Princess Theatre
124 1st Avenue E.,
Oskaloosa,
IA
52577
124 1st Avenue E.,
Oskaloosa,
IA
52577
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Additional Info
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Sanborn Maps show motion pictures at this location as far back as 1917. According to the Oskaloosa Daily Herald, the Princess Theatre after a remodeling by W.I. Neagle opened in August 1920.
The theatre was open into the early-1950’s as Film Daily Year Book 1951 lists it with 200 seats. The location most recently serves as a drive-through ATM.
Other early Oskaloosa theatres mentioned in the Daily Herald on April 3, 1984, were: Lyric, 215 High Avenue W; Masonic, 218 1st Avenue E; Palace, 116 1st Avenue W; Orpheum, 210 High Avenue W; Unique, 204 High Avenue W.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This theater was part of the Phoenix Block, a large two story brick structure from 1873 that once ran from the alley on the west to the corner. The original appearance would have been close to the remaining sections at 116 and 118. The section at 120 has been the victim of a really butchered remodel. Both 122 and 124 were demolished by about 1980. Pictures from 1985 show the bank drive through.
The dates are a bit confused, but this was a grocery store in 1910, and had opened by 1917. There is only one theater (the Orient) listed for Oskaloosa in the 1914-15 American Motion Picture Directory, but at least one other theater (the Lyric) was open then, so the absence of a listing for whatever this was before becoming the Princess doesn’t mean much.
The Princess is still listed in 1952, the 1953 listings are useless, and it’s gone in 1954. It apparently became a cab company office and the local bus station.
I have created listings for all the early theaters Ron mentions at the end.