Opera House
106 E. 2nd Street,
Olin,
IA
52320
106 E. 2nd Street,
Olin,
IA
52320
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I think the Plaza has to be the same place. There are no other suitable buildings. There are some cruddy modern buildings, but I don’t think the Plaza was where they are, based on the description (in the NRHP listing for downtown) of what was replaced. Can’t believe I didn’t take a picture of this.
The only mention of the Olin Opera House I’ve been able to find in any theater industry trade journal is from the November 14, 1925 issue of Motion Picture News, which said that the Des Moines office of the Exhibitors Supply Company had reported the sale of “…two machines to Mr. Lawson of the Olin Opera House at Olin, Iowa….”
However, much later another theatre name is connected with Olin, appearing in the July 2, 1949 issue of Boxoffice, which said that exhibitor L. L. Leibrock, owner of the Plaza Theatre at Olin had been named County Engineer. He planned to continue operating the theater, which he had owned for about ten years. The Plaza is mentioned again in the December 30, 1950 Boxoffice, which said the house had celebrated its 11th anniversary on Thanksgiving Day (November 23 that year.) I’ve been unable to discover if the Plaza was the same theater as the Opera House.