Vernal Theatre - Vernal, Utah
N 40° 27.335 W 109° 31.658
12T E 624843 N 4479365
U.S. Highway 40 becomes Vernal's Main Street at it passes through the middle of downtown.
Waymark Code: WMBQQ3
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 06/14/2011
Views: 6
In Vernal there are many historical items along U.S. Highway 40 as it is the Main Street of Vernal. The old vintage Vernal Theratre in the center of town is one of the attractions still in operation today.
Deward H. and Alson A. Shiner opened the Vernal Theatre on 29 March 1946, showing Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert in No Time for Love. The grand opening ad described it as “eastern Utah's finest moving picture theatre,” with “oceans of room” and “530 comfortable, body-form seats.” Among the well-wishes from contractors, De Luxe Glass Company of Salt Lake City said, “Congratulations! And a long run to the Vernal Theatre.” Over sixty years later, the Vernal Theatre is still showing films.
The marquee of the Vernal Theatre, installed by Zeon Electrical of Salt Lake on 17 January 1946, was about ten feet in height, with a clock on the lower portion. The sign gave Main Street “added lustre at night.”n Tickets were sold in an “attractive booth.” Frosted glass entrance doors led to a large foyer with an “interesting jazz plaster finish.” The auditorium carried “a tan and rose color scheme throughout with luxurious leather and frieze chairs.” The stuccoed cinder brick building measured 50 by 140 feet.
Construction of the Vernal Theatre began in May 1945, on the old confectionary lot, with Manford Campbell as contractor. Intermountain Theater Supply Company supervised the decorating. The Shiner Brothers expected to open a new confectionary, featuring mainly fountain service, in a separate building just east of the theater.
The Vernal Theatre showed its first 3D film, The Charge at Feather River, on 18 October 1946. “In order to flash the third dimensional pictures onto the screen, a special silver preparation is first applied, and then in the projection room other changes are made such as new lenses on the projectors, and a synchronization of the two projectors to show the films at the same time. Each projector furnishes one dimension, special polaroid lense glasses, which can be bought at the ticket windows, and are sold by the theatres without a profit, create the third dimension.
Americana: Theater / Drive-in
Web Address: [Web Link]
Significant Interest: Not listed
Milestone / Marker: Not listed
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