Alpha Theatre

Joe Vogel on May 31, 2014 at 1:54 pm

It can be tricky calculating the locations of Atlanta’s theaters from their old addresses. The part of Whitehall Street on which the Alpha Theatre was located was renamed to be part of Peachtree Street at some point.

A 1911 Sanborn map has 148 Whitehall on the east side of the street just south of Trinity Street, and the lot 144-148 was then occupied by a large house with a big yard, so the theater hadn’t been built yet, but it had been by February, 1916 (advertisement cited by kencmcintyre.) The modern address would be approximately 182 Peachtree Street SW. There is now a parking lot extending from Trinity Street to the building at modern 196 Peachtree.

Some early Sanborn maps of Georgia cities are online at this link.

kencmcintyre on November 3, 2006 at 3:34 pm

Here is an advertisement from the Atlanta Constitution in February 1916:

PATHE’S “IRON CLAW” BOOKED AT ALPHA
Pearl White Has Leading Part in New Serial Shown Tuesday

Manager Alpha Fowler of the Alpha theater announces the third, big week of Billy Beard, The Party from the South and in addition the securing of the latest and greatest Pathe serial story. The Iron Claw for every Tuesday beginning next Tuesday and continuing-
for fifteen weeks. The “Iron Claw” promises to be a story of thrllls
upon thrills one that is creating an unprecedented interest throughout the United States. The principal parts are taken by Pearl White, Creighton Hale and Sheldon Lewis known to all as the Elaine Trio as it was these three sterling players who made “The Exploits of Elaine”, a picture long to be remembered.