Colonia Theatre
35 S. Broad Street,
Norwich,
NY
13815
35 S. Broad Street,
Norwich,
NY
13815
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Showing 26 - 34 of 34 comments
This theater was part of the Schine chain at one point. Just FYI
: )
KenRoe: W.M. was the name printed in the Evening Sun of Norwich. It stated …of New York, so most probably it was a typo and they are one in the same. Sorry for the confusion.
There is a small picture of the Colonia in 1998 at
http://www.nshs1968.org/pictures/Town/Colonia.jpg
and an even smaller one at View link.
In the 1988 book * Hollywood on Main Street – the Movie House Paintings of Davis Cone by Linda Chase there is a watercolor painting of the Colonia on page 10. Judging by the movies on the marquee in the painting (All of Me and Thief of Hearts*) it looks like the watercolor shows what the theater looked like in late 1984. At that time, the marquee was blue and the trim was yellow. The original 1986 watercolor measures 13 by 16 inches and is in the collection of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
You can see some of Mr. Cone’s later work at View link. He also has a more recent book from 2001 called Popcorn Palaces: The Art Deco Movie Theatre Paintings of Davis Cone.
RJT; Architect W.M. McElfatrick, any relation to William H. McElfatrick (already listed on Cinema Treasures Architect’s database) or could they be the same person?
The “Colonia”, on South Broad Street and American Avenue, opened on the evening of December 23,1914. It was designed by W.M.McElfatrick and the Decorations were by Edward J. Murnane and Brother. It was still a theatre when I was there in 1998. You can check the Norwich Sun of the above date for the Grand Opening.
Both good questions but no information is given.
Which church was the organ moved to? Is the organ still in existence?
Recent photo:
View link
A Wurlitzer organ, opus 1618, was installed in the Colonial Theater on 4/19/1927. In 1970, it was moved to a local church.