Gem Theatre

18 E. 7th Street,
St. Paul, MN 55101

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Postcard courtesy Saint Paul Revisited.

The Gem Theatre was an early nickelodeon, which was operating in 1915. It had closed by 1926. Now on the site is a high rise office building.

Contributed by Chris1982

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 30, 2014 at 10:38 am

Two sources, a list of theaters in the 1915 St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press Almanac and Yearbook and a list in Dave Kenney’s book Twin Cities Picture Show: A Century of Moviegoing both give the address of this Gem Theatre (the second of three St.Paul houses to use the name) as 18 E. Seventh Street. The Penny Parlor/Alhambra/Cameo Theatre was at 16 E. Seventh and the Blue Mouse Theatre was at 20 E. Seventh. This photo, looking east along 7th Street toward Cedar Street, probably in the late 1910s, shows the three adjacent theaters, with the Gem in the middle.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 1, 2019 at 5:03 pm

Additional history courtesy Joyce Mellom.

The Gem, at 18 E. 7th St. operated from 1909-1923. The Alhambra, at 16. E. 7th St. operated from 1911-1932. Both were owned by William Hamm, who also owned the Blue Mouse at 20 E. 7th. This block likely came down when Dayton’s built the department store in 1963. On the left side of 7th were the Princess and Majestic Theaters. (David Kenney: Twin Cities Picture Show, MN HIst Soc Press, 2007)

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 1, 2019 at 5:09 pm

Closed during influenza outbreak.

http://www.influenzaarchive.org/cities/city-stpaul.html?fbclid=IwAR0Q7dOJQa8U67uGrRqCtpOs_PvcGzZYI1JwrfD9WVfiMFTXkOpPHpN_Fqo

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