Washington Theater
425 Hampshire Street,
Quincy,
IL
62301
425 Hampshire Street,
Quincy,
IL
62301
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I was in Quincy recently and took a few pictures. I have uploaded them here. I really liked that the marquee had trivia & facts about the theater running. I wish I could have gone inside.
The Washington Theater Redevelopment Group is searching for any old photos and/or informatin this group might have regarding the theater’s years of operation, 1924-1982. If you have any materials that you would be willing to share or know of someone who may have any of these type of materials, please contact us at – we will be happy to post some additional photos, both archival and redevelopment here as well.
4 images added.
The Washington Theater is now open for special events. I was there Aug. 9, 2018. See some of the photos in the PHOTOS section that I posted. Just across the Park (Washington Park) the Quincy Museum has information on the theater on display. This was the 1st theater to show a “talkie” in Quincy, Illinois. BTW, the famous 1858 Lincoln – Douglas sixth debate took place in Washington Park.
Uploaded the ad for the opening of the talkie The Lion and the Mouse from the Quincy Public Library collection.
The Do You Remember site of the University of Illinois cites June 16, 1914 as the opening date as a vaudeville house with the first film being shown as The Temple of Venus on January 16, 1926 and the first talkie, The Lion and the Mouse on November 4, 1928.
The renovations of the Washington are underway, and the house is “safe” to open up for special fundraising events (even though the venue is far from finished.
You can read about their progress by checking out their website, http://quincywashingtontheater.org/
This house appears to have opened as the Washington Square Theatre. Click the thumbnail at left for an interior photo on this page with a photo of the front. The May 3, 1924, issue of The Moving Picture World had this item:
The information above on the organ in the Washington Theatre is incorrect! The Washington had a 3/7 Barton organ (1924). The Orpheum Theatre in Quincy had the Wurlitzer, a style B (1924).
Here is a link to photographer Edmund J. Kowalski’s photos of the Washington Theatre taken June 25, 2005, before the house was restored.
Wow the marquee sure looks a lot better now.
Apparently the Washington Theatre received a newly renovated marquee on Sept. 11, 2009. The theatre also received new entrance doors and entrance tile. They look excellent. For more information on this and the planned renovation, see the theatre’s web site, which is listed in the description above.
Too bad this venue is still deteriorating…here it is in summer 1995:
View link
Shots from 8/30/08.
I passed by here today. From the outside, it appears to be in very bas shape. The outer skin is all that remains of the marquee. Walk underneath it and you can see the sky above you. It has murals of its former glory painted on the doors—similar to what has been done on several buildings in Gary, IN. The same has been done for the upper windows of the building next door.
The offical website for the theatre is http://www.washingtoncentral.org
Actually the outside of the building is of the Mediterranean Revival Style. They are currently trying to raise money to restore/update it, and are around 1/30th of the way to their goal. Also the Adams Theatre which they speak of is now used for a religious group.