Columbia's Polk Theatre opened October 18, 1951 by the Crescent Amusement Company with a showing of
I Can Get it for You Wholesale. It held 1250 "retractable"seats, and boasted a "cyclorama screen" and a cry room. Al Shortley managed the theater. (HSV Movies, Historical Information Tennessee Columbia)
The Polk was distinguished as the first and only wide screen theatre in Maury County up until it was twinned in the early 1970s. Although the interior has been sliced and diced, most of the Polk's distinctive features, such as its large stage and proscenium, tiled columns, and spacious balcony, appear intact. (Jack Coursey, Polk Theatre, cinematreasures.org)
For a
photo of the theatre in its early years, check the link. You can also click on photos to see interior in its current state. In 2010, the Maury County Arts Guild began fundraising to purchase the building and renovate it as a downtown theatre arts center. Although several fundraisers were held, as of 2014, the news is the project is on hold. In August of 2015, it remained a mattress store. (Abby Lee Hood, "Will the Polk Theatre Return?" Set Magazine, 2014, Volume 2/Issue 5, p. 19).
6 comments:
You would never guess it had been a theater just by looking at it!
I might not have noticed it either, except for the sign--I thought it looked like the early theatre signs, and then noticed the doors. I took the picture just in case. I hope they are able to follow through with the plans, but it does not look hopeful since it is still a mattress store 4 years later.
Hmmm. I didn't notice the sign - it is disguised!
I did have the advantage of being closer. :) Apparently, Polk Theatres were regional. The same sign was present on one in Lakeland, Florida (the "target-looking" round shape) and POLK was spelled out vertically.
When I looked at the link again I noticed the similarity. Today all you see is the yellow and "mattress" :)
I know--pretty annoying, isn't it? :) I suppose if it was my store now, I would primarily be concerned with not having to move, and my great location, too. Still, one hates to see an icon of the past, and what could be beneficial for a community sit disguised behind yellow and red mattress headlines.
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