Esmond Theatre
7 Esmond Street,
Smithfield,
RI
02917
7 Esmond Street,
Smithfield,
RI
02917
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That’s the old workingman’s hall, originally built by the Allendate/Esmond Mills/Esmond Blanket company. In the 60s and 70s the structure just to the left was the East Smithfield Library, the one to the right was used for their summer recreation program (and even included a small bowling alley). In the 70s the building to the right was converted to use as the library, which is now south on Esmond St, at the intersection of Dean Avenue.
The stone building to the right was the hq of the Allendale Mill, precursor to the Esmond Mills.
All by way of saying, the main building, a multi-use rec hall, was certainly suited for use as a theater in the silent days.
How do you do that? I could never figure out how to make a clickable link.
Research has turned up that Esmond Hall, likely also known as the Esmond Theatre, in Smithfield was used for movies through at least 1929. It’s location was on Esmond Street. There is currently a venue called the East Smithfield Neighborhood Center at 7 Esmond Street. It was built in 1900 and sure looks like those old village halls where movies used to be shown many years ago. Although I cannot prove it, it seems likely that this is the former Esmond Hall.
See a photo of it at http://calendar.boston.com/smithfield_ri/venues/show/972697-east-smithfield-neighborhood-center
But I don’t have an exact address and I don’t have any photos. If I did, I would post them. All I have is what is in the ad in my above CLICK HERE link. Perhaps someone will furnish an address and and maybe a photo.
Need an address and photos.
This theatre was part of the September 1923 6th Paramount Week. In this advertisement from the (Providence) Evening Tribune, September 1, 1923, we see a fascinating list of Rhode Island area theatres, many long-gone and long-forgoten, or even unheard of, as well as what they were showing during that week. The Esmond Theatre (existence previously unknown to me) would show The Old Homestead with Theodore Roberts. CLICK HERE and move text to see all theatres.