Empire Theater Collection

494 THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 03/1986. Last revised 01/2019.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, duplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT: 0.21 linear feet

DATE: 1909 -1927

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The Empire Theater Collection contains material from the Empire Theater, which operated in Winchester, Virginia from 1909 to 1927. The collection includes news articles, programs, promotional calendars, and an envelope with the theater’s home address.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: The Empire Theater opened in early June, 1909 and was located at the northwest corner of North Cameron Street and Rouss Avenue. The theater featured vaudeville, silent movies, and light opera, until it was destroyed by fire in July, 1912. The owner, J. Henkel Henry, rebuilt the structure and it was reopened on Christmas Day in 1913. In 1927 the theater was sold to the Shenandoah Valley Theater Corporation and renamed the Capitol Theater.

RELATED MATERIAL: The Harry Dunn Collection, 129 WFCHS, contains a scrapbook of photographs of performers at the Empire Theater.

CITE AS: Empire Theater Collection, 494 THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA.

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1 

Correspondence – 1 item (envelope), dated July 23, 1927, printed

New Articles – unnumbered leaves, printed (photocopy)

Programs, early twentieth century, (folder contains the following):

- “Trail of the Lonesome Pine”, January 9, 1913, 1 leaf
- “Bought and Paid For” September 26, 1913, 1 leaf
- “Hearts Aflame”, November 5, 1913, 1 leaf
- “Strongheart,” November 8, 1913, 1 leaf
- “The Rose Maid”, April 23, 1914, 1 leaf
- “Creatore Grand Opera Co.” Giuseppe Creatore, Conductor, February 16, 1920, 1 leaf
- “Breaking the Engagement,” no date, 1 leaf (one-act farce published in 1916)
- “A Pair of Sixes,” April 29, no year, 1 leaf (three-act farce published in 1916)
- “The Bells of Beaujolais,” June 13, 1 leaf, n.d. (two-act musical published in 1921)
- “Variety” with Emil Jannings and Lya dePutti, n.d., 1 leaf  (silent movie from 1925/6)
- “For Heaven’s Sake” with Harold Lloyd, no date, 1 leaf (silent movie from 1926)
- “No, No, Nanette,” March 31, 1926, 2 pages
- “Southern Glee Club Minstrel,” no date, 1 leaf
- Manhattan Opera Company with the Pauley-DuKransky Ballet, October 15, (no year), 2 pages

Promotional Calendar – 1923, 2 copies, 4 leaves, printed

PHOTOGRAPHS: Photographs and other images belonging to this collection may be viewed through PastPerfect, which is available at http://handley.pastperfectonline.com