Poncan Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Poncan Theatre
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Theater in 2012
|
|
 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 104 E. Grand Ave. Ponca City, Oklahoma |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Boller Brothers |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Part of | Downtown Ponca City Historic District (ID10001010) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000455 |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1984 |
The Poncan Theatre is a super old and special theater in Ponca City, Oklahoma. It's so important that it's listed all by itself on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a building that matters to history. It's also a big part of the Downtown Ponca City Historic District.
The Poncan Theatre's Story
The Poncan Theatre first opened its doors on September 20, 1927. It was designed by the famous Boller Brothers architects. Building it cost a lot of money, about $280,000 back then! Inside, it had a huge Wurlitzer pipe organ, which cost $22,500.
For many years, it showed both movies and live stage shows called vaudeville. Vaudeville was like a variety show with singers, dancers, and comedians. By the late 1940s, the live shows stopped, and it became mostly a movie theater.
The big sign outside, called the marquee, changed a few times. In 1939, a new neon-lit one was added. It got even bigger in 1954 and again in 1962.
In 1985, the theater closed down. But people in Ponca City didn't want to lose it! So, in 1990, a group called the Poncan Theatre Company was started. They worked hard to bring the theater back to life. They fixed it up, and in 1992, they put up a new marquee that looked just like the original one from 1927. The theater reopened on September 18, 1994.
The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1984. It was chosen because it's a great example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in Ponca City. It also played a big role as a fun place for entertainment. In 2011, it became an important part of the new Downtown Ponca City Historic District.
Looking at the Theatre's Design
The Poncan Theatre faces north and is a three-story building. It's about 75 feet (23 meters) wide. The first floor has a stone front, while the upper floors are covered in colorful bricks.
The front of the building has a large, curvy top part called a parapet. It's decorated with fancy terra cotta designs and five pointy decorations. In the middle of this curvy top, there's a tall, two-story window with stained glass on the sides. Above it is a round stained glass window, like an eye, with a terra cotta sunburst design around it.
The central window is framed by swirly Corinthian columns. On each side of this window, there are three rectangular windows on the second and third floors. Above everything is a terra cotta ledge supporting a red-tiled roof. The main entrance is set back behind the box office, and on each side, there's a small storefront.
See also
