State Theatre
State Theatre
History lesson
In the late 1800s the State Theatre was a meat market and butcher shop.
The State Theatre was built in the fall of 1927 for $500,000.
It was the fourth picture house to be at the location on West Federal Street.
Before the property started showing films, it was a butcher shop and meat market for about 50 years.
When the State was being built one of the slogan ideas was “From steaks to stars, the movie kind.”
In 1910 it was run under the name Klopot & Feinberg.
In 1911 it became known as the Nixon Theater.
From 1912 to 1927 it was called the Orpheum Theatre.
In May 1930, Paramount Pictures Corp. took over the State for a 21-year lease totaling $1,680,000.
“The acoustical qualities of the State Theatre are known throughout the country as the best and it is our opinion that Paramount will show only its best pictures. ... The theatre seats 2,150,” said Attorney G.F. Hammond, one of the owners and counsel for the theatre company.
In March 1957 the State got a face-lift and installed luxury seating. It was also equipped with a curved screen to show major films on a reserved-seat basis.
By June 1973, the State had been closed for several years, but by the end of 1973 it was reopened to host rock shows.
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Massullo purchased the property with the thought of bringing in two to three rock groups, both local and national, to the theater each week.
Source: Vindicator files