See that it opened in 1935 and closed in 1955 so a 20 year run for this theatre isn’t very long compared to some at 40 years before someone decides the town doesn’t need a theatre whether big or small, but this one being a significant Rapp & Rapp makes no sense at all to me that it was demolished!
erco46: What is on that site now and please please don’t tell us that it is a parking lot. Why was this theatre demolished? And any interior photos would be great to see.
rdsub: Nice to read that downtown DeLand is a happening little place nice with nice restaurants and bars now! I see you typed Deland and I have recently seen it typed as DeLand. Which is politically correct?
Lost: I must have seen this organ on the stage in front of a red curtain so this must be the mysterious white organ that I remember seeing in a theatre somewhere and that somewhere was the Palace in Canton Ohio!
LAF: I would like to see interior photos of this once great theatre. Such a shame it is gone along with the Paramount and so many others in the Buffalo area.
Ed: Does sound like this former theatre will not be a theatre again with the property being occupied by a shoe store and a jewelry store. What is the status of this theatre now? Maybe CT member, Lost Memory can help!
LOL! Love your humor though I don’t think it ever had an organ. There was a flood many years ago in the town and it might have been destroyed then as damage did occur to the Coudersport Theatre at that time…will have to ask my tour guide, David to give a definitive answer….whether an organ ever existed and if so, what color it was! LOL!
“remodeling the facade”….I wonder if this is the photo I’ve seen on the Athens Theatre website of the front of the building completely hidden? If so, it is an example of what was done in the 70’s to “modernize” the look though at least the building was not demolished to make room for another downtown parking lot. I applaud the City of DeLand and all of those involved in the fine renovation/restoration of this theatre built by local DeLand laborers in the 20’s. Check out the website and the slide show there…you will be amazed! I plan to visit the Athens in March and will report on my theatre trip to DeLand FL. And the theatre’s name was derived from the vision of DeLand’s founder, Henry DeLand, who sought to create a city that would be the “Athens of Floridaâ€.
Lost: Lovely photo showing main street in a pictureque PA town. I will always remember my tour of this one for many reasons and look forward to returning to Coudersport in the Spring.
Lost: I’m sure many theatres have white organs…the key is locating them as it must be a rare sight. LOL! I know many churches have white organs as I have seen many of them.
I just sent Dr. Snyder an email with a copy to you so we shall see what the good Doctor tells us. And yes, it does look “gold, red and white”, but the organ I recall seeing was just white with gold trim.
I just asked my husband who helped Dr. Snyder push the organ into its storage area with doors which is under the stage via hydraulics and without putting any shared thought into his head I asked him what color he remembers it being and he said….white with gold trim.
The organ looks the same, to me, in both photos. If I saw it in December 2007 and the photo shows the organ to be non-white in June 2008 then it wasn’t white, I guess afterall.
See that it opened in 1935 and closed in 1955 so a 20 year run for this theatre isn’t very long compared to some at 40 years before someone decides the town doesn’t need a theatre whether big or small, but this one being a significant Rapp & Rapp makes no sense at all to me that it was demolished!
I just sent the Lane Public Library an email in regards to more photos.
And to think Hamilton demolished a Rapp & Rapp designed theatre….why it’s unimagineable!
erco46: What is on that site now and please please don’t tell us that it is a parking lot. Why was this theatre demolished? And any interior photos would be great to see.
Yes, a welcome relief!
rdsub: Nice to read that downtown DeLand is a happening little place nice with nice restaurants and bars now! I see you typed Deland and I have recently seen it typed as DeLand. Which is politically correct?
Perhaps this will help CT member, LAF.
Lost: I must have seen this organ on the stage in front of a red curtain so this must be the mysterious white organ that I remember seeing in a theatre somewhere and that somewhere was the Palace in Canton Ohio!
Lost: No, unfortunately not. There was a reason, but I don’t recall at the moment why. I do recall seeing this theatre from top to bottom though.
LAF: I would like to see interior photos of this once great theatre. Such a shame it is gone along with the Paramount and so many others in the Buffalo area.
Lost: As you may recall, I have toured this beautiful theatre and met the manager, Rob who is “CantonPalaceTech”.
I love the b/w photos that “ken mc” posted on Feb. 12, 2006. Such a shame the Miami Western isn’t still a theatre in that Ohio college town.
Now that’s a great idea and I’m sure David wouldn’t mind what color it is. ;)
David wrote to me and said that the theatre had a pipe organ, but it was destroyed in the flood of 1942.
Lost: It may be one in the same though my source(s) will have to confirm or deny that information.
Lost: I haven’t heard back from David at the Coudersport Theatre, but when I do I will let you know or he may just post his comments here.
Ed: Does sound like this former theatre will not be a theatre again with the property being occupied by a shoe store and a jewelry store. What is the status of this theatre now? Maybe CT member, Lost Memory can help!
I’m sure he would so I’ll cut and paste your above post into an email to him and wait for his answer.
LOL! Love your humor though I don’t think it ever had an organ. There was a flood many years ago in the town and it might have been destroyed then as damage did occur to the Coudersport Theatre at that time…will have to ask my tour guide, David to give a definitive answer….whether an organ ever existed and if so, what color it was! LOL!
“remodeling the facade”….I wonder if this is the photo I’ve seen on the Athens Theatre website of the front of the building completely hidden? If so, it is an example of what was done in the 70’s to “modernize” the look though at least the building was not demolished to make room for another downtown parking lot. I applaud the City of DeLand and all of those involved in the fine renovation/restoration of this theatre built by local DeLand laborers in the 20’s. Check out the website and the slide show there…you will be amazed! I plan to visit the Athens in March and will report on my theatre trip to DeLand FL. And the theatre’s name was derived from the vision of DeLand’s founder, Henry DeLand, who sought to create a city that would be the “Athens of Floridaâ€.
Lost: Lovely photo showing main street in a pictureque PA town. I will always remember my tour of this one for many reasons and look forward to returning to Coudersport in the Spring.
Lost: I’m sure many theatres have white organs…the key is locating them as it must be a rare sight. LOL! I know many churches have white organs as I have seen many of them.
I just sent Dr. Snyder an email with a copy to you so we shall see what the good Doctor tells us. And yes, it does look “gold, red and white”, but the organ I recall seeing was just white with gold trim.
I just asked my husband who helped Dr. Snyder push the organ into its storage area with doors which is under the stage via hydraulics and without putting any shared thought into his head I asked him what color he remembers it being and he said….white with gold trim.
The organ looks the same, to me, in both photos. If I saw it in December 2007 and the photo shows the organ to be non-white in June 2008 then it wasn’t white, I guess afterall.