Ute Theater
203 N. Commercial Street,
Mankato,
KS
66956
203 N. Commercial Street,
Mankato,
KS
66956
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Additional Info
Functions: Movies
Styles: Neo-Classical
Previous Names: Morris Theater, Blair Theater
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
785.378.3141
Nearby Theaters
The Morris Theatre was opened in 1905. It was later renamed Blair Theater. By 1941 it had been renamed Ute Theater. This theater is currently operated by a non-profit group who shows movies on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Contributed by
Joel Weide
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
The Ute Theatre seated 300 people.
Renovation began last month, acccording to this article:
http://tinyurl.com/acrn2e
From 2010 a view of the Ute’s unique and colorful sign Here and Here along with an image of the Ute Theater in Mankato.
“MANKATO, KAS. – When this town was faced with the closing of its one theatre, the Ute, businessmen formed a local corporation and bought it from Mrs. J. D. DeLong, whose husband died in 1938. Then the corporation leased it as of May 29 to Bruce Waugh and his wife. The Waughs, who had previously operated the house, will continue to operate it under the new ownership.” — Boxoffice, June 20, 1960
History is wrong. This building isn’t on the 1911 map. Address should be 203. I can’t see an address anywhere in my pictures or on streetview, but the KS Historical Society has the bank on the corner at 201. Oddly, they don’t even have a FB page, but a group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/53520821624/
From an old picture, this was almost certainly open before 1920. It originally had an open entry area with a ticket booth. This was then enclosed with glass block in a later remodel. I don’t know why they covered the glass block in that trashy siding. It opened as the Morris, and was later known as the Blair before becoming the Ute. It seems to have been built by J.P. Fair, who ran the Mankato National Bank. Original capacity was 324, and the first managers were N.B and V.D. Morris. Mont J. Green was the architect.