Strand Theatre
459 Main Street,
Woburn,
MA
01801
459 Main Street,
Woburn,
MA
01801
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: A.J. Carpenter Jr.
Previous Names: Woburn Theatre
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The Woburn Theatre was opened around 1915/1916. Later becoming the Strand Theatre, it was the only movie theatre in downtown Woburn, a suburb to the north of Boston. It was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. by 1941. It was later in use as an indoor soccer hall and was demolished by January 2017.
Contributed by
Ron Salters
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
I am with the Woburn Redevelopment Authority in Woburn, Massachusetts. We are working right now with the building current owner to try to obtain a federal/state grant to restore the facade of the building. (The theatre building is now an indoor soccer arena.) The exterior of the building above the first floor has been covered by a 70s era false mansard style shingle roof/curtain wall. We are trying to locate photos which will show us what the original brick and masonry facade looks like underneath. We understand from the previous owner that the original facade was left pretty much intact.
If you could scan and forward me the picture you reference above, that would be a great help.
Don- The photo is not very good and probably won’t scan well, but I can send you a copy via mail – are you with the Redev. Authority at the city hall in Woburn? You can also buy a good quality copy of the report from the Theatre Historical Soc. in Elmhurst IL but it’s expensive (about $ 52.) www.historictheatres.org – I wouldn’t advise buying a copy without seeing what it looks like first. I was not aware that the building housing the Strand was still in existence!
Hi, Don! You may remember me from your days in the planning office in Somerville…
While doing research on Warner Bros. theatre circuit, CT member Barry Goodkin came across mention of the Strand in Woburn. In the 1928 Film Daily Yearbook, the Strand (the renamed Woburn Theatre) was part of the Boas Circuit, of 40 Court St. in Boston.
Ron:
I read the above comments and realized that this is where my grandfather John T. Watt was manager back in the early days.I asked my uncle who was from Woburn and he verified the Movie theatre and the “Blue Orchid Dinnerware” promos that went on back then.He also told me that there were other types of giveaways and prizes.
Do you know if this was a silent theatre before talkies? My grandfather was involved in this field for many years. He also brought Mr BoJangles to Woburn for shows.
Is there a book on the history of this theatre? I would appreciate any info you might have or can steer me towards.
I will be visiting Woburn in October with my uncle to visit some of my mother’s family places of interest.
Richard Coleman
Richard- I’m not from Woburn, so I don’t know much about the theatre. However, it almost certainly featured silient films in the 1920s. I doubt if there is a book about the theatre because you will note above that Don Borchelt of the Woburn Redevelopment Authority expressed his inability to find info about the Strand last January. If the local library has a file of old newspapers then you could at least find some period ads.
There was a three-alarm fire in the front of the building on March 8. http://patch.com/massachusetts/woburn/woburn-three-alarm-fire-reported-main-street-0
Building has been demolished.
Richard, I am involved with the Woburn Historical Society ad we came across a former Woburnite who starred in local silent films and he starred in one that played at the Strand. We have3 been unable to find a copy of the film. It was probably done by an itinerant fil maker of the day. Might you have any ideas for us?
Issues of The American Contractor from early 1915 carried several notices about a theater project in Woburn. Here is the notice in the issue of March 6: