Grand Theatre

127 S. 9th Street,
Lexington, MO 64067

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Additional Info

Functions: Factory

Previous Names: Geyers Theatre

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Grand Opera House (unsourced clipping)

Appearing on Sanborn maps as early as 1885, this large opera house was built in 1879 on a slope, and was thus one story in front and two in the rear. By 1889 a 2-story addition had been added, containing the box office in front, and dressing rooms to the rear. All structures were brick. Although the 1900 map lists it as the ‘New Grand Opera House’, it is clearly the same building as before, although a large metal-clad wooden fly tower has appeared at the rear. There was a large stage at the rear, and a deep U-shaped balcony with narrow wings extending up to the stage.

The 1910 map lists it as ‘Geyers Theatre’, possibly Geyer’s was intended. A large wooden awning has appeared on the front, covering both the theater and office. By around 1915 it was in use as a movie theatre, as the 1918 map, it is noted, with no name, as ‘Moving Pictures’. Stage and scenery are still listed, so live shows were still offered at this point.

At some point, the building was converted to a factory, possibly in 1939 when the Dunhill company began making dress shirts. It now appears vacant, and the office/dressing room section was replaced around 1940-50 by a dealership. Some of the façade of the original building may survive, although the brickwork appears to be of a later style.

Contributed by Seth Gaines

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 15, 2019 at 9:06 pm

The January 1, 1910 issue of The New York Dramatic Mirror mentions the Geyer Grand Theatre in Lexington, Missouri. Charles Geyer was listed as the manager. The Geyer Grand was listed in the 1910-1911 Cahn guide as a 740-seat, ground floor house. It had been listed in the 1909-1910 guide as the New Grand Theatre.

A letter from the Lexington Historical Association in response to the Historic Missouri Theatres Questionnaire (a very large pdf but quite useful,) and dated June 10, 1998, has this paragraph about the Grand:

“Our most notorious theatre was the Grand Opera House built in 1879 by Henry Hagan. Hagan built the structure at a cost of $5,000 and the price of the lot. It was 40' by 100' and seated 800 people. It’s opening in 1885 and featured ‘Othello’. The opera house was later known as Wrights Theatre until its destruction by fire in August of 1924. It was located at the corner of what is now 9th Street and Franklin Avenue.”
The house had become Wright’s Grand Theatre by 1913, as that is how it is listed in the 1913-1914 Cahn Guide. As the Grand is not one of the two movie houses listed at Lexington in the 1914-1915 edition of The American Motion Picture Directory it was likely still a live theater at that time. However, by 1917 (and possibly by late 1915) it had begun showing movies, as this item appeared in the September 1, 1917 issue of The Moving Picture World:
“YOUNG BUYS GRAND THEATER AT LEXINGTON.

“John C. Young, who for about two years has been associated with Clyde Wright as part owner of Wright’s Grand theater, Lexington, Mo., has purchased Mr. Wright’s interest in the house. Mr. Young, who will now assume full charge, is welt fitted for his duties as he has had several years experience in the motion picture business. This change is due to Mr. Wright’s recent illness, together with the great increase in his duties as Justice of the Peace. He has proved himself to be an enterprising manager and a great believer in the efficiency of advertising, and his many friends regret to see him give up the business with which he has been associated for several years.”

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