Webster Theatre

Local dentist Harry Webster launched his new movie theatre on the east side of N. Main Street next to the Marais des Cygnes River in downtown Ottawa at an inopportune time. The 400-seat Webster Theatre opened in April of 1929 as a silent film house without air conditioning just months prior to the onset of the Great Depression. The theatre was a second-run house advertised as “Pictures you will like - 10 cents.”

A year later, on the Midland Theatre Circuit of Kansas City purchased the Webster Theatre which converted to sound on March 25, 1930. Fox Midwest took on the theatre and, in 1937, the theatre added an air cooling system to operate a full schedule in the summer months. A refurbishment with new seating reduced the auditorium to 312 seats. Flash flooding from Marais des Cygnes River in July of 1950 dunked the Webster Theatre and would lead Fox Theatres to shutter the Webster Theatre which was later demolished.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.