Pastime Theatre
12 S. 6th Street,
Richmond,
IN
47374
12 S. 6th Street,
Richmond,
IN
47374
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There were two Pastime Theatres in Richmond. The Richmond Times on November 8, 1906, reported the opening of a Pastime Theatre as 12 South Sixth Street. “The house makes a specialty of moving pictures,” it said. The theater’s proprietors were Langer and Kulp. It was still open in 1907 but there are no references to it after that year.
A second Pastime Theatre opened July 18, 1923. it was “at North Eighth and E streets” in Richmond. “Vengeance of the Deep” was the first picture. Music was provided by Renk’s orchestra.
The building this theater had been in was located just behind an old commercial building on the corner of 6th and Main. It housed Vigran’s Variety Store, and was directly across 6th from Marting Arms. The explosion obliterated it, and all inside died. An aerial photo of the aftermath shows that this building was reduced to a roofless shell. It must have been demolished shortly thereafter.
To be fair to Richmond, this theater was badly damaged in a huge gas explosion that took place under a sporting goods store located up on the corner of 6th and Main. The gas explosion was followed by the gunpowder stored in the basement of Marting Arms. The local gas company had been grossly negligent, as had the sporting goods store, and 41 people died. 21 buildings near the site were condemned. This took place April 6, 1968.