Still has ornate cieling in the lobby with possible original lobby cieling lighting, dunno. At the front center of the building just inside is a wrought doublewide staircase that leads down just like the Tivoli a couple doors up.
Structure looks to be vacant retail. It is huge and spacious. At the front center of the building but inside is an old wrought double wide staircase that leads down just like the Roseland a couple doors down. If you google the address and click the street view, it’s the structure with the mini red awning. The buiding with the white front sits between it and the Roseland.
That’s the place. I wanted to see the booth so bad on their last day, but I was working 3rd shift and couldn’t help it. Saw What Dreams May Come and a Jackie Chan movie (Mr. Nice Guy?) there [at least those two].
Windows still papered over. You can still see the filled in penetrations for the PK housings for the neon for the E of the State on the big vertical sign out front.
I’m interested in the history of local cinema here in Bowling Green. In searching for the local paper article concerning the opening of the Martin Theatre in Bowling Green Mall, I came across a bank advertisement concerning the location of the Crescent Theatre as being on Park Row. I was talking to an 84 year old youngster who spent his life here in the area. He remembers The Princess, Capitol, and Diamond (later the State) but nothing else on the square. He called an equally young lady (92) and she remembered only those other three as well. The 1967 ad stated that the building that was the Crescent was currently occupied by the Consolated Loan Company. The gentleman gave me your name as a contact as he and his son had taken a ‘History of Bowling Green’ class taught by you a while ago. Do you know if the Cresent Theatre was on Park Row, or if not, where it might have been?
Her reply
Bowling Green’s early theatres —Diamond, Capitol (originally called the Columbia), & Princess— belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960. All but the Diamond were on Main St. I checked the city directories 1911-1967 and found no theatres on Park Row and no theatre listed as the Crescent Theatre—which makes me wonder if the Capital/ Columbia, was sometimes referred to as the Crescent because of its ownership.
I’m interested in the history of local cinema here in Bowling Green. In searching for the local paper article concerning the opening of the Martin Theatre in Bowling Green Mall, I came across a bank advertisement concerning the location of the Crescent Theatre as being on Park Row. I was talking to an 84 year old youngster who spent his life here in the area. He remembers The Princess, Capitol, and Diamond (later the State) but nothing else on the square. He called an equally young lady (92) and she remembered only those other three as well. The 1967 ad stated that the building that was the Crescent was currently occupied by the Consolated Loan Company. The gentleman gave me your name as a contact as he and his son had taken a ‘History of Bowling Green’ class taught by you a while ago. Do you know if the Cresent Theatre was on Park Row, or if not, where it might have been?
Her reply
Bowling Green’s early theatres —Diamond, Capitol (originally called the Columbia), & Princess— belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960. All but the Diamond were on Main St. I checked the city directories 1911-1967 and found no theatres on Park Row and no theatre listed as the Crescent Theatre—which makes me wonder if the Capital/ Columbia, was sometimes referred to as the Crescent because of its ownership. The city directory lists Consolidated Loan at 410 Park Row.
Follow-up
I went to the square. Park Row is odd #’s only. At 411 there is an unassuming 2-story brick building housing some financial business. Across from it on the square at 410 E. Main ST is a 3-story white brick building sharing a wall with the Capitol.
The plaza is now completely gutted but the original twin front still remains. The box is removed but the front that is part of the building remains (complete with the intercomm things in the glass). Storefronts are going in on the front of the added four screens. It looked like they had curved screens. The two of those added theatres closest to the front parking lot had light brick red painted drop cielings. It looks insane. Who would pick that color? The rearward of the added theatres had standard black drop cielings.
I’ll defer to your knowledge. I got my info from a sheet where the open/close dates seemed to be in five year chunks. I personally don’t know when it officially closed. I’m trying to get people I know to add their info (which is more first hand, like yours) about this place.
From What I’ve been able to gather, The State was called the Diamond. At 8 PM on Friday evening 28 July 1922, the Bowling Green Business University held commencement exercises there. I was told the Diamond was destroyed by fire (1955?) and rebuilt as the State opening in ‘61 closing in '75. It was then rented by the Fountain Square Church in '85. The State was run by Martin Theatres from '64 until its’ end.
Still has ornate cieling in the lobby with possible original lobby cieling lighting, dunno. At the front center of the building just inside is a wrought doublewide staircase that leads down just like the Tivoli a couple doors up.
Structure looks to be vacant retail. It is huge and spacious. At the front center of the building but inside is an old wrought double wide staircase that leads down just like the Roseland a couple doors down. If you google the address and click the street view, it’s the structure with the mini red awning. The buiding with the white front sits between it and the Roseland.
Hey look. I already posted that.
The “Plaza Theater” sign on the top of the building has been removed.
Closed. It is now home to Stonewall Home Oxygen Therapy.
Canopies up over the store fronts and the “Plaza Theatre” signage removed from the facade. The letters are sunburnt into the facade anyway.
Paper has been off the windows for a bit now. No new signs up.
That’s the place. I wanted to see the booth so bad on their last day, but I was working 3rd shift and couldn’t help it. Saw What Dreams May Come and a Jackie Chan movie (Mr. Nice Guy?) there [at least those two].
Windows still papered over. You can still see the filled in penetrations for the PK housings for the neon for the E of the State on the big vertical sign out front.
For Sale sign is down now. Windows are papered over.
It actually seats 1480. I had to double check.
Actually they are now ironically in the building next to the State. There’s a photography studio in the Princess.
Also, it appears that 416 E. Main is at least the current mailing address for The Capitol.
From: Me
To: local Historian at the local museum.
I’m interested in the history of local cinema here in Bowling Green. In searching for the local paper article concerning the opening of the Martin Theatre in Bowling Green Mall, I came across a bank advertisement concerning the location of the Crescent Theatre as being on Park Row. I was talking to an 84 year old youngster who spent his life here in the area. He remembers The Princess, Capitol, and Diamond (later the State) but nothing else on the square. He called an equally young lady (92) and she remembered only those other three as well. The 1967 ad stated that the building that was the Crescent was currently occupied by the Consolated Loan Company. The gentleman gave me your name as a contact as he and his son had taken a ‘History of Bowling Green’ class taught by you a while ago. Do you know if the Cresent Theatre was on Park Row, or if not, where it might have been?
Her reply
Bowling Green’s early theatres —Diamond, Capitol (originally called the Columbia), & Princess— belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960. All but the Diamond were on Main St. I checked the city directories 1911-1967 and found no theatres on Park Row and no theatre listed as the Crescent Theatre—which makes me wonder if the Capital/ Columbia, was sometimes referred to as the Crescent because of its ownership.
Belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that
had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960.
The Daimond belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that
had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960.
From: Me
To: local Historian at the local museum.
I’m interested in the history of local cinema here in Bowling Green. In searching for the local paper article concerning the opening of the Martin Theatre in Bowling Green Mall, I came across a bank advertisement concerning the location of the Crescent Theatre as being on Park Row. I was talking to an 84 year old youngster who spent his life here in the area. He remembers The Princess, Capitol, and Diamond (later the State) but nothing else on the square. He called an equally young lady (92) and she remembered only those other three as well. The 1967 ad stated that the building that was the Crescent was currently occupied by the Consolated Loan Company. The gentleman gave me your name as a contact as he and his son had taken a ‘History of Bowling Green’ class taught by you a while ago. Do you know if the Cresent Theatre was on Park Row, or if not, where it might have been?
Her reply
Bowling Green’s early theatres —Diamond, Capitol (originally called the Columbia), & Princess— belonged to the Crescent Amusement Co that had its offices at 416 E. Main from about 1911-1960. All but the Diamond were on Main St. I checked the city directories 1911-1967 and found no theatres on Park Row and no theatre listed as the Crescent Theatre—which makes me wonder if the Capital/ Columbia, was sometimes referred to as the Crescent because of its ownership. The city directory lists Consolidated Loan at 410 Park Row.
Follow-up
I went to the square. Park Row is odd #’s only. At 411 there is an unassuming 2-story brick building housing some financial business. Across from it on the square at 410 E. Main ST is a 3-story white brick building sharing a wall with the Capitol.
The plaza is now completely gutted but the original twin front still remains. The box is removed but the front that is part of the building remains (complete with the intercomm things in the glass). Storefronts are going in on the front of the added four screens. It looked like they had curved screens. The two of those added theatres closest to the front parking lot had light brick red painted drop cielings. It looks insane. Who would pick that color? The rearward of the added theatres had standard black drop cielings.
In ‘67 the building that was the Crescent was supposedly occupied by the Consolated Loan Company.
I’ll defer to your knowledge. I got my info from a sheet where the open/close dates seemed to be in five year chunks. I personally don’t know when it officially closed. I’m trying to get people I know to add their info (which is more first hand, like yours) about this place.
From What I’ve been able to gather, The State was called the Diamond. At 8 PM on Friday evening 28 July 1922, the Bowling Green Business University held commencement exercises there. I was told the Diamond was destroyed by fire (1955?) and rebuilt as the State opening in ‘61 closing in '75. It was then rented by the Fountain Square Church in '85. The State was run by Martin Theatres from '64 until its’ end.