The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 600, which makes much more sense given the size of the building. The address was originally on Pearl St, but the name was changed at some point after 1915.
This was apparently known as the Bridgewater for the first year of its existence. Early Yearbook entries give a capacity of 250, which must have been reduced.
I think the name chronology is wrong. The ‘Ellis’ sign is clearly very old, and this is one of several Ellis theaters in Mississippi. It must have been called Ellis before it closed as a cinema.
The address supplied was bogus. There is no Main St. 204 N Main Ave is a grocery store, which is pretty old. The map has ended up in Dolton, down the road. I think this has been demolished, wherever it was. In the streetview from 2011 there’s nothing that looks like a theater.
SethG
commented about
Theateron
Sep 10, 2025 at 6:55 pm
I doubt it. 400 seems like far too many people to fit in a small space like this. I suspect the Grand was an old opera house on Farmer west of Main. That still existed in 1984, but was lost to the shriveling up of downtown since.
It’s confused an awning behind the vertical as part of the sign, and it’s garbled the Red Owl lettering, but it’s fascinating to see what can be done. Pretty soon nothing will be true or provable!
I can’t understand why the Ruby is not on the 1921 map. Maybe it hadn’t opened by the time the 1914 map was issued, but it was clearly operating during that range.
Correct address was 203 Egan Ave N. This theater was constructed sometime between 1914 and 1921. It was demolished years ago. It was located on the northern half of the lot that now has a sports bar.
As might be expected from this contributor, most of the information is wrong. This theater does not appear on the 1921 map. The Ruby must have been something else. It was not converted to retail, it was demolished, along with everything else on the corner, for a really hideous ‘modern’ bank building.
Okay, the State definitely was across the street, and references to it here should be removed. Still haven’t found a good picture of the Grand, but it should probably be renamed Grand Theatre, since I can see that painted on the side in one photo. It was quite tall, looking more like a 3-4 story building.
The update to the 1987 NRHP listing says that the theater was built in 1940. It may not have been completed until 1941? It seems to have been closed around 1980, and by the late ‘80s the ticket booth and entry doors had been replaced by the cheap entry there today. The listing says that Perry E. Crosier was the architect. Frank McCarthy was the man it was built for.
Not sure when it closed, but it was already a video store by 1987 when it was photographed for the NRHP listing. There is now a neon sign which may be a recreation of the original, but the facade has been painted in a tacky house-flipper scheme.
Architect needs to be corrected, per Joe’s comment 15 years ago. This seems to be open again showing $1 movies, and hosting parties. It’s hard to tell because the website seems to be dead, but recent reviews mention movies. As you can see from the most recent photo, that repulsive shingle trash has been removed from the facade, and a recreation of the historic marquee has replaced the cheap plastic junk.
Thanks, Joe. Sounds like I’m safe to create an entry for the Auditorium, which may have been called the Volga as well.
SethG
commented about
Cinema 8on
Aug 29, 2025 at 1:22 pm
It’s been the Cinema 8 for some time. Correct address is 219. Slightly less ugly since a remodel, but still just a boring box in an unattractive old strip mall.
The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 600, which makes much more sense given the size of the building. The address was originally on Pearl St, but the name was changed at some point after 1915.
Appears to still be open, although downtown is a disaster, and most of the buildings on this block are now gone. The website is dead.
This was apparently known as the Bridgewater for the first year of its existence. Early Yearbook entries give a capacity of 250, which must have been reduced.
I’ve added a map view. The address is a wild guess based on the one address I could find on that block.
I have added a photo of what I believe to have been the community hall. Information to confirm/refute my theory is welcome.
I think the name chronology is wrong. The ‘Ellis’ sign is clearly very old, and this is one of several Ellis theaters in Mississippi. It must have been called Ellis before it closed as a cinema.
The address supplied was bogus. There is no Main St. 204 N Main Ave is a grocery store, which is pretty old. The map has ended up in Dolton, down the road. I think this has been demolished, wherever it was. In the streetview from 2011 there’s nothing that looks like a theater.
I doubt it. 400 seems like far too many people to fit in a small space like this. I suspect the Grand was an old opera house on Farmer west of Main. That still existed in 1984, but was lost to the shriveling up of downtown since.
It’s confused an awning behind the vertical as part of the sign, and it’s garbled the Red Owl lettering, but it’s fascinating to see what can be done. Pretty soon nothing will be true or provable!
From old pictures of downtown, I think the thing to the left is a two story stone bank that was in the middle of the block on the north side.
Demolished long ago. Downtown is really wretched. Looks like this was probably somewhere on the north side of Main, and almost certainly on W Main.
I can’t understand why the Ruby is not on the 1921 map. Maybe it hadn’t opened by the time the 1914 map was issued, but it was clearly operating during that range.
The 1914-15 AMPD lists an M.P., and the Ruby. The Ruby was still open in 1926. I cannot find it on either the 1914 or 1921 maps.
The two pictures that only show the replacement should be deleted. We can use one of the postcards, which actually show the theater.
Picture stolen from streetview should be replaced.
Correct address was 203 Egan Ave N. This theater was constructed sometime between 1914 and 1921. It was demolished years ago. It was located on the northern half of the lot that now has a sports bar.
As might be expected from this contributor, most of the information is wrong. This theater does not appear on the 1921 map. The Ruby must have been something else. It was not converted to retail, it was demolished, along with everything else on the corner, for a really hideous ‘modern’ bank building.
Okay, the State definitely was across the street, and references to it here should be removed. Still haven’t found a good picture of the Grand, but it should probably be renamed Grand Theatre, since I can see that painted on the side in one photo. It was quite tall, looking more like a 3-4 story building.
Assuming the dates are correct, this has to have been the theater at 416 4th St. The opera house was demolished around 1940.
The update to the 1987 NRHP listing says that the theater was built in 1940. It may not have been completed until 1941? It seems to have been closed around 1980, and by the late ‘80s the ticket booth and entry doors had been replaced by the cheap entry there today. The listing says that Perry E. Crosier was the architect. Frank McCarthy was the man it was built for.
Not sure when it closed, but it was already a video store by 1987 when it was photographed for the NRHP listing. There is now a neon sign which may be a recreation of the original, but the facade has been painted in a tacky house-flipper scheme.
Architect needs to be corrected, per Joe’s comment 15 years ago. This seems to be open again showing $1 movies, and hosting parties. It’s hard to tell because the website seems to be dead, but recent reviews mention movies. As you can see from the most recent photo, that repulsive shingle trash has been removed from the facade, and a recreation of the historic marquee has replaced the cheap plastic junk.
This listing needs updating. Should be listed as demolished, and was somewhere on Main, probably down near the railroad.
Thanks, Joe. Sounds like I’m safe to create an entry for the Auditorium, which may have been called the Volga as well.
It’s been the Cinema 8 for some time. Correct address is 219. Slightly less ugly since a remodel, but still just a boring box in an unattractive old strip mall.