Climax Theatre

Richard Sheridan Jones, a Pittsburgh native born August 6, 1864, started working in the steel mills at the age of nine, eventually becoming a puddler. He held other jobs over the years when the mills would go on strike, and invested in a block of 57 empty building lots in the Beltzhoover district near Pittsburgh’s south side in the 18th Ward along with his brothers. The brothers eventually sold the lots and Richard took his share of the profits, left the steel mill for good, and purchased the building that would become the movie house for $10,000.

He named the new cinema the Climax Theatre because it was located on Climax Street. It opened to the public around 1910/1911. The theatre was an immediate success, and it was soon obvious that it was too small, so Richard searched for a bigger and better location. Upon finding the property that would become the Capitol Theatre, he sold the Climax Theatre in 1919 for $15,000.

The property is owned by the city of Pittsburgh.

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