Per Judy Brach Kannard: “In the 60s, the theater was then turned into a teen center. We had dances there and it was kind of comical because the floor was still slanted in the theater part from when the theater chairs were in there.”
On this day in 1879, the Tabor Opera House in Leadville opened. đźŽ
After only 100 days of construction, the new opera house opened in Leadville thanks to Horace Tabor. At the time of opening it was said to be the grandest theater between Saint Louis and San Francisco.
The theater was elegant and included two retail stores, multiple floors, and an enclosed skywalk to the Clarendon Hotel (we all know how cold Leadville can be as the highest town in Colorado!).
The interior featured frescoes, custom carpets, and hand-painted stage curtains. The opera house even had the first gas lights in Leadville and they helped illuminate the fancy theater.
Today, the original Italianate exterior of the building is largely intact, making the building a contributing member of the Leadville Historic District as well as becoming one of the nation’s very first National Historic Landmarks in 1961. The Opera House has also been a State Historical Fund grant recipient, and we’re thrilled to support their ongoing efforts. The building is currently being used for theater productions, while simultaneously undergoing various rehabilitation."
The Egyptian Theater was opened in Delta in 1928. The original stage curtains were said to be beautiful with vibrant colors and a number of ancient Egyptian-style figures, each one unique.
The curtains were fabricated in the theater at cost of $3,000 (1928) dollars, which would be the equivalent of over $42,000 today.
After hanging in the theater for many years, the curtains disappeared into history. We assume they were discarded after more than two decades of use. The last photograph the Delta County Museum has is from 1950 and it is in black and white. If anyone has a color photograph of the curtains, or knows definitively what became of them, please let us know, and we will pass that information on to the Delta Museum.
After its initial heyday, the Egyptian Theater fell into decline, but was renovated in the 1990s to reflect its former glory."
Fire and Reconstruction:
Prior to 1916, there was a wooden structure at 116 E. Washington called the Princess Theater, which offered films, along with live entertainment acts and the Princess Theater Orchestra. That building was destroyed by fire in early 1916. Construction on the pres- ent theater building began sometime in 1916, with all indications pointing to Saturday, May 12, 1917 as the opening day. The film shown at the grand opening was William Farnum
in “Fires of Conscience” in six parts. The newspaper advertisement said, “Come to the Princess and be enter- tained. All our features are the high- est class films.” Matinee prices were 10 cents for children and 15 cents for adults; evening prices were 10 and 20 cents.
The Rushville Times article that announced the opening said, “The Princess Theater is one of the most complete amusement houses in central Illinois. Transient visitors to Rushville will be impressed with this magnificent theater and carry away the impression of the city’s progres- siveness as represented in its amuse- ment place. The show room is 80 feet long. The new Princess will seat 475 people and its arrangement is well nigh perfect, no expense being spared in the installation of modern equipment.” An orchestra pit was installed in front of the small stage. The films were silent, so a musician had to sit at the piano, watch the screen, and cue the needed musical sounds. The building had six handsome ceiling fixtures. Along the side pilasters were sconces, the bottom of which contained blue lights, with electric fans attached on top. A hot water system was added. The ticket counter was at the right
of the small lobby, which was adorned with posters announcing coming attractions. There were no restrooms or concession counter and although there was a popcorn stand on the corner of the square, the management forbade bringing in refreshments.
The Early Years:
A Hinners pipe organ, built in nearby Pekin, was installed in March of 1924. The Princess’s organ had five sets of pipes and a harp. The organ chamber was located to the right of the projection booth, while the console was located in the orchestra pit so the organist could watch the screen and cue the sound effects. Bigger pictures sent a score along with the reels of film, but for lesser films, he had to make up his own cues. Mrs. Steinmill- er from Peoria’s Madison Theater played for the first two weeks. After that, Beulah “Sis” Hopkins played for several months. Later, Rushville’s Mildred Sloan was the full-time organist. Former Rushvillian Robert “Bob” Moore was the organist on special occasions; he went on to be organist for Balaban & Katz theaters in the Chicago area. During the early years, the Princess showed films Monday through Saturday, but not Sunday, when one was supposed to attend church rather than going to movies. In the late 1920s, there was a movement afoot to permit showing pictures on Sunday. Although local churches opposed showing movies on Sunday, the practice was approved when put to a vote. Shows started at 7 p.m., with a second showing at 9 p.m., if there was enough of an audience. There were also matinees on Saturday, and on Sunday after the blue laws had been put to rest. The year 1929 brought talking pictures to the Princess. Several changes were made to the Princess during the 1930s. The ceiling fixtures were removed and recessed lighting installed. The lobby gained recessed cove lighting. The ticket booth was moved to the center of the lobby and the area where it had been was converted into a ladies’ restroom with a crying room. A men’s restroom was added on the opposite wall. Air conditioning was installed, and the Princess became the coolest place in town on a summer evening. The stage was extended and outfitted with a new curtain, floodlights and stage lights. A new screen was installed, the sound system was upgraded, and the old wooden seats were replaced with more com- fortable ones. The Carl Pearson family owned the theater. During one of the remodelings, the Princess was renamed the Lloyd, after Carl’s son, and a new neon-lighted marquee was installed. During the 1940s, Carl died and Lloyd returned to operate the Rushville theater. About this time, a concession stand was added in a corner of the lobby. The original flat floor was removed during the 1950s and replaced with a sloped floor that afforded better viewing. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, television changed the movie industry, and the Lloyd Theater began showing films only on weekends. After Lloyd’s health began to fail during the 1970s, the theater was closed and put up for sale.
Changes in Ownership:
Ray and Margie Roloff purchased the theater, renamed it the Schuy-Ville, and changed the marquee. They continued showing movies on the weekends, and constantly upgraded the facility during the nine years they operated it. David Grate operated the theater for a few years, but it eventually closed and was again put up for sale. Realizing that a movie theater was a definite asset for the community,
a group of local citizens formed The Princess Theater Corporation and sold stock with the purpose of purchasing and re-opening the theater. The name “Princess Theater” was restored and work began on the many repairs needed. A new screen, surround-sound system and stage curtain were purchased, the building was re-wired, new lights and air-conditioning were installed, a sagging beam was repaired and the marquee was upgraded with new neon tubes. On September 8, 1995, the Princess re-opened with Marie Wallace as manager. The first movie offered was “Apollo 13”.
Additional history credit Lisa Ruble.
“Zoe Theatre in Pittsfield was named after Clark’s granddaughter Zoe Armentrout (1929-1992). Zoe was the daughter of Russell, Clark’s son, who was also involved with the theatres.”
1960 image added.
Additional history credit Lisa Ruble. (multiple images added)
K P Opera House was built in 1894 by H Clay Kibler. Architect was Henry Elliott who also designed the Pike County Illinois Courthouse. K P stands for Knights of Pythias.
Grand Opening was Thursday January 10, 1895.
Exterior was changed by 1914.
This is the same building that was the Clark Theatre later. After Clark Armentrout, owner of Clark Theater, passed away in 1960 the building was sold and become The John Green Store then it was PN Hirsch. After that The Dollar General Store and presently The Reach Out and Two Rivers Regional Council.
Clark Armentrout owned the theatres in Pittsfield and Barry (Pike County Illinois) and in Louisiana and Shelbina Missouri. He also on Clark Drive-In at Summer Hill (Pike County Illinois) and the Zoe Theatre in Pittsfield.
1939 – Photo Credit: Arthur Rothstein
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.
The building had a fire on 2/24/20, which appears in the Google current street view.
The Los Angeles Theatres blogspot website has additional vintage photos and of the fire, but it won’t link here because CT reads it as Spam.
Street view shows a newer facade, likely done when converted to Home Bank. As the night deposit drawer is still in place. Retail space is split with the left half housing Mountain Attitude Designs jewelry, apparel and gifts. The right half houses Escape The Line 30 Minute Game Rooms. Copperhill also had a Cherokee Theatre, but the location is unknown.
Demolished April 23, 1984 – Bulldozers were tearing down the South Twin Drive-In at Lemay Ferry and Buckley. Wehrenberg Theaters President Ron Krueger said that the land would be much more valuable when developed into a supermarket.
Per Vintage St. Louis & Route 66 Facebook page.
Water & Power Associates website with multiple vintage photos.
https://waterandpower.org/museum/Early_LA_Buildings%20(1925%20+)_1_of_8.html?fbclid=IwAR1lX7MwR-B7JOo00XCauScOyIvE8JH7-uWLXd3HLct6TthaapoIJLyY71U
Update: Photo credit Dr. Gene Ossello.
Update: Photo credit Dr. Gene Ossello.
Images added.
January – February 1944.
Per Judy Brach Kannard: “In the 60s, the theater was then turned into a teen center. We had dances there and it was kind of comical because the floor was still slanted in the theater part from when the theater chairs were in there.”
Additional history credit History Colorado.
“November 20, 2019
On this day in 1879, the Tabor Opera House in Leadville opened. đźŽ
After only 100 days of construction, the new opera house opened in Leadville thanks to Horace Tabor. At the time of opening it was said to be the grandest theater between Saint Louis and San Francisco.
The theater was elegant and included two retail stores, multiple floors, and an enclosed skywalk to the Clarendon Hotel (we all know how cold Leadville can be as the highest town in Colorado!).
The interior featured frescoes, custom carpets, and hand-painted stage curtains. The opera house even had the first gas lights in Leadville and they helped illuminate the fancy theater.
Today, the original Italianate exterior of the building is largely intact, making the building a contributing member of the Leadville Historic District as well as becoming one of the nation’s very first National Historic Landmarks in 1961. The Opera House has also been a State Historical Fund grant recipient, and we’re thrilled to support their ongoing efforts. The building is currently being used for theater productions, while simultaneously undergoing various rehabilitation."
Additional history credit William Thomas and the Delta County Historical Museum.
“Egyptian Theater Stage Curtain (image added), Delta, Colorado 1928-1950
The Egyptian Theater was opened in Delta in 1928. The original stage curtains were said to be beautiful with vibrant colors and a number of ancient Egyptian-style figures, each one unique.
The curtains were fabricated in the theater at cost of $3,000 (1928) dollars, which would be the equivalent of over $42,000 today.
After hanging in the theater for many years, the curtains disappeared into history. We assume they were discarded after more than two decades of use. The last photograph the Delta County Museum has is from 1950 and it is in black and white. If anyone has a color photograph of the curtains, or knows definitively what became of them, please let us know, and we will pass that information on to the Delta Museum.
After its initial heyday, the Egyptian Theater fell into decline, but was renovated in the 1990s to reflect its former glory."
Built in 1909, opened in 1919, per “Theaters” book by Andrew Craig Morrison.
“Motion Picture Herald,” June 29, 1935.
Additional history credit Mason Vincent.
Princess Theater – Rushville, IL
Fire and Reconstruction: Prior to 1916, there was a wooden structure at 116 E. Washington called the Princess Theater, which offered films, along with live entertainment acts and the Princess Theater Orchestra. That building was destroyed by fire in early 1916. Construction on the pres- ent theater building began sometime in 1916, with all indications pointing to Saturday, May 12, 1917 as the opening day. The film shown at the grand opening was William Farnum in “Fires of Conscience” in six parts. The newspaper advertisement said, “Come to the Princess and be enter- tained. All our features are the high- est class films.” Matinee prices were 10 cents for children and 15 cents for adults; evening prices were 10 and 20 cents. The Rushville Times article that announced the opening said, “The Princess Theater is one of the most complete amusement houses in central Illinois. Transient visitors to Rushville will be impressed with this magnificent theater and carry away the impression of the city’s progres- siveness as represented in its amuse- ment place. The show room is 80 feet long. The new Princess will seat 475 people and its arrangement is well nigh perfect, no expense being spared in the installation of modern equipment.” An orchestra pit was installed in front of the small stage. The films were silent, so a musician had to sit at the piano, watch the screen, and cue the needed musical sounds. The building had six handsome ceiling fixtures. Along the side pilasters were sconces, the bottom of which contained blue lights, with electric fans attached on top. A hot water system was added. The ticket counter was at the right of the small lobby, which was adorned with posters announcing coming attractions. There were no restrooms or concession counter and although there was a popcorn stand on the corner of the square, the management forbade bringing in refreshments.
The Early Years: A Hinners pipe organ, built in nearby Pekin, was installed in March of 1924. The Princess’s organ had five sets of pipes and a harp. The organ chamber was located to the right of the projection booth, while the console was located in the orchestra pit so the organist could watch the screen and cue the sound effects. Bigger pictures sent a score along with the reels of film, but for lesser films, he had to make up his own cues. Mrs. Steinmill- er from Peoria’s Madison Theater played for the first two weeks. After that, Beulah “Sis” Hopkins played for several months. Later, Rushville’s Mildred Sloan was the full-time organist. Former Rushvillian Robert “Bob” Moore was the organist on special occasions; he went on to be organist for Balaban & Katz theaters in the Chicago area. During the early years, the Princess showed films Monday through Saturday, but not Sunday, when one was supposed to attend church rather than going to movies. In the late 1920s, there was a movement afoot to permit showing pictures on Sunday. Although local churches opposed showing movies on Sunday, the practice was approved when put to a vote. Shows started at 7 p.m., with a second showing at 9 p.m., if there was enough of an audience. There were also matinees on Saturday, and on Sunday after the blue laws had been put to rest. The year 1929 brought talking pictures to the Princess. Several changes were made to the Princess during the 1930s. The ceiling fixtures were removed and recessed lighting installed. The lobby gained recessed cove lighting. The ticket booth was moved to the center of the lobby and the area where it had been was converted into a ladies’ restroom with a crying room. A men’s restroom was added on the opposite wall. Air conditioning was installed, and the Princess became the coolest place in town on a summer evening. The stage was extended and outfitted with a new curtain, floodlights and stage lights. A new screen was installed, the sound system was upgraded, and the old wooden seats were replaced with more com- fortable ones. The Carl Pearson family owned the theater. During one of the remodelings, the Princess was renamed the Lloyd, after Carl’s son, and a new neon-lighted marquee was installed. During the 1940s, Carl died and Lloyd returned to operate the Rushville theater. About this time, a concession stand was added in a corner of the lobby. The original flat floor was removed during the 1950s and replaced with a sloped floor that afforded better viewing. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, television changed the movie industry, and the Lloyd Theater began showing films only on weekends. After Lloyd’s health began to fail during the 1970s, the theater was closed and put up for sale.
Changes in Ownership: Ray and Margie Roloff purchased the theater, renamed it the Schuy-Ville, and changed the marquee. They continued showing movies on the weekends, and constantly upgraded the facility during the nine years they operated it. David Grate operated the theater for a few years, but it eventually closed and was again put up for sale. Realizing that a movie theater was a definite asset for the community, a group of local citizens formed The Princess Theater Corporation and sold stock with the purpose of purchasing and re-opening the theater. The name “Princess Theater” was restored and work began on the many repairs needed. A new screen, surround-sound system and stage curtain were purchased, the building was re-wired, new lights and air-conditioning were installed, a sagging beam was repaired and the marquee was upgraded with new neon tubes. On September 8, 1995, the Princess re-opened with Marie Wallace as manager. The first movie offered was “Apollo 13”.
The Princess Theater Foundation: In 2013, The Princess Theater Corporation became The Princess Theater Foundation, a not-for-profit 501©(3) organization. The movies shown at the Princess are generally family or children oriented, however in late 2017 the board voted to begin showing select quality or historically accurate “R” rated movies in an effort to generate much needed revenue. The Princess relies on free will donations, concessions, and gate admissions to fund its operating expenses. The Princess received another much needed renovation in 2013. Since movies are no longer sent on film reels, but are digital files ingested from hard drives, there was a need for new digital equipment, including a projector system, screen and sound system. At that time, the roof was replaced, new seats and carpeting were installed, the lobby was painted and the restrooms were upgraded. The Princess now seats 245 with additional spaces for handicapped accessibility. An anonymous benefactor graciously provided funds for these projects so Rushville and the surrounding communities will be able to enjoy entertainment at the Princess Theater for years to come!"
Additional history credit Lisa Ruble. “Zoe Theatre in Pittsfield was named after Clark’s granddaughter Zoe Armentrout (1929-1992). Zoe was the daughter of Russell, Clark’s son, who was also involved with the theatres.” 1960 image added.
Opening night.
Per Lisa Ruble: “It (the bombing) happened during the night. The theatre was fixed and opened within the week. No one was ever arrested. Image added.
Additional history credit Lisa Ruble. (multiple images added)
K P Opera House was built in 1894 by H Clay Kibler. Architect was Henry Elliott who also designed the Pike County Illinois Courthouse. K P stands for Knights of Pythias. Grand Opening was Thursday January 10, 1895. Exterior was changed by 1914. This is the same building that was the Clark Theatre later. After Clark Armentrout, owner of Clark Theater, passed away in 1960 the building was sold and become The John Green Store then it was PN Hirsch. After that The Dollar General Store and presently The Reach Out and Two Rivers Regional Council.
Clark Armentrout owned the theatres in Pittsfield and Barry (Pike County Illinois) and in Louisiana and Shelbina Missouri. He also on Clark Drive-In at Summer Hill (Pike County Illinois) and the Zoe Theatre in Pittsfield.
1939 – Photo Credit: Arthur Rothstein Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives.
May 10, for May 12, 1917 grand opening newspaper ad added courtesy Mason Vincent‎.
From the Chicago Tribune March 29th 1969.
The building had a fire on 2/24/20, which appears in the Google current street view. The Los Angeles Theatres blogspot website has additional vintage photos and of the fire, but it won’t link here because CT reads it as Spam.
Street view shows a newer facade, likely done when converted to Home Bank. As the night deposit drawer is still in place. Retail space is split with the left half housing Mountain Attitude Designs jewelry, apparel and gifts. The right half houses Escape The Line 30 Minute Game Rooms. Copperhill also had a Cherokee Theatre, but the location is unknown.
1930s photo added courtesy Ralph Mitchell. Bohemia marquee left of center.
Demolished April 23, 1984 – Bulldozers were tearing down the South Twin Drive-In at Lemay Ferry and Buckley. Wehrenberg Theaters President Ron Krueger said that the land would be much more valuable when developed into a supermarket. Per Vintage St. Louis & Route 66 Facebook page.
1926 photo added credit W.C. Persons, courtesy Missouri Historical Society Collection.
May 24, 1940 photo added courtesy Vintage St. Louis & Route 66 Facebook page.