Hippodrome Theatre and Ballroom
100 E. 7th Street,
Okmulgee,
OK
74447
100 E. 7th Street,
Okmulgee,
OK
74447
No one has favorited this theater yet
Related Websites
Rotary Club of Tulsa -- Beryl Ford Collection
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: John Adolph Emil Eberson
Styles: Mission Revival
Nearby Theaters
In 1920 Paramount Theatres commissioned theatre architect John Eberson to draw plans for their new 2,200 seat Hippodrome Theatre. No expense was spared in building the lavish entertainment complex on prime real estate at E. 7th Street and S. Grand Avenue, cattycornered to the town square.
Eberson chose Mission Revival styling for this pleasuredome that consisted of a movie theatre, basement swimming pool, ballroom and roof garden.
Naturally, Paramount Pictures were the main featured attraction on opening night of October 1, 1920, along with Interstate Vaudeville stage acts.
During its 13 year run the Hippodrome Theatre was financially successful, but on January 1, 1934, New Years Eve decorations in the ballroom caught fire causing the massive structure to be damaged beyond repair.
Within a few months time Kress constructed a department store on the old Hippodrome foundation. To this very day the original swimming pool still exist beneath retail space.
Contributed by
Ben Miller
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
When Hippodrome was built the population of Okmulgee was over 20,000, over these many years population continually has dropped to a 2006 count of 13,441. Still, the Hippodrome was a rather large theatre for such a small town, and with 2200 seats some like to claim that this was the largest theater ever built in Oklahoma, but this is just not true.
Oklahoma City had Shriners Theatre (AKA-Warner’s Auditorium, Home) with 2300 seats, and Municipal Auditorium with 6100 seats.
Tulsa had Delman Theatre with 2200 seats, and Brady Theatre with 4500 seats.
Other OKC theatres that held 2200+ seating capacity were the 1903 Overholser Opera House (seating reduced during 1919 remodel), 1901 Delmar Garden Theatre, and the 1928 Market Theatre.
Several towns built civic auditoriums with seating capacity exceeding 2200.
Look into this informative site to see an image of a stage production that played the Hippodrome Theatre. Enter word “hippodrome”, then press search…
View link
Listed at this address now is KOKI RADIO:News Department,one block from the Orpheum Theatre.
Roadside Oklahoma web presents a vintage interior photo and historical outline of the old Hip,
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/583
Here is an image of the Kress Department Store that was built on the old Hip foundation …
View link
To look at a 1929 picture of the Hippodrome stage and dressing rooms go above to Aug 06, 2007 link and enter “Constitutional Convention – Photo by Allison, Okmulgee”