Neon Theater
919 Highway 317,
Neon,
KY
41840
919 Highway 317,
Neon,
KY
41840
2 people
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The Bentley Theatre was built and opened in the late-1940’s, replacing a former Neon Theatre which had been destroyed by fire in 1947. (an even earlier Neon/Bentley Theatre had also been destroyed by fire in 1944 and has its own page on Cinema Treasures). The Bentley Theatre was still operating in 1957 and was later renamed Neon Theatre.
The former Neon Theater is now home to a video store as well as an army surplus store. An August 2007 photo can be seen below.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
No, that wasn’t the site. Thst photo may be on a couple of different pages.
You can give them credit, but you would be guessing. I think Francis of Assisi would have stuck in my mind. If guessing is OK, feel free.
Nice Neon in the NEON Marquee.
http://www.landmarkhunter.com/197399-neon-theater/
From the looks of things “in person”, I’d say the Neon is doomed.
lonely looking theatre in a lonely town, nice shot.
I just saw this not too long ago that the Neon Theatre was flooded, and was damaged by the historic Eastern Kentucky flooding that occurred a few days ago.
I’ve come upon a source that indicates that Neon had three theatres over the years. From the comment above there was a Neon in 1925. I came upon an ad for a Bentley in 1938. Perhaps the Neon had been renamed as an earlier comment suggests. My source said the Bentley, which often played westerns, was destroyed by fire in 1944. Also confirmed by an earlier comment.
Then a new theatre was built. My contention is it was called the Neon because I have come upon a headline in The Mountain Eagle from February 1947 which indicates that there was a disastrous fire that wiped out an entire block which contained the Neon Theatre. The Neon which appears in the images above is, therefore, the final one which opened approximately in 1949.
The fire occurred on February 29, 1944, which not just destroyed two buildings but it also killed a man.
The below 8/01/22 news report footage begins with the former Neon Theatre at :05 in the video. Based on a more accurate street view search, the address is 911 Highway 317, currently home to Busy B’s Country Gift Shop, which previously was next door at 909 Highway 317, now home to Ingnite Church pictured in the video. Though Busy B’s still uses the 909 address next door.
https://www.courier-journal.com/videos/news/local/2022/08/01/neon-church-cleans-up-after-historic-eastern-kentucky-flooding/10205575002/