Traco Theatre

Apparently had two fires, articles courtesy John Novak.

February 3, 1929 At 9:30 a call for a fire was received at the Traco Theatre downtown [Asbury Park Press gives the alarm time as 7:45 am]. The alarm was turned in by George Gaskill a local Dairyman and Harry Harris who were passing by. The building was a sixty-five foot brick theatre owned by the Traco Company. Thirty members responded with two chemical trucks and one pumper. The loss was recorded at $75,000.00 for the building and $10,000.00 for the contents. Log book remarks stated “fire effectively handled.” The fire was attributed to an overheated bearing in a motor in the basement. Fireman William Farrington fell through a trap door in the stage while fighting the fire. He fell into the cellar into about five feet of water and was subsequently rescued. Despite the damage the theatre was slated to reopen in a few days.

November 27, 1962 Fire reported at 2:15 am at the Trco Drug Store. The original Traco was built as a theatre and was a venue for vaudeville acts traveling through Toms River to get to Atlantic City. Abbott and Costello performed at the Traco on a few occasions. The fire was discovered when Police were summoned to the building by a burglar alarm sounding. The building was one of the few downtown businesses that was built with masonry bearing walls. These masonry walls kept the fire from spreading to adjacent structures. Firemen at that time were very concerned with the wood frame construction throughout the downtown area. The Traco was purchased from the Traco Theatre Company in 1952 by Mr. Morris Oretsky for an amount in excess of $100,000.00 dollars. Mr. Oretsky converted the building from a theatre to a drug store. Oretsky leased the building to Phillip Fried of 14 Smith Road. Mr. Fried operated the building under the business name of the Traco Super Drug Store, Traco Hospital Supply Company and Traco Figurama. According to some newspaper articles the fire was an eight (8) alarm blaze. Departments from surrounding towns assisted Toms River No.1 and No.2. Fire engines were drafting water from the Toms River to meet the high flow demands. The building was totally destroyed and the masonry walls that were left standing were demolished the next day a safety precaution.

Circa 1956 photo added, appears to be called Sun Ray. Or the Traco marquee is hidden or gone.

Gregory Burkitt Webb architected and his plans from 1920 are in the photos area

A new small independent theater opened on the original site. It is also named the Traco Theater. Here is a link to the site: http://tracotheater.com

Old postcard ca 1918 from the movie “Tinsel” on the right side ad:
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