Morton Theatre
195 W. Washington Street,
Athens,
GA
30601
195 W. Washington Street,
Athens,
GA
30601
2 people
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Wait, forget what I just said. I just went to the Morton website and they’re still open and running and doing events. I must have been confused when I was walking around downtown. Sorry, y'all! :–)
I hope I’m making this up, but I could swear the last time I visited Athens, this place was closed down. I think it’s a handbag store now. If that’s true, what a sad turn of events for such a classy old theater.
Here is a photo and some information about the Morton:
http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/tour/tour6.htm
If you’re lazing around on your hammock this holiday weekend, with your laptop of course, you may wish to peruse this master’s thesis on African-American theaters in Georgia. There are sections on the Morton as well as several other theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/kftsq
recent photo here:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/60002249mcFULn
Just read in a great book entitled How They Met by Joey Green about Laurel and Hardy. Ollie Hardy was born in Harlem GA and attended the University of Georgia in Athens GA. He dropped out of college and “opened a movie theatre”! Interesting!
The Julie had a ‘crying room’ which I had never heard of. It was a special area in the back where a mother could take her crying child so as to avoid bothering fellow patrons. Great idea!
Near Athens in the Town of Hartwell GA was another theatre called the Julie. It is now an Ace Hardware Store, but the current owner recalls going to the movies at the Julie. The name came about because the family that owned the Julie and another one across the town square along with a drive-in south of town were all named after the owner’s daughters. Sadly, none of them today exist.