One of the things I appreciate about Google’s street view is the ability to peel away layers of time, comparing what came before with what exists now. This has helped me discover more than a few disappeared gems of local architecture, such as the home of John Greenwood on the corner of Grape and Orange Streets.
The fun discovery I shall write about today happened while I was virtually strolling down East Main Street, alternately toggling years to see what had changed. As luck would have it, the 2017 image of No. 1337 East Main Street was taken during the building’s renovation, allowing a tantalizing glimpse at details long hidden below the surface treatment:
Google Maps
As you can see, etched into the surface is a number of architectural details, shadows of windows and arched doors long since blocked over and replaced. This, of course, was the old façade of the former Schine’s State Theatre, closed since 1958, yet back for a brief glimpse at the sun once again.
One can see in the above comparison how the arched doorways were blocked off, the sign and awning removed, the ticket booth transformed into a normal window, and of course the redistribution of the window openings as two sets of four.
[https://www.libraryweb.org/rochcitydir/images/1928/1928housedirl-p.pdf]
The theatre was opened in 1927 as a member of the Schine’s circuit of theatres, which was founded in Gloversville by brothers Louis and Junius Meyer Schine in 1916. Eventually, the Schines would own 150 theatres in five states.
Rochester, New York
Wednesday, February 10, 1926
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-union-will-build-movie-house/190507823/
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/117629377/state-theater/]
An Awning Falls
Apparently whomever was responsible for installing the awning didn’t do a very good job, as a few short years after the theatre’s opening, the awning came down and struck Francis E. Trainor of 66 Chamberlain Street as he strolled by, causing injuries.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-10000-for-awnin/132703248/]
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-new-trial-awning/132703142/]
[https://photo.libraryweb.org/rochimag/rpm/rpm00/rpm00482.jpg]
[https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3804rm.g3804rm_g06217193805/?sp=13&r=0.623,0.261,0.48,0.27,0]
Lobby display promoting helping the War effort by using less gas and attending neighborhood State Theatre.
[https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/9585/photos/229304]
The Milking Contest
[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117631337/milking-contest/]
So apparently a milking competition happened at multiple theaters across the country as part of matinee performances of “Little Men”, a 1940 film based on the Louisa May Alcott novel, sequel to “Little Women”.
Seems like an odd idea.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-milking-contest/132917606
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117631750/why-main-street-crowds-gaped
The entirety of “Little Men” (1940) is on Youtube. Link: [https://youtu.be/gPf0p6C7GiQ]. Enjoy.
Red: No. 1337 East Main Street, the State Theatre.
[https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3804rm.g3804rm_g06217195005/?sp=13&st=image&r=0.866,0.315,0.095,0.156,90]
Eventually, the Schine Chain Theatres faced legal challenges related to monopoly laws. They were forced to release numerous theatres from their franchise until in 1959 they sold off the very last ones, ending their business.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-state-theatre-for/132652534/]
Original WDKX Studio
Between its inception in 1974 and its move to its present-day studio location at No. 683 East Main Street in 1984, WDKX radio operated out of No. 1337 East Main Street, on the third floor.
Rochester, New York
Thursday, May 09, 1974
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-union-inside-wdkx/190560778/
Tony Brown and “Lil” John Smith in the WDKX studio, at the time located on the third floor of No. 1337 East Main Street.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-wdkx-1977/132842560/]
Ken Boddie in the WDKX studio, at this time located at No. 1337 East Main Street.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-ken-boddie/132822211/]
Andrew & Gloria Langston at the WDKX studio, at the time located on the third floor of No. 1337 East Main Street.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-andrew-langston-a/132838121/]
James W. Cotter Building
Between approximately 1984 and 2017, the building held offices and use spaces for Hillside Children’s Center, during which time it was known as the James W. Cotter building after the organization’s late retired director.
[https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-james-cotter/132873325/]
Warfield Square
Now the building serves as the nucleus of a housing development known as Warfield Square. Completed in 2018, it was named for Rev. Vernice Warfield, in recognition of her service to the community.
https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2017-08-14/vernice-warfield-rochester-community-activist-has-died-at-102
Rochester, New York
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-vernice-warfield/190724148/
Development of Warfield Square meant extending No. 1337 south towards Breck Street, and adding townhouse units facing Breck and East Main Streets to the west of No. 1337. A large communal parking lot is in the middle.
Before State Theatre
What was there before the State Theatre was built? Well, just a couple of houses really. The State Theatre managed a remarkably small footprint, taking down only two frame houses, Nos. 1337 and 1343, for its construction.
[https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3804rm.g3804rm_g06217191205/?sp=31&r=0.043,0.664,0.665,0.406,0]
East Main Street between Chamberlain and Gertrude Streets, looking east. The future site of the State Theatre would be to the right of the image, probably just out of frame.
[http://photo.libraryweb.org/rochimag/rpm/rpm00/rpm00104.jpg]
And so was built the State Theatre, and that too passed into memory.
After two decades of movies, and then sixty more years thereafter serving non-theater purposes, it seems inaccurate to call this a theatre. And yet, the building was designed for a theatre; and under its exterior cladding hide the scars of the theatre’s lost finery, those architectural baubles that make us say, “yeesh, that’s a theatre alright!” Its soul will always be shaped around the crowd of spectators, buttocks pressed into its long-gone seats, faces packed with pawfuls of popcorn…
It’s nice to stop every now and then, look it over and tell it, hey. I know you. You’re the State Theatre.
I like to think it remembers.
Supporting Gonechester
Did you enjoy what you read? Consider giving me a little tip at buymeacoffee.com/Gonechester, by way of saying “thanks!” It’s not necessary, but it certainly helps!
Leave a Reply