Auditorium Theatre
Washington Street and Franklin Street,
Fleetwood,
PA
19522
Washington Street and Franklin Street,
Fleetwood,
PA
19522
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Built in 1928 and listed as seating 328 in the Film Daily Yearbook’s of 1931 through 1943. By 1950 through 1957 it was listed with 550 seats.
Contributed by
Anthony L. Vazquez-Hernandez
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
This is not a certainty, but there’s a strong probability that the Auditorium Theatre was the auditorium in a project built by the Fleetwood Volunteer Fire Company in 1928. The project was announced in the January 12, 1925, issue of The Film Daily. The fact that the company gave the announcement to a theater industry trade journal is an indication that they did intend to use their auditorium for a movie house at least part time.
This web page has a history of the fire company, and though it doesn’t mention the facility being used for movies, it does say that “[t]he plans were made reality in 1928, when a building was erected at a cost of $65,000. The auditorium and the lobby have been the meeting places for many civic groups since that time.”
The building is located at the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin Streets. Judging from the Google street view, I believe that the auditorium was in the eastern portion of the building along Washington Street, adjacent to a two-story office block on the corner.
The Zip Code for Fleetwood is 19522.
The Auditorium Theatre in the fire company builing was used for movies. The last theatre operator was Paul Angstadt – who still operates the Strand Theatre in Kutztown PA as of today.
Paul Anststadt’s operation of the Fleetwood Theatre was his first theatre venture. Paul later became the manager of the Fox Theatre in Reading PA and later still the mayor of the City of Reading PA. In between Paul was partners with Richard Wolfe (of Roxy Theatre Northampton fame) in Angstadt and Wolfe Theatres.
At the time the Auditorium Theatre was built in 1928, Fleetwood Pennsylvania was the world renown home of the Fleetwood Metal Body Works which made automobile bodies for Cadillac – which is where the Cadillac Fleetwood designation comes from.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleetwood_Metal_Body
October 1939 Fleetwood Auditorium Schedule currently for sale on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-Fleetwood-Pennsylvania-Auditorium-Theatre-Schedule-Poster-WIZARD-of-OZ-Etc-/381832165406?hash=item58e6f8781e:g:HP8AAOSwH6lXQlJQ
The Photo above is for the community Easter Show in April 1944. That is why the fellow in the front row (who was a magician) is holding a rabbit.
Photo curtesy of Fleetwood historical society.
Joe, you would be correct in believing the auditorium is the eastern section. This is confirmed by a Patriot article from November 5, 1936. I will attach it, though the quality is certainly not fantastic.