I grew up in Ottumwa when the Capital was running. My brothers and I went to Saturday morning kids movies there. I was so amazed at how beautiful it was inside. You purchased your ticket out front from the booth then entered the doors to a oval shaped room to wait for the movie to open. It had 3 big glass movie poster light boxes with coming movies in them. Once we were allowed in the confession stand was right there. Then you either went left or right to the doors. There were 4 enterances on this floor. If you wanted the balcony you went up these big stairs on either side that split at the top. Depending on which stairs you took you would turn left to the balcony stairs or right to stairs that lead up to a large open room with couches. The bathrooms were there, also a coat heck room and I think a bar. The bathrooms were really something, they had 2 rooms. The first had mirrors with little stools so the ladies could fix their hair and make-up. The other were the sinks and toilets. If I remember right the carpet and curtains were red and black throughout the theater. It was quite grand. The little theater came along later and was just one level with a tiny concession stand. I was married Nd returned to Ottumwa with my children when they were in elementary school. I wanted them to see the Capital. I was shocked at how they chopped it apart into all those theaters and combined it with the theater next door. It was dirty and smelled terrible. So very sad to see that happen. I’ll never forget seeing those lights at night on the theater. My father worked next door at the Gas Company and I would go see him when he worked at night. We would walk out for dinner and see the lights as we went to the little pizza parlor across from the Capri. I don’t know the name …but there was a tiny theater next to the gas company which later became a taxi cab company. I know it was there because the dispatcher at the place took me back one night to see the old theater. The screen was still there but the seats were gone and it had a bad roof so there were bats.
I grew up in Ottumwa when the Capital was running. My brothers and I went to Saturday morning kids movies there. I was so amazed at how beautiful it was inside. You purchased your ticket out front from the booth then entered the doors to a oval shaped room to wait for the movie to open. It had 3 big glass movie poster light boxes with coming movies in them. Once we were allowed in the confession stand was right there. Then you either went left or right to the doors. There were 4 enterances on this floor. If you wanted the balcony you went up these big stairs on either side that split at the top. Depending on which stairs you took you would turn left to the balcony stairs or right to stairs that lead up to a large open room with couches. The bathrooms were there, also a coat heck room and I think a bar. The bathrooms were really something, they had 2 rooms. The first had mirrors with little stools so the ladies could fix their hair and make-up. The other were the sinks and toilets. If I remember right the carpet and curtains were red and black throughout the theater. It was quite grand. The little theater came along later and was just one level with a tiny concession stand. I was married Nd returned to Ottumwa with my children when they were in elementary school. I wanted them to see the Capital. I was shocked at how they chopped it apart into all those theaters and combined it with the theater next door. It was dirty and smelled terrible. So very sad to see that happen. I’ll never forget seeing those lights at night on the theater. My father worked next door at the Gas Company and I would go see him when he worked at night. We would walk out for dinner and see the lights as we went to the little pizza parlor across from the Capri. I don’t know the name …but there was a tiny theater next to the gas company which later became a taxi cab company. I know it was there because the dispatcher at the place took me back one night to see the old theater. The screen was still there but the seats were gone and it had a bad roof so there were bats.