The New Theatre in 1911 -- Fort Smith AR
N 35° 23.105 W 094° 25.274
15S E 370916 N 3916675
A city historic marker tells the tale of the New Theatre, which was THE place to be seen in downtown Fort Smith in the 1920s
Waymark Code: WMN8N8
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 01/19/2015
Views: 6
The historic marker reads as follows:
"THE NEW THEATRE IN 1911
Ten years before the outbreak of the Civil War, the Old Red Mill stood on the future site of the New Theatre. The mill was used as a hospital during the Civil War, was damaged by the 1898 cyclone, and finally disappeared around 1908. On the back section of the property, the George T Sparks estate built the 1200 seat New Theatre in 1911. It was designed as a Beaux-Arts style playhouse by Kansas City architect Carl Boller, and modeled after the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City. The lavish interior featuring a proscenium stage was ideal for vaudeville shows and silent movies with orchestral accompaniment. In 1922, retail shops and a long Garrison Avenue entrance were built, nicknamed Peacock Alley, a place to see and be seen. In 1942, the theater was sold to Malco Theaters Inc. who changed the name and modernize the interior space. The Malco theater operated until the late 1970s when single-screen theaters became passé."
History of Marker:
city marker installed in 2003
Link to Marker: Not listed
Additional Parking: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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