Comments from mistymonet

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mistymonet
mistymonet commented about Main Street Theatre on Aug 13, 2010 at 4:20 pm

Another memory of growing up in Lamar, CO…. In the 70’s there was another theatre in town called the Century Theatre. It was located around 206 South 5th Street. The building has since been renovated and is now the home of a mortuary.

I believe the Century opened during a time when the Lamar Theatre was closed down and not in operation. If I recall correctly, the Lamar Theatre reopened in the late 70’s to early 80’s, and for a short time, Lamar enjoyed two theatres as well as a drive-in theatre. I think the Century Theatre and the Lamar Drive-in closed soon into the 80’s.

mistymonet
mistymonet commented about Main Street Theatre on Aug 13, 2010 at 4:01 pm

To my understanding, it was the Pioneer Theatre that was located at approximately 111 South Main Street in Lamar, CO. You can still see ghost images of the old scrolled paintings high on the walls from the old theatre which is now a roofless space used for a small amount of downtown parking. The area where the screen was located is a large square opening, and the old emergency exits are still evident on each side of the old screen (opening).

One of my uncles who worked at that theatre during the time it was being closed and/or demolished, told me he spent many long days tending a fire, burning the old movie posters [gasp]! I guess they didn’t realize then what they’d be worth in the years to come!

The same uncle, along with both of my parents and other family members worked at the then newer Lamar Theatre at 216 South Main Street, as well as the Arrow Drive-In east of Lamar. What great memories I have of that theatre!

Oh, my uncle also told me that the Lamar Theatre had a “sister” theatre in the Denver area. The Lamar’s art deco look was either modeled from that theatre or vice versa. I don’t know where that theatre was, or if it’s still standing.

mistymonet
mistymonet commented about Arrow Drive-In on Aug 13, 2010 at 3:31 pm

I believe that the Arrow Drive-In east of Lamar closed in the early 60’s due to the big flood that went through there.

My dad, my mother and her brothers worked at both the Lamar Theatre and the Arrow Drive-in during the mid to late 50’s and 60’s. I still have a couple of the old calendars of upcoming movies for both theaters from around 1958/59.