There were two iterations of the Crescent Theatre on West Broad Street in Statesville, NC. The first was on the south side of West Broad in a former retail store. There was a catastrophic fire with significant water damage. Luckily (?), a new iteration was already being constructed across the street at 122 West Broad Street. This is the one that continued to operate until the 1950s.
I’ve added some photos of the second iteration. A really good history of the Crescent can be found in the essay “A Grandfather’s Recollections of His Youth” by Lessesne Richardson Allison, an original employee of both Crescents, written in 1977. I believe it can be found in the Iredell County Library. Excerpts were published in the Statesville Record & Landmark starting November 3, 1977.
Note that the Forest Drive-In, when new in 1949, was located on the east side of what is now Capital Blvd and the 440 beltline. See https://www.facebook.com/olderaleigh/photos/a.1014461058646179/1870401096385500/?type=3&theater
The second location is described above. Neither locations were on Old Wake Forest Rd as indicated.
Just was rereading some of this thread. The theatre that was on S. Center Street between E. Front and E. Broad was the State. I can remember that you could go upstairs and look through a window at the projectors.
An expansion of the Spainhour’s store in the mid-60s occupied that space.
Was good to see comments from descendants of the Stearns. I actually grew up in a home that I was told was the model home for one of their developments on Reynolda Drive in Statesville.
I was going to post a photo of the Playhouse (taken from the March 1982 Record & Landmark article on the closing of the Playhouse’s last days), but the photo feature isn’t working.
I would really like to hear from others that worked at the Playhouse, as I did from 1970-1974.
I know a little about the Newtowne, having worked there in the 1970s. Originally a single screen, the projection room seemed to have been laid out with twinning in mind from the beginning .. always seemed to be huge. The original projectors were carbon arc. The concession stand was long and narrow.
I don’t remember it ever having a wooden floor, however.
There were two iterations of the Crescent Theatre on West Broad Street in Statesville, NC. The first was on the south side of West Broad in a former retail store. There was a catastrophic fire with significant water damage. Luckily (?), a new iteration was already being constructed across the street at 122 West Broad Street. This is the one that continued to operate until the 1950s.
I’ve added some photos of the second iteration. A really good history of the Crescent can be found in the essay “A Grandfather’s Recollections of His Youth” by Lessesne Richardson Allison, an original employee of both Crescents, written in 1977. I believe it can be found in the Iredell County Library. Excerpts were published in the Statesville Record & Landmark starting November 3, 1977.
Note that the Forest Drive-In, when new in 1949, was located on the east side of what is now Capital Blvd and the 440 beltline. See https://www.facebook.com/olderaleigh/photos/a.1014461058646179/1870401096385500/?type=3&theater
The second location is described above. Neither locations were on Old Wake Forest Rd as indicated.
Just was rereading some of this thread. The theatre that was on S. Center Street between E. Front and E. Broad was the State. I can remember that you could go upstairs and look through a window at the projectors.
An expansion of the Spainhour’s store in the mid-60s occupied that space.
Was good to see comments from descendants of the Stearns. I actually grew up in a home that I was told was the model home for one of their developments on Reynolda Drive in Statesville.
I was going to post a photo of the Playhouse (taken from the March 1982 Record & Landmark article on the closing of the Playhouse’s last days), but the photo feature isn’t working.
I would really like to hear from others that worked at the Playhouse, as I did from 1970-1974.
Kevin Angley
Raleigh, NC
I know a little about the Newtowne, having worked there in the 1970s. Originally a single screen, the projection room seemed to have been laid out with twinning in mind from the beginning .. always seemed to be huge. The original projectors were carbon arc. The concession stand was long and narrow.
I don’t remember it ever having a wooden floor, however.