The Bison Theater - Shawnee, OK - Vintage Movie Theaters on Waymarking.com

The building located at 225 E. Main Street in downtown Shawnee is currently the Old Wishing Well Antique Mall, and the marquee is simply a sign advertising the store.

But back in the early decades of the 20th Century, the Bison Theater operated here. The building has a three-story frontage and is constructed of white block. A decorative facade has been added to the front in the 1970s long after the theater was gone.

The theater was built by Griffith Theaters, later called Video Independent Theaters of Oklahoma City. The theater had a single screen and seated 1080 people. It had a domed ceiling with twinkling lights representing stars. There was a working stage that hosted traveling stage shows. In 1947, when the Hornbeck Theater opened in Shawnee, the Bison became a second run theater. It continued to operate until the mid-1950s when television seriously affected its clientele and the theater closed. The original stage can still be seen at the back of the antique mall.

In the 1950s, the building was converted to a clothing store, then a church, and now an antique mall. In the basement, in the 1970s, a bar known as "The Cave" operated here. In the photo gallery is a picture of the theater as it was in 1936. The picture is posted in the front window of the antique mall.

The theater has a fascinating history as it is widely considered to be haunted. A murder that took place here in 1930 may be the source of the hauntings. They have been investigated by Contact Research Investigation Specialists, a paranormal investigative group.

Year Theater Opened: pre-1930 Number of Screen(s): 1 Concessions Available: no Web site: [Web Link] Ticket Price (local currency): Not Listed Matinee Price (local currency): Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Must take a photo of the theater.
Please try to include yourself or gps in the picture.
Tell of your experience at the theater, if it is still a theater. If it is no longer a theater tell of an experience from the past at the theater, if this can be done.

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