Palace Theatre (Canton, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Palace Theater
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Front Facade, facing Market Ave.
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 605 Market Ave., N., Canton, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | John Eberson |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001949 |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1979 |
The Palace Theater is a really old and special movie theater in downtown Canton, Ohio, United States. It was built a long time ago in the 1920s, when big, fancy movie theaters were very popular. Because it's so old and important, it's now known as a historic site. The screen inside is huge, measuring 21 feet by 46 feet, making it the biggest in Canton! The theater also has a special Kilgen theater organ that still plays music today. It took eight months to fix it up in 1992. Only a few of these organs still work in their original spots.
Discover the Palace Theater's History
The Palace Theater was designed by John Eberson, a famous architect who specialized in building amazing movie palaces. It opened in November 1926. This theater is an atmospheric theater, which means it was designed to make you feel like you're watching a movie outdoors under the stars.
A kind businessman from Canton, Harry Ink, gave money to build the theater. His company made a medicine called "Tonseline" for sore throats. Their logo was a giraffe with a bandaged throat. You can even find a giraffe like that in the theater's design!
In its early days, the Palace Theater was a very busy place. It showed regular movies, but it also hosted live vaudeville shows and other stage performances. Many community events happened there too, making it a central part of Canton's social life.
The building itself is made of brick with cool terracotta decorations. It's a rectangular building with a special style called Churrigueresque. The main auditorium looks like a beautiful garden. The ceiling is designed to look like the night sky with lots of stars, and it can even change to look like dawn! The auditorium can hold 1,509 people.
The front of the building has different sections. A tall sign goes up above the rest of the building. A central marquee (a fancy sign over the entrance) covers the area below the tall sign. There are also windows near the bottom of the side sections.
Why the Palace Theater is a Historic Place
The Palace Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This means it's recognized as an important historical building. It earned this status because of its unique architecture and its important role in the community's history.
Being a historic site helps the theater. For example, in 2012, people held a fundraiser to collect over $1 million. This money was used to improve the theater's utilities and its beautiful front.
The Palace Theater Today
The theater's special Kilgen Wonder Organ is still used to play music for silent films. A volunteer organist named Jay Spencer is well-known in Canton for his amazing performances during these films. Some people even say the organ is "a showpiece all by itself"!
Besides regular shows, the Palace Theater has also hosted ghost hunters. Some people believe it's a bit spooky and have looked for ghosts there.
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 56 events at the theater had to be canceled. However, some silent films were streamed online. Over 14,000 people watched these films from home, even though the theater was empty except for the technical director and organist.
The theater relies on many helpful people. About 228 volunteers give over 4,000 hours of their time each year to keep the Palace Theater running!
