Park Rapids has always been a small town (3,709 population in 2016.) When I was little they had two movie theaters.
I know I saw Bambi and Old Yeller at The Royal. The Royal is now a bar that supposively serves the best hamburgers in Minnesota.
This is the Royal.
The other theater is called Park Theater.
July of 2010 they sandblasted and repainted the sign.
Here it is during the construction of September 2010 all repainted.
Monday night we learned that there was a fire at the theater.
No one was injured. From what we heard the damage was confined to the sign.
This marquee is iconic and Main Street would not be Main Street without it.
Main Street was busy, yes people park in the center of the street…the town was built in the late 1890’s and the Logging Companies would come in with their loads of logs on sleds or wagons depending on the time of year. The Main Street was wide enough to drop a load of logs at the lumber company and turn a team around in the street.
Nowadays there is diagonal parking on both side of the street and two lanes in the center for center parking.
There were a number of people taking photos of the damage.
This used to be one huge theater. A movie would stay about two weeks, so every two weeks you could “go to the show.” Nowadays it is three small theaters. Adam and I have been in all three…he is my movie going grand.
Sounds like a fine establishment and the sign does look great from afar. Warm greetings to you!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting about the middle of the street parking.I had never heard of that.
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing your town and the history of the movie theaters. Middle of the street parking....neat idea...wish we could do that here.
ReplyDeleteI hope they are able to fix that sign so it doesn't have to be taken down. I can see how central it is to the town. I know you'll keep me posted as to what happens next. :-)
ReplyDeleteSad about the fire. Hope the sign can be repaired.
ReplyDeleteOh no! That would be like if the Fargo theater sign burned down. Iconic landmarks. I hope it can be repaired.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like this small town has kept it's downtown.
ReplyDeleteI hope they can repair the sign and return it to its historic place in town. In days gone by, in small towns going to the movies was one of the few activities for people to enjoy, especially pre tv. It's nice that your town has preserved theirs.
ReplyDeleteWhen I graduated from high school the small town of Murray still had its movie house. It burned the winter after I had started college. I wasn't home to miss it but the community did suffer from it. Our kids in Bar Harbor area still visit an old fashioned movie house there in town.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Thomasina ...about the Cat with nine lives when I was little, there also! It's strange to come back home and see the town you grew up in to see all the modern changes to it. Didn't care for it much. I guess you loved the old place as it was, which is hardly possible if they wanted the tourists to come. I like old with a History I guess. I would have given my right arm to have had the old Schools in Osage and Linnell saved! Just so many Memories! Sharon
ReplyDeleteWe have about the same number of people here and we don't have a theater or sidewalks or street lights....nothing in this one-horse town! Lucky you and I hope they can repair the sign.
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