1915 - Chalk Beeson Theater - Dodge City, Kansas
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 37° 45.207 W 100° 01.067
14S E 410341 N 4178947
Historic former theater now commercial building in the Dodge City Downtown Historic District in Dodge City, Kansas.
Waymark Code: WMEJHD
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/04/2012
Views: 2
The Chalk Beeson Theater was originally built in 1915 in honor of Chalkley ("Chalk") Beeson by his sons Merritt and Otie. Beeson was a well known Dodge City character. Born in Ohio 1848, he moved west at age 19 to Denver. Prior to moving to moving to Dodge City in the 1870s he was a bison-hunting guide. In years before banks were in Dodge City, Beeson was a "walking bank" or private money lender. Through a mortgage foreclosure in 1876, he became the owner of Dodge City's Long Branch Saloon. He served as Ford County Sheriff from 1892 to 1896 and served in the Kansas Legislature in the early twentieth century. After he died in 1912 the theater was built in his honor.
From the time of its construction to 1920s the theater hosted traveling vaudeville acts. The 1920s until 1935 when the theater closed it was a movie theater. Due to new theaters being built the Chalk Beeson Theater was not able to compete and it was converted to a commercial building in 1935.
Year of construction: 1915
Cross-listed waymark: [Web Link]
Full inscription:
In Memory Of
Chalkley M.
Beeson
1915
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