State Theatre
218 S. Main Street,
Jonesboro,
AR
72401
218 S. Main Street,
Jonesboro,
AR
72401
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June 10th, 1912 grand opening ad posted.
A.J. Kerfoot launched the Princess Theatre on June 10, 1912 with live vaudeville that played the Orpheum in Memphis and the Majestic Theatre in Little Rock.Carson and Will Mack took on the venue turning into a movie house. On August 12, 1918, new owner Eli Whitney Collins changed the name of the Princess Theatre to the World War I favorite theater moniker, the Liberty Theatre. The Liberty would switch to sound presentations to remain viable.
In July of 1957, Malco’s Liberty became Malco’s State Theatre when “name that theater” contestant Glenda Willent thought that “State” should be its new name in honor of Arkansas State then College. Manager Jay Kimbro unveiled not only the new name but the State’s state of the art widescreen projection equipped to play CinemaScope titles and a new air conditioning system
It had been renamed State Theatre by the late `60s per Hubert Crain. Two of his photos added as the State (albeit blurry) and as Coleman’s Pawn Shop. Appears to be the same building in both.