Mecca Theater

Joe Vogel on May 1, 2026 at 12:55 pm

Here’s the earliest mention of Augusta’s Idle Hour I’ve found in the trade journals. It’s from the February 17, 1917 issue of Motion Picture News: “KANSAS.— Augusta: Mrs. Jack Reinbold accompanied her husband to Kansas City last week, as usual, to select pictures for the Idle Hour at Augusta, Kan. Mrs. Reinbold does most of the selecting; in fact, frequently making trips by herself for the purpose. She has been markedly successful. Augusta is a raining town, and she seems to hit off its tastes well. Billie Burke has made a hit there, and has been one of the most successful bookings made by the Idle Hour.”

An October 16, 1920 Moving Picture World item mentions a C. H. Barron who owned “…the only two theaters in Augusta, Kan….” By that date, one of those theaters would have been the Isis and the other would have been the Idle Hour. Then the December 10, 1921 issue of Moving Picture World mentioned “Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Barron, who formerly operated the Isis and Mecca theatres in Augusta, Kas….” I’d say that’s a pretty strong indication that the Idle Hour became the Mecca, probably sometime during Mr. Barron’s ownership.