Blair Theatre facts for kids
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The Blair
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| Address | 1310 19th St Belleville, Kansas |
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| Location | U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°49′21.1″N 97°37′50″W / 39.822528°N 97.63056°W |
| Owner | Blair Center for the Arts Foundation |
| Capacity | 369 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Cinema, Rentals, Community Events |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1927 |
| Built | 1928 |
| Opened | December 24, 1928 |
| Renovated | 1987 2000–2008 |
| Closed | 1997 |
| Reopened | November 8, 2008 |
| Builder | Blair Theatre Enterprises |
| Project manager | Sam H. Blair |
The Blair Theatre is a cool old building in Belleville, Kansas. It's in the middle of Kansas, in a place called Republic County. This theatre has a long and interesting history. It has changed a lot over the years, from showing live shows to movies. Today, it's a busy spot for movies and community events.
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The Blair Theatre: A Historic Place
The Blair Theatre was built a long time ago. Work on it started in 1927. It was built by a group called Blair Theatre Enterprises. While they were digging, they even found the remains of a cowboy!
The outside of the theatre looks like old Spanish buildings. This style is called Spanish Eclectic. Inside, the main hall was designed to look like beautiful gardens in Spain. When it first opened, the Blair Theatre was a place for live shows. These shows were called Vaudeville performances. Later, it became a movie theatre. The building also had a sandwich shop and a Western Union office. These were in what is now the lobby. In 1938, the main hall got a new look. It was changed to the Art Deco style.
Changes Over the Years
In 1941, the theatre was sold to a company called Commonwealth Theaters. Many years later, in 1987, it was sold again. A new company bought it. They made big changes. The main hall was split in half. This made it a two-screen movie theatre. The lobby also had a small shop where you could rent movies.
The City Steps In
The theatre closed its doors on May 1, 1996. It was hard to compete with other events. But they still rented movies from the lobby. They tried to sell the building. When they couldn't find a buyer, the theatre was given to the city of Belleville.
In July 1996, the city thought about turning it into a community center. One part would be for shows. Another part would be for exhibits. The lobby could be used for small parties. The city worked with Kansas State University. They studied how to save the theatre. They also looked at how much it would cost. This study was shared with the city in December 1997.
In 1999, a racing museum asked to use the lobby. The city agreed to let them use it for a display. This agreement lasted until the end of 2000.
Bringing the Theatre Back to Life
In 2000, a local art group got involved. They wanted to use the theatre again. They helped create a non-profit group. This group was called the Blair Center for the Arts Foundation. Their goal was to bring the theatre back to life. They wanted it to be a place for everyone.
Over the next few years, they worked hard. They raised money from donations. They also got some government help. By November 2008, their hard work paid off. The theatre opened its doors again! It started showing movies. It also hosted small community events.
In the late 2010s, the Blair Theatre had new plans. They wanted to add another movie screen. This would be in a building next door. It would let them show more movies and events.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 22, 2020, the Blair Theatre closed. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on June 8, 2020. But they later stopped regular shows. This happened on July 30, 2020. Not many people were buying tickets. Also, more people were getting sick in the area.
The Blair Theatre Today
Today, the Blair Theatre is a busy place. It shows movies for everyone to enjoy. It also hosts many local community events. It's a great spot for people in Belleville.
What's Next for the Blair?
A lot of the theatre was fixed up before it reopened in 2008. This included the audience area. But the areas behind the stage are not finished. These are called the backstage and stagecraft areas. The Blair Foundation is now planning to finish these parts. They want to make the entire theatre perfect.
See Also
