Hippodrome Theatre and Ballroom

100 E. 7th Street,
Okmulgee, OK 74447

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Related Websites

Rotary Club of Tulsa -- Beryl Ford Collection

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.

Architects: John Adolph Emil Eberson

Styles: Mission Revival

Nearby Theaters

In 1920 Paramount Theatres commissioned theatre architect John Eberson to draw plans for their new 2,200 seat Hippodrome Theatre. No expense was spared in building the lavish entertainment complex on prime real estate at E. 7th Street and S. Grand Avenue, cattycornered to the town square.

Eberson chose Mission Revival styling for this pleasuredome that consisted of a movie theatre, basement swimming pool, ballroom and roof garden.

Naturally, Paramount Pictures were the main featured attraction on opening night of October 1, 1920, along with Interstate Vaudeville stage acts.

During its 13 year run the Hippodrome Theatre was financially successful, but on January 1, 1934, New Years Eve decorations in the ballroom caught fire causing the massive structure to be damaged beyond repair.

Within a few months time Kress constructed a department store on the old Hippodrome foundation. To this very day the original swimming pool still exist beneath retail space.

Contributed by Ben Miller

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Okie
Okie on August 24, 2006 at 11:15 pm

When Hippodrome was built the population of Okmulgee was over 20,000, over these many years population continually has dropped to a 2006 count of 13,441. Still, the Hippodrome was a rather large theatre for such a small town, and with 2200 seats some like to claim that this was the largest theater ever built in Oklahoma, but this is just not true.
Oklahoma City had Shriners Theatre (AKA-Warner’s Auditorium, Home) with 2300 seats, and Municipal Auditorium with 6100 seats.
Tulsa had Delman Theatre with 2200 seats, and Brady Theatre with 4500 seats.

raybradley
raybradley on September 10, 2006 at 12:53 pm

Other OKC theatres that held 2200+ seating capacity were the 1903 Overholser Opera House (seating reduced during 1919 remodel), 1901 Delmar Garden Theatre, and the 1928 Market Theatre.
Several towns built civic auditoriums with seating capacity exceeding 2200.

seymourcox
seymourcox on August 6, 2007 at 9:45 pm

Look into this informative site to see an image of a stage production that played the Hippodrome Theatre. Enter word “hippodrome”, then press search…
View link

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on July 15, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Listed at this address now is KOKI RADIO:News Department,one block from the Orpheum Theatre.

seymourcox
seymourcox on July 20, 2010 at 2:11 pm

Roadside Oklahoma web presents a vintage interior photo and historical outline of the old Hip,
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/583

seymourcox
seymourcox on February 14, 2011 at 5:20 pm

Here is an image of the Kress Department Store that was built on the old Hip foundation …
View link

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on April 2, 2011 at 1:17 am

To look at a 1929 picture of the Hippodrome stage and dressing rooms go above to Aug 06, 2007 link and enter “Constitutional Convention – Photo by Allison, Okmulgee”

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