Olympic Theater

321 Market Street,
Steubenville, OH 43952

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Additional Info

Architects: Edward Bates Franzheim

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Olympic Theater

The Olympic Theater was opened by 1916. It was a popular Market Street theater in the 1930’s. It was still operating in 1950. It was sold to a bank in 1958 and has been demolished. The site is now a drive through bank.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 13, 2009 at 3:33 pm

The Olympic can be seen on the right in this view of Market Street, circa 1930s:
http://tinyurl.com/o7tkpk

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 21, 2010 at 3:32 am

The theater building was sold to a bank in August 1958, according to a local newspaper article at that time.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 3, 2011 at 6:15 am

There was an Olympic Theatre in operation at Steubenville at least as early as 1916. In 1917, the Olympic’s operators were involved in a lawsuit over events that took place in the theater around August 1, 1916. A description of the case was published in the 1918 Ohio Circuit Court Reports. Given the old fashioned style of the building seen in the photo ken mc linked to above, the Olympic Theatre in the court case was probably this house.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 9, 2015 at 2:37 am

John Papulius, proprietor of the Olympic Theatre in Steubenville, was mentioned in the June, 1915, issue of The Ohio Architect, Engineer & Builder. Given that the theater was operated by a Greek, and Athenian is Greek, I have been wondering if this item from the February 14, 1914, issue of The Construction Record could be about the Olympic Theatre:

“AMUSEMENT BUILDING FOR STEUBENVILLE.

“Bids are now being taken on the construction of a one and two-story steel, brick and hollow tile building, to contain stores, offices and motion picture theatre at Steubenville, O., for the Athenian Amusement Company. Plans for the building were made by Architect Edward Bates Franzheim, Schmulbach building, Wheeling. The building will measure 60x115 feet and will contain two stores, four offices and theatre having a capacity of 700. Specifications will include ornamental iron, tile or terrazzo vestibule flooring, first floor flooring of concrete and second floor of white pine, metal ceilings, roof ribbed glass, patent store fronts, etc.”

The Olympic Theatre appears to have been the right size to have been the 1914 project.

Patsy
Patsy on March 24, 2015 at 8:10 pm

This theatre was patronized by Dean Martin who grew up in an Italian family in Steubenville. I learned this fact while reading a book about Dean Martin authored by his daughter, Deana.

SGParker
SGParker on August 18, 2016 at 5:11 pm

John K. Papulias was my grandfather. My father,George, often spoke of being an usher at the theater.

nsortzi
nsortzi on March 21, 2024 at 7:05 am

This theater has been demolished and replaced with a bank drive through.

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