Champlain Theatre
3 Canada Street,
Swanton,
VT
05488
3 Canada Street,
Swanton,
VT
05488
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The Champlain Theatre on Canada Street in Swanton was opened on September 1, 1917 with Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher Boy”. It was still open in 1957. Today it houses a fitness center and retail store.
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Bryan Krefft
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I was on a cycling trip here last week. The former theatre is in the very small and sleepy town of Swanton, not too far from Canada and Lake Champlain. There’s retail on the bottom left, 2 vacancies and upstairs apartments. The theatre auditorium is in the middle but there’s another building on the left corner, not attached to the auditorium but to the front stores and in the same color.
Oops. Dark red brick in front, red painted wood and red painted siding in back.
A 1917 photo of the Champlain Theatre in Swanton appears in the Summer, 2003, issue of Northeast Historic Film’s newsletter, Moving Image Review: Archive.org.
The Theatre Historical Society on-line archive has the MGM Theatre Report for the Champlain Th., it’s Card # 595. Address is 3 Canada St. There is an exterior photo taken April 1941. Condition is Fair. The report says that it opened in 1925 and is showing MGM product. There were 382 main floor seats and 108 balcony, total 490, but a note was added: “475 total” seats. The 1940 population was 3,500.
The Champlain Theatre Opened On September 1, 1917 With Fatty Arbuckle In “The Butcher Boy” Along With 2 Matinees And 2 Evening Performances.
The Capacity Of The Theater During It’s Early Days Is Over 1,000. The Decorating Was Done By H. L. And H. J. Chadwick Of St. Albans. It Was Rebuilt From Bullard’s Hall And The Left Side Of The Lobby Contains A Roomy Office With A Main Ticket Window. The Projectors Were Both Simplex Machines With Individual Electric Motors. There Are Stairways On Either Side Leading Up To The Balcony And The Lighting Fixtures Were Hanged From Steel Ceiling And From Side Walls. The Ventilating System Were Used For Electric Suction Fans. The Front Contains A Big White Entrance Doors Of Glass With Facade Is Cement With Red Bricking Above. Entering The Lobby Contains A Red Cement Floor With 2 Ticket Windows. One In The Left And The Other In The Right. Mirrored Doors Leading Into The Auditorium And Color Designing. The Floor Slopes Gradually To The Orchestra Pit. The Walls Are Shades Of Brown And Gold With Attractive Border Designs In Dark, Harmonizing Colors. The Woodwork Was Done In Dead Finish Mahogany Stain And White Enamel Making A Desirable Contrast. The White Screen Is Framed With A Foliage Scene And Woodwork Of The Proscenium Arch In White With Panels Of Green. In Case Of An Emergency, Each Side Contains An Exit. Swantonians (E. T. Bradley, Dr. F. N. Hard, Capt. H. M. Bell) And One St. Albanian (Charles E. Schoff) Have Furnished And Made The Theater. Owned By The City’s Amusement Company, under the President Schoff, Vice Presidents Haff, And Clerk And Treasurer Bradley. The Contractor Of The Theater Is C. K. Prouty.
Sound Was Installed In Early 1930, And CinemaScope Was Installed In 1954.
This Theater Was Notable For Running A Civil Defense Film On March 2, 1964 Sponsoring By A Nearby Church.
Both this building and the one next door are still there, but have an obscene commercial structure built on to the frond.