Jefferson Theatre
721 E. Main Street,
Jefferson City,
TN
37760
721 E. Main Street,
Jefferson City,
TN
37760
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Melody Theatre
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Not to be confused with an earlier Jefferson Theatre which has its own page on Cinema Treasures. This long-abandoned theatre opened as the Melody Theatre on August 5, 1949 with Paul Kelly in “Spoilers of the North”. It was closed on April 23, 1957. It reopened as the Jefferson Theatre on August 16, 1957. After closing on May 3, 1963 with Troy Donahue in “Rome Adventure”. It became a roller-skating rink which operated into the 1970’s.
The roof has collapsed, and scrap lumber covers the entrance. The building was apparently sold in the past few years by the local development authority.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
Under the direction of Kyle Adkins the theatre is to be developed as the Jefferson City Events Center. He also envisions use of the adjacent property for street events. The exterior space currently hosts a Farmers Market.
Uploaded an interior photo of the Melody. Supposedly the structure is still sound despite the absence of a roof.
The Melody Theatre opened on August 5, 1949 with 586 seats and “Spoilers of the North” on the big screen. The previous night was the last one for the Jefferson Theatre.
The Melody then closed for the summer on April 23, 1957 as the drive-in had reopened. The hardtop theatre reopened October 16, 1957 now equipped with widescreen projection playing “Funny Face” and the venue was now called the Jefferson Theatre. The Jefferson Theatre closed for the season on May 3, 1963 with “Rome Adventure” and the drive-in reopened once again.
But this time there would be no hardtop reopening ending 30 consecutive years of indoor film exhibition in Jefferson City. Instead, Charles Davis would convert the “old” Jefferson into a skating rink. Every so often, however, an event or free film screening would be arranged for the citizenry. So those were held at the “old old Jefferson” which hadn’t been stripped of its projection equipment or seating. Confusing… yet it seemed to work.