Strand Theatre
652-660 Centre Street,
Jamaica Plain,
MA
02130
652-660 Centre Street,
Jamaica Plain,
MA
02130
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Opened as an Ancient Order of Hibernians hall by 1910. By 1917 it had been renamed Strand Theatre and was remodeled that year to the plans of architect E.R.B. Chapman. The building shows up on Fire Insurance maps of 1914 and 1924.
Contributed by
Mark Bulger
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Can you give us a more exact street address? Centre is a very long street. What is on this site now?
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook theatre list there is a “Supreme Theatre” in Jamaica Plain, with 600 seats. No other info. Could that be another name for the Strand/Emmet Theatre ??
The building went up at 652-660 Centre st in 1910. It was a mixed retail/theatre space, with a hall named Emmett hall for the Irish Republican hero.It opened as a theatre showing silent movies and became the Strand some time before 1924. You can see the vertical marquee in the old picture here:
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You can see the location at Centre st. and Starr lane in this 1924 map. http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=1321
The Strand at 658 Centre St in JP is listed in a Boston business directory, Issue 85, which I think is 1921. Found it on Google Books.
The street directory section of the 1918 edition of the Boston Register and Business Directory, Issue 83, says: “Strand Theatre moving pictures, Emmet Block, 658 Centre St, JP” (near Green Street).
I uploaded an enlarged section of a photo that shows the Strand marquee.
The Strand was remodeled in 1917, as noted in the July 14 issue of The American Contractor:
Judging from mentions in trade journals and books of the period, E. R. B. Chapman was fairly busy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but he seems not to be remembered today.