Crystal Theater

116 E. 8th Street,
Anderson, IN 46016

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Publix

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Crystal Theater

Opened May 19, 1905 at 116 E. 8th Street, owned by John Ammon. The Crystal Theater was the 1st theater in the city opened exclusively for movies pictures.

Contributed by elmorovivo

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Denverpalace
Denverpalace on March 6, 2024 at 7:19 pm

Exhibitor Harry Muller acquired the Crystal Theater in 1918 after relocating from Winston-Salem, NC, to Anderson, IN. Muller signed a Vitaphone lease for the Crystal in March 1928 giving him a supposedly exclusive Vitaphone franchise in Anderson for five years. At the time only three other Indiana cities had Vitaphone. In April 1929 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy agreed to lease from Muller both the Crystal and the new, as-yet-unnamed theater he was building at Thirteenth and Meridian (it became the State). Those leases became effective June 2, 1929. Muller became general manager for Publix overseeing operations at all of its Anderson showhouses. Publix dropped the final curtain at the Crystal on November 30, 1929. The next day technicians started moving the Vitaphone and other sound equipment to the State theater.

Denverpalace
Denverpalace on March 6, 2024 at 7:41 pm

Muller owned the Crystal through his Anderson-Meridian Realty Company. A May 1929 securities offering shows that the Crystal had an appraised value of $75,000 and was leased to Fitzpatrick-McElroy for $5000/year.

Denverpalace
Denverpalace on March 7, 2024 at 6:55 pm

The Crystal Theater building became the new home of the Labor Temple Association, Inc. and Madison County Labor Council in January 1, 1940. Harry Muller sold the building to the group in December 1939 for $15,000.

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