Mar-Lea Theatre

37 N. 6th Street,
Haines City, FL 33844

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Mar-Lea - Haines City, FL

This early theatre was located on N. 6th Street just south of E. Main Street in Downtown Haines City. It was opened in 1921. The building was demolished around 1940, after the theater had closed around 1937 due to a fire.

Contributed by Andy

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

AndyCallahanMajorMajor
AndyCallahanMajorMajor on August 25, 2010 at 5:21 pm

This is a picture from 1925.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on August 30, 2010 at 9:44 am

Sure could use an exact address, more info, and more photos.

Bravo, got this photo working too!

JackCoursey
JackCoursey on January 1, 2023 at 8:24 pm

The was a Haines City Theatre (not the twin) which resided in the downtown area of Haines City around the late forties or early fifties. Might this be it under a different banner.

TheCinemaFinder
TheCinemaFinder on May 29, 2026 at 11:59 am

According To The Haines City Historical Society, The Mar-Lea Theatre was built in 1921 a few months after the Wray Drugstore and Hotel Next door.

 The Mar-Lea Theatre was built by Baseball great Tommy Leach’s son, Nelson Leach and his brother-in-law, Vance Marquis from Bartow. 
                
                   The theatre was a one story building and later expanded in 1924 seating 300 patrons. It originally showed silent movies until “talkies” were invented around 1930.  Previously silent movies had been shown in a small building on Railroad Avenue, so it was a big hit for area citizens to watch new movies, news reels, and shorts of the day in a new modern building.
                   Tommy Leach and his family took over ownership and operated the theatre until the building was gutted by a fire around 1937.  Victor Wray purchased the land in 1940 and expanded his building for the drugstore and hotel with one storefront on Sixth Street.

Turning The Building To What It Is Today.

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