Temple Theatre
117 S. Myrtle Avenue,
Willard,
OH
44890
117 S. Myrtle Avenue,
Willard,
OH
44890
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Additional Info
Architects: R.H. Shively
Previous Names: Masonic Temple, Chicago Opera House
Nearby Theaters
The town of Chicago Junction was renamed Willard in December of 1917. Located in the Masonic Temple building built around 1903. It became the Chicago Opera House in 1912. It began screening movies as the Temple Theatre in 1923. A Wurlitzer organ was installed in the Temple Theatre in 1927. It was still operating as a movie theatre in the mid-1960’s. The building is still standing in 2026, but I don’t know what it’s current status is.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
It is, as a matter of fact. If you are looking for archives relating to the theater in the teens, you need to use Chicago Junction as the town, instead of Willard. Otherwise your search will be fruitless.
I agree.
Don’t let me keep you up.
According to this site, the town changed its name in 1917. The existing Chicago Opera House saw its patronage diminish when the Temple opened in 1912.
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~hl/v.html
Including this one.
So if I understand you correctly, what you are saying is that we shouldn’t post any information about a theater’s use for vaudeville or live theater, pre-film exhibition. Is that correct?
That’s good. I did enough arguing with other people today. Point taken.
Volume 13 of the trade journal Ohio Architect and Builder has this item:
R.H. Shively, whose office was in Sandusky, was the architect of the theater.Thanks for posting some information on The Temple Theatre. I included it in a blog about how, as a reporter for The Willard Times, I was able to go inside the closed theater as the fire department used it for exercises.
It’s at http://www.dennisseeds.com/Blog?p=251
Still open in the mid-1960s.