school or the courthouse, it doesn’t have an entry.
SethG
commented about
Theatreon
Dec 15, 2025 at 11:38 am
So the address was a bit wrong, because the Odd Fellows was at W 9th and Main. The correct address was either 828 or 830 Main. Since they say corner room, I assume that means 830. The building was a three story brick building, built sometime before 1885. It had a repulsive 1960s slipcover, and was torn down sometime around 2015. There’s now a sad little park there. The building definitely did not ‘burn down’. That seems to be a common exaggeration for older theaters.
It seems that this theater was extensively remodeled sometime between 1926 and 1935. The footprint appears unchanged, but it went from a one story brick building to a two story concrete block building with a brick facade. Retail spaces were created on either side of the entrance.
The opera house building is still there, minus the fly tower, and it certainly might have showed movies. The opera house itself still appears on the 1922 map.
This theater was probably built in 1933 or ‘34. It first appears in the 1934 Yearbook as the Morris, with 350 seats. By 1939, the capacity is down to 300. It was renamed the Cimarron in 1941. The capacity had increased to 370 by 1946, and it is still listed in the 1956 Yearbook with 370 seats. The building has been vacant for at least the past few years.
The 1914-15 AMPD also lists the Majestic and Pioneer for Ellsworth. I do not see any candidates on either the 1911 or 1920 maps, so they were probably only open for a few years.
The 1914-15 AMPD also lists the Majestic and Pioneer for Ellsworth. I do not see any candidates on either the 1911 or 1920 maps, so they were probably only open for a few years.
If the address is correct, the history cannot be. There is nothing at this location on the 1920 map. There are 1928 and 1943 maps, but they are not available online. I assume the address is correct, as the building to the north of the grassy area where 116 would have been has a scar on the side where something used to be.
SethG
commented about
Theateron
Dec 8, 2025 at 8:04 am
Possibly the original location of the Odeon, based on Joe Vogel’s comments on the Star entry.
The 1912 map shows the larger northern section of this building as a furniture store, with a movie theater in the next building to the north. That building certainly had room for an extension to the rear. I added that as an unknown theater. I bet that was the original Odeon.
SethG
commented about
Theateron
Dec 7, 2025 at 6:50 am
This KHRI entry for a building to the south has a photo showing this building on the right edge: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=159-3370-00002
The history needs some improvement. I’m not sure when exactly it opened. The NRHP listing for downtown says ‘the 1920s’, although the 1928 map apparently shows a vulcanizing operation here. The building was demolished in 1970.
Note that this building was apparently brand new when the theater opened. The 1905 map has a tiny wooden shack here. The 1920 Sanborn (from March) does not show the theater, but a grocery, so the closing date may not be accurate. The KHRI entry is here: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=053-401 , with a very poor 2004 photo.
The address is wrong. Joe had the right address. The photos clearly show the little rosettes on the beam supporting the second story, which can still be seen today. The building was looking very shabby, and had an ugly 1960s storefront. It has been remodeled, and now has a rather characterless Auto-CAD storefront which at least looks more open. It seems to be a gallery or boutique of some sort.
If the address is right, this has been demolished. 116 was a very old two story stone building dating probably to the late 1870s. According to the KHRI, it was the first masonry building in downtown. Between 1911 and 1920, it was doubled in depth. The 1920 map shows a harness shop there. The building at 118 still has some fragments of 116 stuck to the upper story. It was gone by 2004, and probably long before that.
It seems the address may originally have been 108, but 110 is now two or three doors south.
This entry is a bit garbled, and could use a re-write to drop the irrelevant sentences about a different theater. I assume this theater and the other were somewhere on Main St. There is almost nothing on the side streets. It’s possible one or both buildings are still there.
Western Kansas is a black hole. There are almost no Sanborn maps of any towns, and the KHRI coverage is very poor. If it’s not the high school or the courthouse, it doesn’t have an entry.
That sounds like a pretty firm ID. Thanks!
So the address was a bit wrong, because the Odd Fellows was at W 9th and Main. The correct address was either 828 or 830 Main. Since they say corner room, I assume that means 830. The building was a three story brick building, built sometime before 1885. It had a repulsive 1960s slipcover, and was torn down sometime around 2015. There’s now a sad little park there. The building definitely did not ‘burn down’. That seems to be a common exaggeration for older theaters.
Thanks, Joe! I think we can be pretty sure of our ID here.
It seems that this theater was extensively remodeled sometime between 1926 and 1935. The footprint appears unchanged, but it went from a one story brick building to a two story concrete block building with a brick facade. Retail spaces were created on either side of the entrance.
The opera house building is still there, minus the fly tower, and it certainly might have showed movies. The opera house itself still appears on the 1922 map.
I’ve added a 1914 Sanborn view, which still has the airdome at 110. Again, either the address or chronology is off.
This theater was probably built in 1933 or ‘34. It first appears in the 1934 Yearbook as the Morris, with 350 seats. By 1939, the capacity is down to 300. It was renamed the Cimarron in 1941. The capacity had increased to 370 by 1946, and it is still listed in the 1956 Yearbook with 370 seats. The building has been vacant for at least the past few years.
Reminder that the address is wrong, and that the comment about the corner is of course wrong.
Nice article! The status needs to be updated.
It might have been, or it was an ephemeral storefront operation somewhere.
Correct address was 120 W 8th. The original opera house apparently dated to 1910. Currently some cheap prefab buildings occupy the site.
I believe the Lux was on Main St. The furniture store which has destroyed downtown has tacky fake facades all over it, and the Lux is one.
The 1914-15 AMPD also lists the Majestic and Pioneer for Ellsworth. I do not see any candidates on either the 1911 or 1920 maps, so they were probably only open for a few years.
The 1914-15 AMPD also lists the Majestic and Pioneer for Ellsworth. I do not see any candidates on either the 1911 or 1920 maps, so they were probably only open for a few years.
If the address is correct, the history cannot be. There is nothing at this location on the 1920 map. There are 1928 and 1943 maps, but they are not available online. I assume the address is correct, as the building to the north of the grassy area where 116 would have been has a scar on the side where something used to be.
Possibly the original location of the Odeon, based on Joe Vogel’s comments on the Star entry.
The 1912 map shows the larger northern section of this building as a furniture store, with a movie theater in the next building to the north. That building certainly had room for an extension to the rear. I added that as an unknown theater. I bet that was the original Odeon.
This KHRI entry for a building to the south has a photo showing this building on the right edge: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=159-3370-00002
KHRI entry here: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=159-3370-00002
The history needs some improvement. I’m not sure when exactly it opened. The NRHP listing for downtown says ‘the 1920s’, although the 1928 map apparently shows a vulcanizing operation here. The building was demolished in 1970.
Note that this building was apparently brand new when the theater opened. The 1905 map has a tiny wooden shack here. The 1920 Sanborn (from March) does not show the theater, but a grocery, so the closing date may not be accurate. The KHRI entry is here: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=053-401 , with a very poor 2004 photo.
The address is wrong. Joe had the right address. The photos clearly show the little rosettes on the beam supporting the second story, which can still be seen today. The building was looking very shabby, and had an ugly 1960s storefront. It has been remodeled, and now has a rather characterless Auto-CAD storefront which at least looks more open. It seems to be a gallery or boutique of some sort.
If the address is right, this has been demolished. 116 was a very old two story stone building dating probably to the late 1870s. According to the KHRI, it was the first masonry building in downtown. Between 1911 and 1920, it was doubled in depth. The 1920 map shows a harness shop there. The building at 118 still has some fragments of 116 stuck to the upper story. It was gone by 2004, and probably long before that.