Freeman Theatre
Main Street,
Northfork,
WV
24868
Main Street,
Northfork,
WV
24868
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The Freeman Theatre was opened in early-1928. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 6 ranks organ. In the late-1940’s the Wurlitzer organ was removed from the building and installed in the Bramwell Presbyterian Church, Bramwell, WV. In 1968 it was removed from the church. The Freeman Theatre operated until at least 1951.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
The Freeman Theater was probably open from at least 1927 or 1928. Records indicate that Wurlitzer built Opus 1801, a Style D, 6 rank instrument, for the theater and shipped it to Northfork in November, 1927. The Organ remained in the theater for approximately 20 years and then saw life again in the Bramwell (WV) Presbyterian Church. J. C. Newbold, owner of the Freeman, was also a member of the Church and donated it to the church, replacing a 1917 Hook and Hastings which probably needed some new leather on the resevoirs. The Wurlitzer remained in the church until 1968 when it was replaced by a Moller Artiste. The Wurlitzer was summarily thrown out on the street for the trash hauler to dispose of. My dad collected a few pipes from the organ. I still have those pipes. In the 1980s the blower was removed and moved to Lexington, KY. Had I been home in 1968, I would have had the instrument. But, alas, it is gone forever.
Does anyone know if the building is still standing? I have been through Northfork, but am not familiar with where the theater was.
Nice vintage photo.
If this really was on Main, then known as Elkhorn, then this has almost certainly been demolished, along with about 90% of downtown. It was likely a conversion of an existing building, as the 1923 map shows a fairly solid strip of 2 and 3 story brick buildings north of what was then Bridge St, and now seems to be CB Moore St. There were also several buildings to the south, the large car dealership is the last of these.
There are 1928 and 1936 maps of Northfork, but the LoC hasn’t scanned theirs. If anyone has a Big 10 login, there are apparently b/w versions online there.