Eglin Theatre
269 N. Main Street,
Crestview,
FL
32539
269 N. Main Street,
Crestview,
FL
32539
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269 North Main Street (construction date was 1932)
A popular movie house (Eglin Theatre) occupied this commercial vernacular building for several years by 1943 and the 1950’s. In 1949, actor Gregory Peck and other stars were in town for the nationwide premiering of the movie “Twelve O'Clock High” at both the Fox Theatre and Eglin Theatre on Main Street in downtown Crestview. The movie was made at nearby Eglin AFB, Duke Field (an auxiliary field located immediately south of Crestview), and some scenes were even shot within the City of Crestview.
After the theatre went out of business in late-1955, an adjoining department store expanded and acquired use of this building to provide additional goods and services to area residents. Occupancy of the building between 1932 and 1943 is unknown.
Contributed by
Larry Bearden
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Film Dailyof July 2, 1943 had this item:
This article about Crestview’s movie theaters from the Crestview News Bulletin says that the Eglin Theatre operated at 190 Main Street for two years before moving to the building at 269 Main.269 Main Street is now the location of a restaurant, Tom’s Main Street Ice Cream.
It seems quite likely that Tom’s Ice Cream is in the same building that housed the Eglin Theatre. Looking at Google’s satellite view, one can see that the building has a very peculiar roof shape. That peculiar shape is visible in an aerial view from 1946, when the theater was in operation. The front of the building in street view is a bit taller than the neighboring buildings, as it was when the theater was in operation. Had the old building been demolished and replaced, there would have been no reason to make the new building as tall as the old one, or to replicate that peculiar configuration of the roof. I suspect that it’s the same building, however much it may have been altered.
The November 23, 1955 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor said that “Neal Robinson reported that because of the decline in attendance he will close the sub-run Eglin, Crestview, Fla., which he reopened only recently.” Robinson would continue to operate the Fox Theatre in Crestview, as well as three houses in other Florida towns.