Correct address is 124-126 S 6th. This was originally the Grand Opera House, built sometime before 1885. It appears that it was remodeled sometime around 1920, and used by the Knights of Pythias (who presumably took over the old second story opera house). It survived into the 1970s, when it was a bowling alley. The entire block has been destroyed. After being a vacant lot for many years, the site is now a cheap prefab shed fire station. KHRI entry for a neighboring building with a picture of the block: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=139-4210-00007
Typo in the owner’s name. Do we have any information at all? The dates are vague. This first appears in 1936, and is still listed in 1956. Likely demolished, there are not too many old buildings left in the small downtown.
Those cruddy shingles have been removed from the building that had them, but the theater was at the vacant lot between the little office and the nice old auto service building with the wood and glass doors.
The building is still there, and we should be using the current address, which is 17. Those are not addresses on the Sanborn, but lot numbers. Currently a floral/gift shop occupying both halves.
The 1951 map shows the armory. The 1939 map is unfortunately missing the relevant volume. The building looks pretty shabby, and the building next door was demolished sometime around 2016. The only work that appears to have happened since I saw it in 2010 is that the front windows are now uncovered.
Why does this describe the theater as having gray panels? Ludicrous mischaracterization. The storefronts were covered with tacky siding, yes, but that is quite obviously not the defining feature. Sadly, the most recent streetview shows that the retail space on the right side has been completely destroyed, and the beautiful tile facade has been removed from the storefronts on the left. Glad I got to see this one in March of 2020, when it was still mostly intact.
SethG
commented about
Theateron
Oct 4, 2025 at 2:37 pm
The Arcade was the trunk factory, at least according to the maps.
Still open in 1914-15, when it was listed in the AMPD. Closed before 1926. This was another building that fronted both Main and Delaware, and was one story taller on the Delaware side due to the slope. This building was constructed sometime before 1895, when the map shows it used as a trunk factory. The buildings still existed in 1950, but this entire set of wedge shaped blocks were destroyed, likely in the dark days of urban ‘renewal’. Delaware St now exists only north of 70, Main runs through the area where the structures were, and the neighborhood is a bleak wasteland of enormous surface lots and some hideous modern buildings.
This building was a three story commercial building that occupied the narrow end of a wedge shaped block. Originally constructed sometime before 1896, it had a stone facade on the Main St side, and was one story taller on the Delaware St side. The 1896 map shows it with a store at either end, and offices and a hall above.
The 1909 map shows the theater facing Main with a store facing Delaware. The Yale Film Co. occupies the second floor. This may have been an early movie studio, or simply offices for the small chain. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the Crystal, Princess, and Wonderland as ‘Yale’s x’, but the Lyric is not so listed.
The 1939 map shows this building and the one to the north used as a factory for ‘store equipment’. This block was destroyed when the freeway was built, and is now dead ground and a Delaware St overpass.
Closed by 1909, map shows a store here, in a two story building that replaces a three-story structure on the 1896 map. Not sure which one the theater was in. 516 was a printer on the 1950 map, but the rot had already set in, and a lot of buildings from the 1939 map are gone.
Closed by 1909, the map shows a cobbler there. Rather grand name for an old storefront. The building appears on the 1896 map. The building appears to have been replaced, or heavily remodeled on the 1939 map. This entire neighborhood was long ago plowed under to build a freeway.
Not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. When did it open? The building was a one story structure containing some stores. Used as retail in 1950, a parking garage occupies the block today.
The address is correct. The building on the left is the Regent, which was at 109. This theater was likely not open in 1909 when the Sanborn map was created.
KHRI entry for this building, with some historic photos, one of which shows the Cozy: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=139-4210-00019
Correct address is 124-126 S 6th. This was originally the Grand Opera House, built sometime before 1885. It appears that it was remodeled sometime around 1920, and used by the Knights of Pythias (who presumably took over the old second story opera house). It survived into the 1970s, when it was a bowling alley. The entire block has been destroyed. After being a vacant lot for many years, the site is now a cheap prefab shed fire station. KHRI entry for a neighboring building with a picture of the block: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=139-4210-00007
Typo in the owner’s name. Do we have any information at all? The dates are vague. This first appears in 1936, and is still listed in 1956. Likely demolished, there are not too many old buildings left in the small downtown.
Those cruddy shingles have been removed from the building that had them, but the theater was at the vacant lot between the little office and the nice old auto service building with the wood and glass doors.
The KHRI entry, which has next to no information, but does include a picture, is here: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=013-2560-00047
The building is still there, and we should be using the current address, which is 17. Those are not addresses on the Sanborn, but lot numbers. Currently a floral/gift shop occupying both halves.
Demolition date is wrong. As the article MK found says, it was late 1990 or perhaps sometime early 1991.
Looks like it opened in 1927. The old Colonial is the only theater listed in 1926. It’s definitely not on the 1924 map.
I’m not sure when this was demolished, but it was long gone by the 2007 streetview.
The 1951 map shows the theater at 508-512. The buildings to the east are still there, and are 514, and 516-518.
The 1951 map shows the armory. The 1939 map is unfortunately missing the relevant volume. The building looks pretty shabby, and the building next door was demolished sometime around 2016. The only work that appears to have happened since I saw it in 2010 is that the front windows are now uncovered.
The Yale Film Company offices were located above the Lyric, which likely was part of the ‘chain’ at one point.
Why does this describe the theater as having gray panels? Ludicrous mischaracterization. The storefronts were covered with tacky siding, yes, but that is quite obviously not the defining feature. Sadly, the most recent streetview shows that the retail space on the right side has been completely destroyed, and the beautiful tile facade has been removed from the storefronts on the left. Glad I got to see this one in March of 2020, when it was still mostly intact.
The Arcade was the trunk factory, at least according to the maps.
A whole block of nice buildings lost for some repulsive ‘70s trash.
Correct address was 324 W 9th. I’ve added a Sanborn view, which shows 322-326, but the entry at 324.
Note that this was a second floor theater.
Still open in 1914-15, when it was listed in the AMPD. Closed before 1926. This was another building that fronted both Main and Delaware, and was one story taller on the Delaware side due to the slope. This building was constructed sometime before 1895, when the map shows it used as a trunk factory. The buildings still existed in 1950, but this entire set of wedge shaped blocks were destroyed, likely in the dark days of urban ‘renewal’. Delaware St now exists only north of 70, Main runs through the area where the structures were, and the neighborhood is a bleak wasteland of enormous surface lots and some hideous modern buildings.
I’ve added a 1909 view, which shows that the stone facade was apparently removed at some point.
This building was a three story commercial building that occupied the narrow end of a wedge shaped block. Originally constructed sometime before 1896, it had a stone facade on the Main St side, and was one story taller on the Delaware St side. The 1896 map shows it with a store at either end, and offices and a hall above.
The 1909 map shows the theater facing Main with a store facing Delaware. The Yale Film Co. occupies the second floor. This may have been an early movie studio, or simply offices for the small chain. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the Crystal, Princess, and Wonderland as ‘Yale’s x’, but the Lyric is not so listed.
The 1939 map shows this building and the one to the north used as a factory for ‘store equipment’. This block was destroyed when the freeway was built, and is now dead ground and a Delaware St overpass.
Closed by 1909, map shows a store here, in a two story building that replaces a three-story structure on the 1896 map. Not sure which one the theater was in. 516 was a printer on the 1950 map, but the rot had already set in, and a lot of buildings from the 1939 map are gone.
Closed by 1909, the map shows a cobbler there. Rather grand name for an old storefront. The building appears on the 1896 map. The building appears to have been replaced, or heavily remodeled on the 1939 map. This entire neighborhood was long ago plowed under to build a freeway.
Name of the theater is misspelled. Should be Washita.
Not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. When did it open? The building was a one story structure containing some stores. Used as retail in 1950, a parking garage occupies the block today.
The address is correct. The building on the left is the Regent, which was at 109. This theater was likely not open in 1909 when the Sanborn map was created.