Towne Theatre
124 E. High Street,
Pottstown,
PA
19464
124 E. High Street,
Pottstown,
PA
19464
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: William Goldman Theaters Inc.
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Hippodrome Theatre
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The Hippodrome Theatre was opened in December 1914. In 1921 was equipped with a Moller 2 manual 31 registers organ. I remember movie patrons lined up around the block for many of the Disney movies. The theatre was huge with a balcony. Around 1939 it was given a Streamline Moderne style makeover and by 1950 it was operated by William Goldman Theaters Inc. It was renamed Towne Theatre on November 15, 1967 and had closed by 1979.
Contributed by
Dave
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
A Moller organ, opus 3058, was installed in this theater in 1921.
The Arcadia Press book “Around Pottstown” (Google Books preview here) has a photo of the Hippodrome dating from ca.1917, though I think it might be a bit earlier. There’s a horse and carriage on the street, but no cars. The book also has a ca.1949 photo of the Hipp, which by then sported a moderne front.
Flickr user Liatris displays this colorized version of the ca.1917 picture. Adjacent in the photostream is a cropped close-up of the theater entrance.
The Hippodrome was still open in 1971 because I took the kids I babysat there year to see a movie
Was the Hippodrome Theatre later renamed to Towne Theatre by William Goldman Theatres?
This brief article from the June 28, 2015 Reading Eagle says that, yes, the Hippodrome was renamed the Towne Theatre in the 1970s, but was closed before the end of that decade. The article also says the Hippodrome had opened in December, 1914.
Reopened as Towne Theatre on November 15, 1967 with “To Sir, With Love”.
The Towne Theatre closed for the final time on June 29, 1976 with Walt Disney’s “Follow Me Boys” and “Ben And Me”, and was last operated by Fox Theatres who also operated a handful other theaters across Northeast Pennsylvania.
The Towne Theatre originally planned to reopen as a special events theater under the name “New Towne Theatre” in March 1977 featuring performing arts and classic movies, but unfortunately, four months later on June 14, 1977, the Towne Theatre and four other stores were sold to Donald Specht, who had planned to tear down the Towne Theatre for a parking lot. The Towne Theatre was demolished afterward but the Smith Family Plaza Park was instead built on the site of the former theater.