Kansas Theatre
320 S. Main Street,
Pratt,
KS
67124
320 S. Main Street,
Pratt,
KS
67124
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Commonwealth Amusement Corp.
Architects: William N. Caton
Functions: Office Space
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
The Kansas Theatre was built in 1940 for Charles Barron, and was located almost directly across the street from his Barron Theatre. The new house was designed in the Art Moderne style by Winfield, Kansas, architect William N. Caton.
In 1944, Barron sold both of his theaters in Pratt to the Commonwealth Amusement Corp. circuit. The Kansas Theatre was in operation at least as late as 1956. Today its building houses the offices of the Pratt Tribune, but its theatrical past is still recognizable in the facade.
Charles Barron had operated an earlier Kansas Theatre in Pratt in the 1920’s.
Contributed by
Joe Vogel
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
I found a Boxoffice article about the Kansas which I’d formerly missed because it called the theater the Kansan. It said: “The Kansan, rebuilt into a modern house following the fire last year which destroyed the old Kansan, was opened here last week by Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Barron.” This item also said that the Barrons had been exhibitors in Pratt for more than fifteen years.
The original Kansas Theatre at Pratt dates back to at least 1926, when it was mentioned in the November 20 issue of The Reel Journal, and probably to at least 1924. A January 1, 1944, Boxoffice item said that Barron had been an exhibitor in Pratt for twenty years.
In 1943 Barron sold his theaters in Pratt to Commonwealth Amusement, as reported in the October 28 issue of Boxoffice. He later moved to California, where he died in 1952.
Still listed in the 1956 Yearbook. The KHRI entry for this building is uselessly vague. Maybe someone can supply a firm closing date?
Looking at the old photos, those bizarre squiggly modernist panels are not present. Do they date from a remodel, or from after the newspaper took over? If I had to guess, they are maybe late ‘50s to mid '60s? The Pratt Tribune has been folded into other papers to become the Tri-County Tribune. It’s still published, but I think this building is now vacant.