Granada Theater (Kansas City, Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Granada Theater
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1013–1019 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | Boller Brothers |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| MPS | Theaters and Opera Houses of Kansas MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000004 |
| Added to NRHP | February 9, 2005 |
The Granada Theater is a beautiful old movie theater. It's located in downtown Kansas City, Kansas. This city is in Wyandotte County. The theater was once a grand movie palace.
The theater looks special because it's built in the Mission style. This means it has designs inspired by old Spanish and Moorish buildings. The front of the building has a big, fancy window. It's called a Palladian window. Next to it are decorative terracotta pieces. Below this window is the main entrance. Here, you can see a glass ticket booth. Small shops also used to be on the first floor of the building's front.
Contents
History of the Granada Theater
Building the Theater
Two people named Ben Gorman and William A. Toplikar planned the theater. They started this project in 1928. They hired a famous architecture firm called the Boller Brothers. The Boller Brothers were known for designing many theaters.
A Popular Place to Visit
The Granada Theater was very popular for many years. It was a busy place where people watched movies. This success lasted until the 1960s. At that time, more and more people started watching television at home. This made going to the movies less common.
Closing and Reopening
Because fewer people went to the theater, it closed in the late 1960s. After that, different people tried to reopen it. But none of these attempts lasted very long. The theater struggled to find its place again.
Becoming a Historic Landmark
In 2005, the Granada Theater received an important honor. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special building. It qualified because of its unique architecture. It also qualified because of its important role in the history of the area.
