The Plaza Grill and Cinema facts for kids
|
The Bijou
The Crystal Plaza The Plaza |
|
Façade in 2018
|
|
| Address | 209 S. Main Ottawa, Kansas United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°26′55.2276″N 95°16′6.1854″W / 38.448674333°N 95.268384833°W |
| Owner | Scott Zaremba |
| Designation | World's oldest purpose-built cinema currently in operation |
| Current use | Movie Theatre |
| Opened | May 22, 1907 |
| Website | |
| Plaza Grill and Cinema | |
Plaza 1907 is a special movie theater located in Ottawa, Kansas, United States. It holds the amazing title of being the "oldest purpose-built cinema in operation in the world"! This means it was built specifically to show movies and has been doing so for a very long time.
In June 2017, the Plaza 1907 applied to Guinness World Records. It managed to beat another old theater in Denmark by just two days to earn its world record!
The theater is also part of the Downtown Ottawa Historic District. This district was added to the list of historic places on June 29, 1972.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Plaza 1907
The Plaza 1907 has a rich history, going back over a hundred years. In 2013, old photographs from the early 1900s were given to the Franklin County Historical Society. These pictures showed the theater in its early days.
Early Days of Movies
Newspaper stories from 1905 mention movies being shown by Fred Beeler in the very same building. The local newspaper editor seemed to love movies! He wrote many articles about how movies were a great cultural addition. He also said they were a fun and safe place for children to go, especially for afternoon shows.
The Franklin County Historical Society hopes to make the theater a popular spot for tourists. This would help more people learn about its amazing history.
Proving the Theater's Age
To be recognized as the oldest cinema, the Plaza 1907 needed strong proof. Many historical documents and records show its long history. These include:
- Records from the Kansas State Historical Society.
- Documents from the U.S. National Historical Registry.
- Old newspaper articles from Ottawa, Kansas.
- City directories from different years.
These records show that movies were being shown in the building as early as 1905. The theater was first known by names like "The Bijou" and "The Crystal Theatre."
Changes and New Names
Over the years, the theater has changed its name a few times. It was called The Bijou, then The Crystal Plaza, and finally The Plaza. In 1917, the Crystal Theatre had a fire. After the fire, plans were made to remodel and rebuild the theater.
In 1929, the Crystal Theatre started showing "talkie" movies. These were the first movies with sound! Later, in the 1930s, the theater was bought by Fox Midwest. They remodeled it again. In February 1935, the newly remodeled theater, now called "The Plaza," had its grand opening.
Who Owned the Plaza 1907?
The theater has had several owners over its long history.
- From 2000 to 2005, Richard Dimoush owned it.
- From 2005 to 2014, Ted and Rita Madl were the owners.
- Since 2014, Scott Zaremba has been the owner.
The Plaza 1907 continues to be a working movie theater today. It's a living piece of history where people can still enjoy films, just like they did over a century ago!
