Still open in 1914-15, when it was listed in the AMPD. Closed before 1926. This was another building that fronted both Main and Delaware, and was one story taller on the Delaware side due to the slope. This building was constructed sometime before 1895, when the map shows it used as a trunk factory. The buildings still existed in 1950, but this entire set of wedge shaped blocks were destroyed, likely in the dark days of urban ‘renewal’. Delaware St now exists only north of 70, Main runs through the area where the structures were, and the neighborhood is a bleak wasteland of enormous surface lots and some hideous modern buildings.
This building was a three story commercial building that occupied the narrow end of a wedge shaped block. Originally constructed sometime before 1896, it had a stone facade on the Main St side, and was one story taller on the Delaware St side. The 1896 map shows it with a store at either end, and offices and a hall above.
The 1909 map shows the theater facing Main with a store facing Delaware. The Yale Film Co. occupies the second floor. This may have been an early movie studio, or simply offices for the small chain. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the Crystal, Princess, and Wonderland as ‘Yale’s x’, but the Lyric is not so listed.
The 1939 map shows this building and the one to the north used as a factory for ‘store equipment’. This block was destroyed when the freeway was built, and is now dead ground and a Delaware St overpass.
Closed by 1909, map shows a store here, in a two story building that replaces a three-story structure on the 1896 map. Not sure which one the theater was in. 516 was a printer on the 1950 map, but the rot had already set in, and a lot of buildings from the 1939 map are gone.
Closed by 1909, the map shows a cobbler there. Rather grand name for an old storefront. The building appears on the 1896 map. The building appears to have been replaced, or heavily remodeled on the 1939 map. This entire neighborhood was long ago plowed under to build a freeway.
Not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. When did it open? The building was a one story structure containing some stores. Used as retail in 1950, a parking garage occupies the block today.
The address is correct. The building on the left is the Regent, which was at 109. This theater was likely not open in 1909 when the Sanborn map was created.
I think this is the unknown theater that I listed at 116 ½. There was no 124, 120 was the highest address. I think the picture shows a post-1909 remodel of the theater to use 116, a very narrow two story storefront, as the entrance. The three story building on the right would have been the old Central Hotel.
We should merge my listing into this one. This theater is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD, but that was apparently either an oversight or it was briefly closed.
Obviously this address would be impossible for KCK, where 12th St runs N-S and is well out of downtown. However, the 1909 map shows a store at 107 E 12th, and the building is the same height (32') as it’s neighbor to the east, which is clearly not the case in the photo. The building on the left has a tile facade set with lightbulbs, which may indicate that it was one of the early theaters. I’ll spend some time checking 107 addresses on the 1909 map and see if I can figure out which street it was actually on.
This theater was in the western half of a two story brick building constructed sometime before 1896. The 1909 map shows a restaurant here, and there is no Elliott listed in the 1914-15 AMPD.
Still listed as the Crystal in the 1914-15 AMPD, which lists it a second time as Yale’s Crystal. Demolished around 1928-29 for the construction of the Law Building, an 8 story structure itself demolished sometime after 1950 to become one of the numerous surface lots that blight the much-diminished downtown.
The last paragraph is inaccurate. There never was an 8-story garage here. The 1950 map shows the two story section (the old dance hall) to the side still extant, and the theater space a surface lot. There is no basement to be seen, and the bank wasn’t built until maybe 1970 judging from the ugly design.
SethG
commented about
Oct 1950on
Oct 3, 2025 at 7:43 am
Shame that the cover photo was made with a potato. Sometime between 2008 and 2011 the original entry doors were replaced with cruddy aluminum doors. Sometime after early 2022 the letters on the vertical were covered in cruddy white plastic. Probably doesn’t look nearly so nice at night now. By the way, the old website is now gambling spam. This is correct: https://www.dellstheatre.com/
Still open in 1914-15, when it was listed in the AMPD. Closed before 1926. This was another building that fronted both Main and Delaware, and was one story taller on the Delaware side due to the slope. This building was constructed sometime before 1895, when the map shows it used as a trunk factory. The buildings still existed in 1950, but this entire set of wedge shaped blocks were destroyed, likely in the dark days of urban ‘renewal’. Delaware St now exists only north of 70, Main runs through the area where the structures were, and the neighborhood is a bleak wasteland of enormous surface lots and some hideous modern buildings.
I’ve added a 1909 view, which shows that the stone facade was apparently removed at some point.
This building was a three story commercial building that occupied the narrow end of a wedge shaped block. Originally constructed sometime before 1896, it had a stone facade on the Main St side, and was one story taller on the Delaware St side. The 1896 map shows it with a store at either end, and offices and a hall above.
The 1909 map shows the theater facing Main with a store facing Delaware. The Yale Film Co. occupies the second floor. This may have been an early movie studio, or simply offices for the small chain. The 1914-15 AMPD lists the Crystal, Princess, and Wonderland as ‘Yale’s x’, but the Lyric is not so listed.
The 1939 map shows this building and the one to the north used as a factory for ‘store equipment’. This block was destroyed when the freeway was built, and is now dead ground and a Delaware St overpass.
Closed by 1909, map shows a store here, in a two story building that replaces a three-story structure on the 1896 map. Not sure which one the theater was in. 516 was a printer on the 1950 map, but the rot had already set in, and a lot of buildings from the 1939 map are gone.
Closed by 1909, the map shows a cobbler there. Rather grand name for an old storefront. The building appears on the 1896 map. The building appears to have been replaced, or heavily remodeled on the 1939 map. This entire neighborhood was long ago plowed under to build a freeway.
Name of the theater is misspelled. Should be Washita.
Not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. When did it open? The building was a one story structure containing some stores. Used as retail in 1950, a parking garage occupies the block today.
The address is correct. The building on the left is the Regent, which was at 109. This theater was likely not open in 1909 when the Sanborn map was created.
I’ve added a Sanborn view from 1909, when the theater was apparently incomplete. It’s not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. When were films first shown?
Correct address was 106-108 W 10th. I’ve added a 1909 Sanborn view.
I think this is the unknown theater that I listed at 116 ½. There was no 124, 120 was the highest address. I think the picture shows a post-1909 remodel of the theater to use 116, a very narrow two story storefront, as the entrance. The three story building on the right would have been the old Central Hotel.
We should merge my listing into this one. This theater is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD, but that was apparently either an oversight or it was briefly closed.
Obviously this address would be impossible for KCK, where 12th St runs N-S and is well out of downtown. However, the 1909 map shows a store at 107 E 12th, and the building is the same height (32') as it’s neighbor to the east, which is clearly not the case in the photo. The building on the left has a tile facade set with lightbulbs, which may indicate that it was one of the early theaters. I’ll spend some time checking 107 addresses on the 1909 map and see if I can figure out which street it was actually on.
This theater was in the western half of a two story brick building constructed sometime before 1896. The 1909 map shows a restaurant here, and there is no Elliott listed in the 1914-15 AMPD.
Please move the old photo of the original Wonderland to the listing I have created for it.
This lot was occupied by a three-story building in 1896, so it’s likely that the theater building had only recently been constructed in 1907.
There was an earlier Princess on Grand, likely unrelated.
Still listed as the Crystal in the 1914-15 AMPD, which lists it a second time as Yale’s Crystal. Demolished around 1928-29 for the construction of the Law Building, an 8 story structure itself demolished sometime after 1950 to become one of the numerous surface lots that blight the much-diminished downtown.
The last paragraph is inaccurate. There never was an 8-story garage here. The 1950 map shows the two story section (the old dance hall) to the side still extant, and the theater space a surface lot. There is no basement to be seen, and the bank wasn’t built until maybe 1970 judging from the ugly design.
Wrong theater.
The Sanborn maps say that this theater was built in 1912. They also give the height of the tower as 135 feet.
This is in the wrong listing. This theater was one block west of the 1932 Wonderland, and was never called the Esquire.
There’s an old photo of the Wonderland that is in the wrong listing. It’s very confusing.
Seems 1914 is probably a good date. My pictures from Labor Day 2014 show the theater celebrating 100 years.
Built sometime between 1911 and 1917, likely after 1914-15, as Flandreau does not appear in the AMPD.
Shame that the cover photo was made with a potato. Sometime between 2008 and 2011 the original entry doors were replaced with cruddy aluminum doors. Sometime after early 2022 the letters on the vertical were covered in cruddy white plastic. Probably doesn’t look nearly so nice at night now. By the way, the old website is now gambling spam. This is correct: https://www.dellstheatre.com/