the large brick home was where the owners lived. A few years back they had an estate sale and my brother bought a few of the old speakers and bits of this and that. I got my first hickey at this drive-in when I was a senior in high school.
I saw Santa Claus Conquers the Martians there,whatever year that was. I remember the parachute stuff and I’m glad someone else did too. I was beginning to think I had imagined it. I seem to remember it had another name though.
this was my ‘make-out’ place in the early 70’s when I was in high school. By then it was showing 2nd rate b-movies like ‘The Velvet Vampire’ which was OK because we never watched the movie anyway.
I saw a James Bond film there,the one with Lazenby. I remember it being BIG,and ornate. I sat in the balcony. It was bulldozed to make way for the Johnson City Press building.
the building still stands. At one time it was a clothing store,now I think an antique shop or something. My uncle who is 86 says he used to go there to watch the b-westerns. It wasn’t exactly the fanciest theater in town.
I almost cry when I pass by that big empty space,and think of the memories,and what could have been. The leaders of Johnson City are always talking about revitalizing downtown,but the fact is,unlike Bristol,Knoxville,Chattanooga…there really is no reason to come downtown anymore. Had someone stepped up and saved the Majestic (or the Tennessee),there would now be a reason.
UNfortunately,the leaders(?) in Johnson City seem to be more apt to tear things down than anything else. The Johnson City I remember of 40 years ago is mostly gone. I their zeal to make Johnson City from a small town (which it is) into a big town (which it is NOT) they are destroying the charm that brought people here in the first place. I expect a huge exodus to Bristol,Kingsport,even Greenville or Irwin,any day now.
At some point in the late 50’s/early 60’s the Gay was turned into a bowling alley. My brother was a pin-setter there when he was in his early teens. One day while rummaging around back,my younger brother and I found the old wooden frames that once held the posters and lobby cards out front. WE took what we could carry home and had some fun playing theater.
I miss Burlington. It was a thriving place when I was young. It is an overlooked gem that has been largly forgotten by Knoxville’s past two millionaire mayors,because it is East,not West. A smart developer could do wonders with it today.
By the way,Bob,,the IGA was Cox & Wright’s…operated by Jack Cox and Fred Wright,two of the finest men who ever lived. If not for their kindness, I,as a baby,would have gone hungry many times. They didn’t give credit,but Jack would always let mu mom have formula and stuff for us kids til payday.
There is still a Cox& Wright in Rutledge Tn,still owned by the family as far as I know. Come to think of it,Burlington had more than its fair share of good men..Blaine Farmer at the hardware store, Dr Greenlee at the drug store…Mr Keaton (Jewelry store) Mr and Mrs Pass ( dime store)…there were no bad people in Burlington in those days.
You can take the boy out of Burlington,but you can’t take Burlington out of the Boy.
The very first movie I ever saw in a theater was ‘the Tingler’ with Vincent price,at the Park Theater.This was in 1959 and I was 5 years old. It was a typical William Castle film,and I remember a stretcher in the lobby in case someone fainted,and they had a row of seats blocked off. Just before the film began,a guy came in with a small wire cage and sat in the middle of that row. I heard that some seats were wired to give a mild shock but mine wasn’t.
I saw many films there over the years,as I lived in East Knoxville (Burlington) myself. I saw PATTON there.
The theater would still be standing today if not for Knoxville’s mayor at the time,Victor Ashe (well known for tearing things down). The building was being negotiated for by someone willing to restore and use it,when Mr Ashe ordered it demolished. A few hours with a bulldozer destroyed years of memories for myself and many others. Thanks,Victor.
the large brick home was where the owners lived. A few years back they had an estate sale and my brother bought a few of the old speakers and bits of this and that. I got my first hickey at this drive-in when I was a senior in high school.
I saw Santa Claus Conquers the Martians there,whatever year that was. I remember the parachute stuff and I’m glad someone else did too. I was beginning to think I had imagined it. I seem to remember it had another name though.
this was my ‘make-out’ place in the early 70’s when I was in high school. By then it was showing 2nd rate b-movies like ‘The Velvet Vampire’ which was OK because we never watched the movie anyway.
the marquee sign still exists,restored, and can be seen if you take the old highway 61 from Blaine back towards knoxville.
the building still stands. It is painted yellow now and used to have some kind of welding or metal working shop in it.
correct. The building still stands
I saw a James Bond film there,the one with Lazenby. I remember it being BIG,and ornate. I sat in the balcony. It was bulldozed to make way for the Johnson City Press building.
there was a fire sometime in the early 60’s but the building was renovated and was a furniture store for awhile. It still stands.
the building still stands. At one time it was a clothing store,now I think an antique shop or something. My uncle who is 86 says he used to go there to watch the b-westerns. It wasn’t exactly the fanciest theater in town.
I almost cry when I pass by that big empty space,and think of the memories,and what could have been. The leaders of Johnson City are always talking about revitalizing downtown,but the fact is,unlike Bristol,Knoxville,Chattanooga…there really is no reason to come downtown anymore. Had someone stepped up and saved the Majestic (or the Tennessee),there would now be a reason.
UNfortunately,the leaders(?) in Johnson City seem to be more apt to tear things down than anything else. The Johnson City I remember of 40 years ago is mostly gone. I their zeal to make Johnson City from a small town (which it is) into a big town (which it is NOT) they are destroying the charm that brought people here in the first place. I expect a huge exodus to Bristol,Kingsport,even Greenville or Irwin,any day now.
At some point in the late 50’s/early 60’s the Gay was turned into a bowling alley. My brother was a pin-setter there when he was in his early teens. One day while rummaging around back,my younger brother and I found the old wooden frames that once held the posters and lobby cards out front. WE took what we could carry home and had some fun playing theater.
I miss Burlington. It was a thriving place when I was young. It is an overlooked gem that has been largly forgotten by Knoxville’s past two millionaire mayors,because it is East,not West. A smart developer could do wonders with it today.
By the way,Bob,,the IGA was Cox & Wright’s…operated by Jack Cox and Fred Wright,two of the finest men who ever lived. If not for their kindness, I,as a baby,would have gone hungry many times. They didn’t give credit,but Jack would always let mu mom have formula and stuff for us kids til payday.
There is still a Cox& Wright in Rutledge Tn,still owned by the family as far as I know. Come to think of it,Burlington had more than its fair share of good men..Blaine Farmer at the hardware store, Dr Greenlee at the drug store…Mr Keaton (Jewelry store) Mr and Mrs Pass ( dime store)…there were no bad people in Burlington in those days.
You can take the boy out of Burlington,but you can’t take Burlington out of the Boy.
The very first movie I ever saw in a theater was ‘the Tingler’ with Vincent price,at the Park Theater.This was in 1959 and I was 5 years old. It was a typical William Castle film,and I remember a stretcher in the lobby in case someone fainted,and they had a row of seats blocked off. Just before the film began,a guy came in with a small wire cage and sat in the middle of that row. I heard that some seats were wired to give a mild shock but mine wasn’t.
I saw many films there over the years,as I lived in East Knoxville (Burlington) myself. I saw PATTON there.
The theater would still be standing today if not for Knoxville’s mayor at the time,Victor Ashe (well known for tearing things down). The building was being negotiated for by someone willing to restore and use it,when Mr Ashe ordered it demolished. A few hours with a bulldozer destroyed years of memories for myself and many others. Thanks,Victor.