Lorain Palace Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lorain Palace Theatre
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 617 Broadway Ave, Lorain, Ohio |
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| Area | Lorain, Lorain County, Ohio |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Gothic, Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002109 |
| Added to NRHP | 1978 |
The Lorain Palace Theatre is a historic movie theater located in Lorain, Ohio. It first opened its doors in 1928. This theater was very special because it was the first one in Ohio to show a "talky." A talky is a motion picture with sound!
The very first talking movie shown here was "Something Always Happens" from Paramount. Today, the Palace Theatre is still a busy place. It works as a community center, a movie theater, and a place for many fun events. Its beautiful crystal chandelier, a rare Wurlitzer pipe organ, and two large viewing areas are some of the reasons this building is so important.
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A Look Back: The Palace Theatre's Story
The Lorain Palace Theatre was built after a huge tornado hit Lorain in 1924. This storm destroyed much of the town's center. Building the theater was part of a big plan to help rebuild downtown Lorain.
When it first opened, the Palace was the largest movie theater in Ohio with only one floor. It had its original Wurlitzer theater organ, which played music during shows. The theater was very popular for many years, especially through the 1960s. However, when a new mall was built nearby in the mid-1960s, fewer people came to the downtown area. Because of this, many other theaters and shops in the area closed.
Bringing the Palace Back to Life
People started working to restore the theater in 1977. A non-profit group now runs the theater. They have raised more than $6 million to help fix up and improve the building.
The group first paid $25,000 as a down payment to buy the $100,000 building. After raising more money, they bought the Palace Theater in May 1977. They then held a grand opening to celebrate.
For a long time, the Palace used old-fashioned carbon arc projectors. These projectors used electricity jumping between carbon rods to create light. This light was strong enough to project a movie onto the screen from about 180 feet away. Recently, the theater moved these old projectors to the lobby for display. They installed a brand new movie system. This new system includes a modern platter projector, a digital projector, and a 16-speaker surround sound system.
In 2008, there was a plan to connect the Lorain Palace Theatre to the building next door, called the Eagles Building. The idea was to build a glass walkway between them. The city of Lorain offered a $200,000 grant to help with this project. Most of this money would be used to buy the Eagles Building. The rest would help pay for changes to the theater's front and sign. However, the full project would need about $7.5 million more. This money would be used to fix up the inside and outside of the 37,000-square-foot Eagles building. It would also help with a part of the theater and building the walkway.
The Lorain Palace Today
The Palace Theatre in Lorain still faces challenges with funding. But so far, it has managed to raise enough money to stay open. For example, in October 2008, the theater held a masquerade ball. This event helped bring in an extra $6,000. The theater has also made some budget cuts. For now, it keeps going with the help of donations and other fundraising events.
See also
- Movie palaces list
