This should just be closed. It did operate at least through late 2022 as a performing arts venue, although they did show some films. The building itself was built in 1886, and was a dry goods and clothing store until being converted to a theater.
Address is wrong. This was at 132 W 8th. There was an even older Tackett at the location listed, but all of the information appears to relate to the newer Tackett (and makes the Midland the THIRD Tackett). The theater was built sometime between 1913 and 1923 (probably after 1915, since it’s not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD). It was a large three story brick building. This corner is now a parking lot next to some really awful 1970s retail buildings.
Although dmt added a photo in 2016, he didn’t leave a comment. The timeline is wrong. This opened in 1912, in a large business block that must have been recently constructed, as it’s not on the 1908 map. It was originally the Columbia, and must have been remodeled and renamed in 1940. The building is disfigured by a repulsive ‘70s concrete awning, but is in pretty good shape. The theater space is a cafe.
The 1923 map shows a gas station on the SE corner, so this would have had to have been built as a very large theater, and then abandoned within 4 years. This location would have been an odd choice. Even before a lot of downtown became a wasteland, this was on the very edge of the business section. If it really was here (later maps are unavailable online), then the corner is occupied by a derelict car wash, which might date to the ‘70s.
Address on the mailbox is 206. This now appears to be vacant. Any idea when it opened? It appears to have originally been a garage or dealership associated with the building on the corner.
Address is garbled in the AMPD listing. This was at 203-205 W 9th. The theater was still open in 1923. Later maps not available online, but this is now just one of the many surface parking lots in a blighted downtown.
The building was constructed between 1896 and 1902. It was a grocery store in 1905, and the 1911 map shows the theater on the ground floor, with an Elks lodge on the second. The Elks have moved out on the 1917 map, so the theater may have been expanded. It was extended all the way to the alley during that period.
This has not been demolished. It’s had a fairly bad remodel, and has been an insurance office for years. Everything in the photo past the two story building next to the Vale is gone.
This theater was still open in late 1911. I’ve added a map view. This part of town survived until at least the early 1970s, but has been turned into a giant parking lot. Parsons is amazingly ugly, and has completely trashed their downtown.
The original theater was much narrower. The Nov. 1911 Sanborn shows it in a two story commercial building that was a grocery on the 1905 map. That building likely dated to before 1884, and originally had an 1817 E Johnson Ave address, before the street was renamed sometime after 1905.
Unfortunately, the 1923 map is not available online, even though it should have been scanned. I think the theater likely expanded to the west. I can’t identify any of the neighboring buildings on today’s streetview. Downtown is a complete disaster.
It appears that the building was remodeled in 1918, which is the date over a doorway now placed on the corner, but which previously was on the east face of the building. The horrible ground floor has been improved by un-stuccoing some of the windows, which revealed some nice Prairie style stained glass transoms.
It definitely could not have been the second. That intersection had been built out by 1914. 3 of the 4 buildings are still standing. I think I found the relocated one, I’ll add a listing. Thanks for the history.
That would explain why they are both listed at the same address. The Yearbooks often list both names as well the year the name changed. Do you have any explanation for the 1960s(?) theater front?
The garage did have an auto sales office and a plumber either side of the entrance on the 1914 map, so he might have been in one of those. It was definitely built after 1906, but you’re right, it would have become a theater in 10 years at the latest.
The formstone in the Rex photo makes me wonder it that wasn’t in the old Masonic temple on the corner, which was remodeled in 1947, and covered in formstone. That building was demolished sometime after 2016. I can’t match it exactly, but it seems to be the northern section of the western facade in the photo. I wish they had stood further away when they took the pictures! I do see that the address is given as 110 for the Arbo in the Yearbooks. That building, which is currently a law office, has clearly been remuddled a time or two, so it may have become the Rex. The real problem is that 110 is the shallowest building on the block. The current addresses match the addresses on the 1914 map, so….?
Thanks, this is so confusing starting with a very poor listing. So 50s is definitely correct that the Star was renamed in late 1955, which explains why the theater is called the Star in the listings, and the Fox in the circuit listings for 1956. Somebody must have goofed. This theater was listed around 720 seats in the ‘50s. It was definitely owned by Fox by 1951, I didn’t check further back. The current 250 seat capacity seems ridiculously low for such a large building. I bet the 1917 theater was a remodel of the garage.
If the location is correct, this must have been at 102 S Ash. That’s the SW corner, and is a vacant lot in 1906. This was gone by 1914, when all the corners are occupied.
This was not built in 1910. There was a large garage here on the 1914 map. It’s possible THAT was built in 1910, and may have been remodeled into the theater. It’s hard to tell under all the ugly siding covering the building. If it was open by 1926, it was likely the Star, with 800 seats. The website is either dead or has a certificate error, but https://www.foxplayhouse.org/ works.
I wonder if this wasn’t actually at 112. There’s a theater shown there on the 1914 Sanborn, and it likely would have been the Photoplay, based on the location given in the 1914-15 AMPD. Unfortunately, the 1926 map is not available online. 112 has been incorporated into the Thorpe building (it’s the southern storefront), but the old structure is clearly visible from the satellite view.
This should just be closed. It did operate at least through late 2022 as a performing arts venue, although they did show some films. The building itself was built in 1886, and was a dry goods and clothing store until being converted to a theater.
Note that the captioning in the photo is wrong. The theater names are swapped.
Address is wrong. This was at 132 W 8th. There was an even older Tackett at the location listed, but all of the information appears to relate to the newer Tackett (and makes the Midland the THIRD Tackett). The theater was built sometime between 1913 and 1923 (probably after 1915, since it’s not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD). It was a large three story brick building. This corner is now a parking lot next to some really awful 1970s retail buildings.
Although dmt added a photo in 2016, he didn’t leave a comment. The timeline is wrong. This opened in 1912, in a large business block that must have been recently constructed, as it’s not on the 1908 map. It was originally the Columbia, and must have been remodeled and renamed in 1940. The building is disfigured by a repulsive ‘70s concrete awning, but is in pretty good shape. The theater space is a cafe.
Here’s the KHRI page: https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=125-1050-00012
The 1923 map shows a gas station on the SE corner, so this would have had to have been built as a very large theater, and then abandoned within 4 years. This location would have been an odd choice. Even before a lot of downtown became a wasteland, this was on the very edge of the business section. If it really was here (later maps are unavailable online), then the corner is occupied by a derelict car wash, which might date to the ‘70s.
Address on the mailbox is 206. This now appears to be vacant. Any idea when it opened? It appears to have originally been a garage or dealership associated with the building on the corner.
Address is garbled in the AMPD listing. This was at 203-205 W 9th. The theater was still open in 1923. Later maps not available online, but this is now just one of the many surface parking lots in a blighted downtown.
Surely there is a better choice for a ‘cover’ photo?
The building was constructed between 1896 and 1902. It was a grocery store in 1905, and the 1911 map shows the theater on the ground floor, with an Elks lodge on the second. The Elks have moved out on the 1917 map, so the theater may have been expanded. It was extended all the way to the alley during that period.
This has not been demolished. It’s had a fairly bad remodel, and has been an insurance office for years. Everything in the photo past the two story building next to the Vale is gone.
This theater was still open in late 1911. I’ve added a map view. This part of town survived until at least the early 1970s, but has been turned into a giant parking lot. Parsons is amazingly ugly, and has completely trashed their downtown.
The original theater was much narrower. The Nov. 1911 Sanborn shows it in a two story commercial building that was a grocery on the 1905 map. That building likely dated to before 1884, and originally had an 1817 E Johnson Ave address, before the street was renamed sometime after 1905.
Unfortunately, the 1923 map is not available online, even though it should have been scanned. I think the theater likely expanded to the west. I can’t identify any of the neighboring buildings on today’s streetview. Downtown is a complete disaster.
Parsons' downtown is a total wreck. This entire block is now a cheap modern bank, some depressing public housing, and 50 acres of surface parking.
Address would have been 114 S 18th. This is now the Parsonian, a 1950s hotel that’s become apartments.
It appears that the building was remodeled in 1918, which is the date over a doorway now placed on the corner, but which previously was on the east face of the building. The horrible ground floor has been improved by un-stuccoing some of the windows, which revealed some nice Prairie style stained glass transoms.
It definitely could not have been the second. That intersection had been built out by 1914. 3 of the 4 buildings are still standing. I think I found the relocated one, I’ll add a listing. Thanks for the history.
That would explain why they are both listed at the same address. The Yearbooks often list both names as well the year the name changed. Do you have any explanation for the 1960s(?) theater front?
The garage did have an auto sales office and a plumber either side of the entrance on the 1914 map, so he might have been in one of those. It was definitely built after 1906, but you’re right, it would have become a theater in 10 years at the latest.
Are you sure about the chronology? The Arbo is still listed in 1956.
The formstone in the Rex photo makes me wonder it that wasn’t in the old Masonic temple on the corner, which was remodeled in 1947, and covered in formstone. That building was demolished sometime after 2016. I can’t match it exactly, but it seems to be the northern section of the western facade in the photo. I wish they had stood further away when they took the pictures! I do see that the address is given as 110 for the Arbo in the Yearbooks. That building, which is currently a law office, has clearly been remuddled a time or two, so it may have become the Rex. The real problem is that 110 is the shallowest building on the block. The current addresses match the addresses on the 1914 map, so….?
Thanks, this is so confusing starting with a very poor listing. So 50s is definitely correct that the Star was renamed in late 1955, which explains why the theater is called the Star in the listings, and the Fox in the circuit listings for 1956. Somebody must have goofed. This theater was listed around 720 seats in the ‘50s. It was definitely owned by Fox by 1951, I didn’t check further back. The current 250 seat capacity seems ridiculously low for such a large building. I bet the 1917 theater was a remodel of the garage.
If the location is correct, this must have been at 102 S Ash. That’s the SW corner, and is a vacant lot in 1906. This was gone by 1914, when all the corners are occupied.
This was not built in 1910. There was a large garage here on the 1914 map. It’s possible THAT was built in 1910, and may have been remodeled into the theater. It’s hard to tell under all the ugly siding covering the building. If it was open by 1926, it was likely the Star, with 800 seats. The website is either dead or has a certificate error, but https://www.foxplayhouse.org/ works.
I wonder if this wasn’t actually at 112. There’s a theater shown there on the 1914 Sanborn, and it likely would have been the Photoplay, based on the location given in the 1914-15 AMPD. Unfortunately, the 1926 map is not available online. 112 has been incorporated into the Thorpe building (it’s the southern storefront), but the old structure is clearly visible from the satellite view.