Lyric Theatre

Joe Vogel on July 26, 2025 at 5:27 pm

Here is some history about the Lyric from the August 4, 1917 issue of Moving Picture World:

“Boes Buys Pioneer Picture Theater.

“Lafayette, Ind. — Lafayette’s pioneer motion picture house, the Lyric, was sold last week by William H. Johnson to J. W. Boes, who will take up the management of the place at once. Mr. Johnson intends to engage in the manufacture of metal paint and will start in business in Lafayette with his brother-in-law, Charles Helveye.

“The Lyric theater was originally the Happy Half Hour theater and was established by Schuyler C. Lank about ten years ago. Edward W. Frank succeeded Mr. Lank as owner of the theater, and changed its name to the Lyric. Four years ago Mr. Johnson remodeled the house and made it one of the finest in this section of the state. It is now one of the most popular amusement places in the city.”

An April 14, 2017 article in the Lafayette Journal & Courier mentioned a nickelodeon operating at 632 Main Street as early as 1906, which must have been this house, though the article didn’t mention the name Happy Half Hour. It’s likely the author didn’t know the original name, although the article does later give this as the address of the Lyric.