Another one of our historic buildings has been demolished. It was a small and modest building, but had a lot of history behind it. This was the building that was formerly the Rex Theater, and then later Saps Doughnuts, located at 838 N. 6th, at the 3-way intersection of 6th and Lafayette and Locust. I’ve been doing research on old theaters and am glad I took some photos of this building in 2017. It had the letters “REX” still visible on the little side windows. It was the Rex Theater as early as 1915 and operated up to the depression when it closed for most of the early and mid 1930s. Then it reopened in 1936. In 1937 it was called the Annex Theater for about a year and then went back to being called the Rex. It operated up to 1955.
Here is the building that housed the Rex Theater. Photo taken July 8, 2017. Still visible on the small painted windows on the side of the building were the letters REX.
Here is a picture of the Paitson Bros. Bakery and Market showing part of the Virginia Theater, including the entrance, on the left. The theater was known as the Little Virginia Theater from about 1935-1940 and then was known as the Virginia Theater from 1941 to about 1952 or 1953. A theater was at this address from as early as 1927 to 1929, when it was briefly called the Alhambra Theater.
The building indicated in this photo as the Virginia Theater is not the correct building. The building indicated by the arrow was a business and later an apartment building (on 15th Street, not Locust). The main building in this picture is Paitson’s Bakery and Grocery. The Virginia Theater was in this same building to the far left of the grocery. The theater is barely visible in this photo, but the woman on the far left is probably standing in front of the theater.
Soybean, you are speaking of three different movie theaters. First there was the Grand Opera House, located at the SE corner of 7th and Cherry Streets. It opened in 1897 and was converted to the Grand Theater (to show motion pictures) in the early 1930s. This is the theater that screened Gone With the Wind. This Grand Theater was closed in 1959 and demolished in 1960.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Theater had been built in about 1919 at 729 Wabash, the SW corner 8th and Wabash. It operated continuously until about 1956 or 57, when it closed. When the first Grand Theater closed in 1959, the Liberty was renamed the Grand and re-opened in in 1960. It operated until 1977. The building was later taken over by the Tribune-Star. Demolished 2007(?)or so and now the Children’s Museum stands on that corner.
The theater that ran adult films was the former Garfield Theater in 12 Points, which re-opened as the Village Cinema and eventually ran XXX rated movies.
Another one of our historic buildings has been demolished. It was a small and modest building, but had a lot of history behind it. This was the building that was formerly the Rex Theater, and then later Saps Doughnuts, located at 838 N. 6th, at the 3-way intersection of 6th and Lafayette and Locust. I’ve been doing research on old theaters and am glad I took some photos of this building in 2017. It had the letters “REX” still visible on the little side windows. It was the Rex Theater as early as 1915 and operated up to the depression when it closed for most of the early and mid 1930s. Then it reopened in 1936. In 1937 it was called the Annex Theater for about a year and then went back to being called the Rex. It operated up to 1955.
Here is the building that housed the Rex Theater. Photo taken July 8, 2017. Still visible on the small painted windows on the side of the building were the letters REX.
Here is a picture of the Paitson Bros. Bakery and Market showing part of the Virginia Theater, including the entrance, on the left. The theater was known as the Little Virginia Theater from about 1935-1940 and then was known as the Virginia Theater from 1941 to about 1952 or 1953. A theater was at this address from as early as 1927 to 1929, when it was briefly called the Alhambra Theater.
The building indicated in this photo as the Virginia Theater is not the correct building. The building indicated by the arrow was a business and later an apartment building (on 15th Street, not Locust). The main building in this picture is Paitson’s Bakery and Grocery. The Virginia Theater was in this same building to the far left of the grocery. The theater is barely visible in this photo, but the woman on the far left is probably standing in front of the theater.
Soybean, you are speaking of three different movie theaters. First there was the Grand Opera House, located at the SE corner of 7th and Cherry Streets. It opened in 1897 and was converted to the Grand Theater (to show motion pictures) in the early 1930s. This is the theater that screened Gone With the Wind. This Grand Theater was closed in 1959 and demolished in 1960.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Theater had been built in about 1919 at 729 Wabash, the SW corner 8th and Wabash. It operated continuously until about 1956 or 57, when it closed. When the first Grand Theater closed in 1959, the Liberty was renamed the Grand and re-opened in in 1960. It operated until 1977. The building was later taken over by the Tribune-Star. Demolished 2007(?)or so and now the Children’s Museum stands on that corner.
The theater that ran adult films was the former Garfield Theater in 12 Points, which re-opened as the Village Cinema and eventually ran XXX rated movies.