Don’t know if it was the Rex, but the 1914 Sanborn map shows a theater in the ground floor of a lodge hall in the third building south of Marion on the east side. For streetview purposes, that would be south of that lonely metal shed. Marion east of Main is just a decaying strip of pavement petering out to dirt. The entire block on both sides was demolished a long time ago, probably due to flooding. From just south of Marion to about 2 blocks further north was downtown. There is one building left, along with a few undistinguished modern buildings.
Don’t know why I didn’t think of this before, but I went to the Sanborn maps. Theater building is at 106 (?) N 4th. Appears on the 1917 map. Same building on the 1909 map is plumbing/undertaking. Appears 1896 at the latest, may be on the 1890 map. If I’m reading the 1917 map right, street number may have been 124 at the time. Building looks like it was remodeled postwar. Flat red brick front with unusual canted display window and doors that look like they might have come off the theater. Usage might be vacant or possibly an apartment on the second floor.
Map marker is way too far north. Must have been in town. The 100 block is a good bet. Almost certainly demolished, but some buildings on that block might have held a theater.
Map marker is too far south, must have been somewhere in the center of town, not down by the grain elevator. Nearly the entire downtown had been demolished by 2012, so I’m sure this is gone.
Opened 1942 by the Lincolnton Amusement Co. Named after a respected local doctor, Lemuel Lester Self, whose widow was involved in the operation of the theater. Closed sometime mid ‘60s, then became the home of a local theater company in 1969. Retail by 1975. (Info from NRHP listing)
Street view shows the wrong half of the bank. Looks like they tore the entire front off, and maybe kept three walls and the auditorium roof. Might as well be demolished. Looks nothing like a theater, and very little of the building remains, much less the interior.
I don’t see how the photo from 1916 can possibly be the same building. The entry looks much taller. Even in the 1957 photos the building plainly has a very old cast iron front which must have been original to the building. Wherever the 1916 photo was taken, it was a much fancier building.
Street number is confusing. Corner lot (900 presumably) is a converted gas station which might be from about 1930. Then there is an empty lot, one side of which was filled as recently as 2012 by a low single-story wood frame store. The left half of the remaining building is 924. If it really was 904, it likely would have been right next door to the gas station, and should be listed as demolished.
The article says the theater opened in 1917, and closed in 1969, although there is a photo of it with the marquee advertising ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1970), and a bunch of new cars (presumably from the dealer) parked on the sidewalk. Go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter ‘Woodbine Carthage’ in the search bar to see the photo.
Theater was on the odd side of the 300 block of Oak. For streetview purposes, was right across from the little prefab shed (senior center). Photo here: http://www.dallascity-il.com/photos/viewalbum.php?album=8&photo=18
For an early ‘70s view of the building, go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter 'alton 1662 washington’ in the search bar. Can we confirm whether demolition was in ‘77 or '97?
The address looks wrong. 125-ish is the park behind the library, and a few of the trees look quite old. That also puts it all the way at the very edge of downtown, which is an odd location. Plenty of demolition in downtown, with the north side of the 200 block having suffered the most severely. Probably one of the missing teeth there.
Don’t know if it was the Rex, but the 1914 Sanborn map shows a theater in the ground floor of a lodge hall in the third building south of Marion on the east side. For streetview purposes, that would be south of that lonely metal shed. Marion east of Main is just a decaying strip of pavement petering out to dirt. The entire block on both sides was demolished a long time ago, probably due to flooding. From just south of Marion to about 2 blocks further north was downtown. There is one building left, along with a few undistinguished modern buildings.
Don’t know why I didn’t think of this before, but I went to the Sanborn maps. Theater building is at 106 (?) N 4th. Appears on the 1917 map. Same building on the 1909 map is plumbing/undertaking. Appears 1896 at the latest, may be on the 1890 map. If I’m reading the 1917 map right, street number may have been 124 at the time. Building looks like it was remodeled postwar. Flat red brick front with unusual canted display window and doors that look like they might have come off the theater. Usage might be vacant or possibly an apartment on the second floor.
For what it’s worth, I think the demolition happened in August 2016.
Opened as a movie theater in 1939, which must be when the remodel to art deco happened.
Map marker is way too far north. Must have been in town. The 100 block is a good bet. Almost certainly demolished, but some buildings on that block might have held a theater.
Map marker is too far south, must have been somewhere in the center of town, not down by the grain elevator. Nearly the entire downtown had been demolished by 2012, so I’m sure this is gone.
Opened 1942 by the Lincolnton Amusement Co. Named after a respected local doctor, Lemuel Lester Self, whose widow was involved in the operation of the theater. Closed sometime mid ‘60s, then became the home of a local theater company in 1969. Retail by 1975. (Info from NRHP listing)
This is NOT the Liberty, it’s the courthouse.
Thanks, Ken!
Not the Quincy, but a much larger and fancier theater.
Street view shows the wrong half of the bank. Looks like they tore the entire front off, and maybe kept three walls and the auditorium roof. Might as well be demolished. Looks nothing like a theater, and very little of the building remains, much less the interior.
This has been demolished, along with the large building to the right.
Of all the old theaters in Quincy, it’s a shame that one of the survivors is this cloddishly-proportioned hulk.
Hannibal is maybe 15 miles away, and quite bit smaller. Not exactly a big booking.
I don’t see how the photo from 1916 can possibly be the same building. The entry looks much taller. Even in the 1957 photos the building plainly has a very old cast iron front which must have been original to the building. Wherever the 1916 photo was taken, it was a much fancier building.
Street number is confusing. Corner lot (900 presumably) is a converted gas station which might be from about 1930. Then there is an empty lot, one side of which was filled as recently as 2012 by a low single-story wood frame store. The left half of the remaining building is 924. If it really was 904, it likely would have been right next door to the gas station, and should be listed as demolished.
The article says the theater opened in 1917, and closed in 1969, although there is a photo of it with the marquee advertising ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1970), and a bunch of new cars (presumably from the dealer) parked on the sidewalk. Go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter ‘Woodbine Carthage’ in the search bar to see the photo.
Survived to at least 1956, another photo has it showing ‘The Searchers’.
Theater was on the odd side of the 300 block of Oak. For streetview purposes, was right across from the little prefab shed (senior center). Photo here: http://www.dallascity-il.com/photos/viewalbum.php?album=8&photo=18
For an early ‘70s view of the building, go to: http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/ and enter 'alton 1662 washington’ in the search bar. Can we confirm whether demolition was in ‘77 or '97?
This is just a duplicate of a photo uploaded in 2015.
I don’t know what it was actually named after, but Alton is in Madison County.
Needs to be listed as demolished. Probably the parking lot in the 100 block of W Main.
The address looks wrong. 125-ish is the park behind the library, and a few of the trees look quite old. That also puts it all the way at the very edge of downtown, which is an odd location. Plenty of demolition in downtown, with the north side of the 200 block having suffered the most severely. Probably one of the missing teeth there.
Looks abandoned as of the 9/14 streetview.