Scammon Theatre

215 Main Street,
Scammon, KS 66773

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Additional Info

Architects: Carl Boller, Robert O. Boller

Firms: Boller Brothers

Previous Names: Scammon Opera House

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Scammon Opera House

This large theatre appears on the 1912 Sanborn, at the SE corner of Main Street and 2nd Street. This was an empty lot in 1905 and the Scammon Opera House was built in 1906. The theatre was a two-story brick structure extending nearly to the alley (which is still visible on the block to the north. There were small offices at the front, on either side of a central lobby. The balcony is not drawn on the map, but it is noted. The stage at the rear of the building was quite deep, and this section of the building was under a fly tower that protruded about 20 feet above the rest of the structure. A separate brick shed behind the theatre housed a 20hp engine to power it.

In 1912, it seems that only live acts may have been offered, but the theatre is listed as the Scammon Theatre in the 1914-15 American Motion Picture Directory, at 3rd Street and Main Street. The listing either has an error in the address, or this theatre had been replaced by another of the same name.

As downtown withered away, the building was demolished. A house of indeterminate age sits on the lot today.

Contributed by Seth Gaines

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 7, 2020 at 7:20 pm

The Scammon Theatre is listed in the 1909-1910 Cahn guide as a ground floor house with 388 seats in the orchestra, 202 in the balcony, and a gallery seating 425. The stage was 34 feet from footlights to back wall and 53 feet between side walls, and the rigging loft was 48 feet above the stage floor. Quite a capacious theater for a town of 3000.

I am wondering if the Scammon Theatre could be this house mentioned in the September 10, 1921 issue of The Moving Picture World:

“Francis Hughes has purchased the Opera House at Scammon, Kas., from George Fichtner. Mr. Hughes will remodel and redecorate the theatre and open it as the Royal. Mr. Fichtner will go back to his Lyric Theatre, which he will remodel and reopen.”
Scammon’s decline must have been fairly rapid. The January 14, 1928 issue of Movie Age carried this advertisement in its “Theaters for Sale” column:
“BRICK BUILDING and equipment, population 1,700, seats over 600, the only show in town, a good Sunday town, will take one-half cash, balance to suit buyer. Write F. W. Hughes, Scammon, Kas.”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 7, 2020 at 7:30 pm

This is interesting. David and Noelle Soren’s list of known Boller Bros. theaters has this: “Scammon (Opera House) Theatre – 1906”

SethG
SethG on July 7, 2020 at 8:36 pm

Scammon’s decline was very rapid. Check out the census figures. This was a big coal mining area, and there were good sized towns all over the place. Seems that post 1920, the whole area collapsed. Most only have foundations left downtown. Scammon still has 3-4 old buildings.

SethG
SethG on July 7, 2020 at 8:37 pm

By the way, the address is a guess counting up from the south, and assuming the storefronts in the theater building had their own addresses.

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