 Some of these mighty structures have been destroyed others have been refurbished and are open for business. If you have any information regarding Kansas theaters, opera houses or drive in theaters but they are not listed or you have additional information or pictures for a theater please email me. Let's keep the history of our classic theaters alive!
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| Sabetha, Kansas |
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Civic
Theater Opened in 1947 no other history available at this time. Nemaha Drive In No history available at this time. |
| Salina, Kansas |
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Princess Theatre
One of the best known and most popular amusement resorts of this city, and one which stands high in public favor is that of the Princess Theater, located at 156 North Santa Fe Avenue. The Princess Theater, as it is named, is admirably arranged in all of its appointments. It occupies a floor space of 2,800 feet. The interior is finished in an artistic manner, has inclined floor and ventilating system, fire exits, etc., are installed and the comfort of the patron is catered to at all times. The moving pictures and vaudeville are a source of pleasure and recreation for any one who has a few minutes to spare and wishes to be entertained amid surrounding restful to the senses and attractive to the eye. The pictures shown are refined and will satisfy the most fastidious. The moving picture machine, stage and equipment are of the latest design and all employees, including the machine operator, ushers, singers, etc., are not only courteous, but are refined and of an entirely different class than usually is found in five and ten cent theaters. Mr. C. A. Thacher is the proprietor of this enterprise. (Transcribed from Salina, Kansas - past and present, progress and prosperity souvenir) Art Center Cinema Built recently in an old building that was not previously a theater of any kind. Meanwhile, the beautiful old Fox-Watson, right across the street, has been sitting vacant (but usable) for years. Renovation of the Fox-Watson is in the fund-raising stages. No other history available at this time.
Isis Theatre
Fox
Strand Theater
The Stiefel Theatre was opened in February 1931 as the
Fox-Watson Theater, named after its founder W. W. Watson and the Fox
Theater Company which purchased it just before its completion. The
Fox-Watson, designed by the prominent Midwest architectural firm of Carl
and Robert Boller, and was built for $400,000. It featured a lavish Art
Deco style, with gleaming chandeliers, mirrored ceilings, a glamorous
staircase and glittering gold leaf throughout.
Salina
Vogue Theater
Salina Auditorium |
| Scott City, Kansas |
|
Majestic
Theater
Wonderfully renovated 1930's theatre that serves as a dinner theatre occasionally, and still has capabilities to show movies. It is open Mon thru Sat for lunch and Tues thru Sat for dinner. It is beautifully decorated, very elegant and the food is superb. Seating includes place for up to 200 plus three private dining rooms in the upstairs which originally were offices and apartments. Much of it has been restored to original such as moldings and tapestries. No other history available at this time. Scott City Drive In No history available at this time. |
| Sedan, Kansas |
Gregg
Theater
The theater, reminiscent of days gone by, shows first run movies on weekends and is the home of a talented local community theater group, Howard County Players which produces two to three performances during the year. No other history available at this time. |
| Sedgwick, Kansas |
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WICK theatre There was an apartment on the south side of the theater. Who ever rented the apartment, had their own separate viewing room, upstairs. It was a one story move theater. Two sets of double doors that was separated between about 6' wall. The ticket counter was in the lobby. The concession stand was on the north side of the lobby. Two entrances into the theater. Two walking aisle down the theater. Seats on the both sides of the aisle and seats in the center portion. A men's restroom on the north side of the lobby. The women's restroom was on the south side of the lobby. The border against the back wall of the theater.
The projection room had two
projectors. A splicing machine was set on a table behind the
projectors.
Movies were shown every Thur, Fri and
Sat night. A new movie would be shown on Sun, Mon and Tue night. The
theater was not open on Wednesday.
If I remember, as a kid, it cost $.25
for a ticket. Another $.25 for popcorn and soda. Popcorn was sold in
a bag. There was no such thing a butter flavoring, at all. The had
candy, such as Milk Duds, Junior Mints and etc.
The theater closed about 1960. We had
a heavy snowfall. The snow on top of the theater was so heavy that
it cave-in near the stage area. I think that the first 15 rows were
under water.
The theater was owned by a man, that
was a rural route mail carrier. He was young. There was to much
damage, when the roof cave in.
It never shown any first run movies.
We always travel to Newton or Wichita to see a first run movie.
The WICK was a neon light that was
lighted up. The other side on each side of the double doors had the
poster for the movie that was playing.
(History from Gary A. Rich)
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| Seneca, Kansas |
Seneca Theater
 The Seneca Theater at 301 Main Street was built in 1927. When the Seneca Theater opened, it was called the Liberty Theater. This theater was built on the site of a former Opera House that was constructed in the 1890's. Moving pictures were shown at the Opera House as early as 1909. In 1927 the decision was made to replace the Opera House with a "modern movie theater". The Liberty Theater was remodeled around 1951 and at that time the name was changed to the Seneca Theater. This theater remains open today. Seneca Twin Theater Royal Theater
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| Sharon Springs, Kansas |
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Strand
Theater No other history available at this time. |
| Shawnee, Kansas |
Mission
Theater (aka Aztec )
 The 1927 Aztec Theater originally opened Labor Day, as the Mission Theater. The Aztec was owned by Dickinson Theaters until the mid-to-late 1970s, when the Pflumm family bought it. Dickinson stopped showing films there in 1975. Now awaiting renovation by the Fine Arts Group.
Shawnee Drive In
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| Smith Center, Kansas |
The
Center Theater
No history available at this time. Center Drive In No history available at this time. |
| Stafford, Kansas |
|
The Ritz Theater
Located on South Main Street in Stafford, Kansas, has been undergoing continuing restoration projects since its "Save the Ritz" crusade in the early 1990's. The most recent addition to the theatre is central air conditioning and heat, improved sound system, and a new screen which will roll up to allow for stage performances. The original projectors have been replaced with state-of-the-art projectors. |
| St. Francis, Kansas |
|
Cheyenne
Theater
No history available at this time. Starlite Drive In No history available at this time. |
| Stockton, Kansas |
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Park
Drive In
No history available at this time.
Nova
Theatre
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| Strong City, Kansas |
Strong
City Opera House
 Opened April 18, 1901 - One of the few true opera houses left in Kansas and the mid-west region. Unfortunately, the city has been forced to declare this structure a dangerous building and has advocated its demolition. However, recent interest in the building as a tourism destination may have encouraged the city to reconsider. The Kansas Historic Theatres Association is working with the property owner to save the structure. It is currently vacant and in need of a new roof.
Uptown Theater |
| Syracuse, Kansas |
Northrup
Theater
The Northrup Theatre opened April 7 1930 by Frank and Maybelle Northrup showing "Footlights and Fools" starring Colleen Moore. Admission was 35 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. LaRosh and Sons construction crew, residents of Syracuse with a cost of $60,000, built the structure. It was in 1948 that J.M. Lort, Jr. Association of Aurora Colorado renovated the building. The renovations at the time included the four French entry doors and ticket office being modified to a smooth concave curvature of 8" x 8" glass block. A 20-degree angle was constructed to give an angled effect pulling the traffic into the box office. The basic structure for this theatre has not changed and is a classic example of the Art deco movement in the 1940's. The theater seating was composed of approximately 800 chairs when it opened in 1930. It was in 1948 that every other row was removed to provide more aisle space and also it was not necessary to continue the broad number of seats due to decreasing number of those movie-going customers. The new seats were installed in 2000 and can now seat 276. The Syracuse Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce purchased the Theatre in 1991. The Northrup Theatre was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in February 2005. Tours are available with prior arrangement with the Chamber of Commerce office at (620) 684-5459. |
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