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Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
joel
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: February 28, 2008 03:29PM
Great Idea! Something I noticed:when the Northtowm theatre on north Western was demplished, a huge painted ad was revealed on the side of the building immediately to its south. This must go back eighty, ninety...years? Joel
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
Jacob
(---.arm-bsr1.chi-arm.il.cable.rcn.com)
Date: February 28, 2008 06:46PM
Yes, the theater was completed in 1931, while the building the ads are on seems to date from the 1920s, so the ads must be from the late 20s or so.
--
Jacob Kaplan - Editor
Forgotten Chicago
--
Jacob Kaplan - Editor
Forgotten Chicago
Re: Nortown Theatre
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 04, 2008 03:08AM
I saw The Who there in 1979 on closed circuit TV. That concept of concert viewing didnt take off, though. And it is Nortown, not Northtown,
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
SuperCFL
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 07, 2008 12:03AM
There was a huge (but faded) "house sign" for the Nortown on its north wall, that probably dated back to the opening of the theater. There are surviving pictures of the sign in better days, and I remember seeing the faded remnants right up to the demolition.
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
paw
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 07, 2008 06:59PM
It's amazing there is a map of movie theaters on the Encyclopedia of Chicago that shows the decline of movie theaters in Chicago. There were 100's of theaters in the 1930's and now there are 29. probably a lot of lost treasures.
Re: Nortown Theatre
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 08, 2008 07:03AM
Well, blame TV, VCR's, DVDs, Plasma/big screen TVs. cable and the net. Kinda hard to save all of them. Sure would be nice if all still in busniess, but they need filled seats.
Re: Nortown Theatre
Posted by:
billdolan
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 24, 2008 11:44PM
About 10 years ago or so, during a rehab of one of the storefronts in the theater building, an original dry cleaners sign from the 30s was exposed. It was eventually covered up by a sign for the internet cafe that occupied the space until demolition.
http://www.dolanart.com
http://www.dolanart.com
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
jessesgirl
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: August 05, 2009 11:55PM
I believe it was called the Nortown. I saw Sonny and Cher there in the late 60's after watching their movie. They were not announced that they would appear. What a wonderful surprise and such a great childhood memory.
Re: Nortown Theatre
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: August 13, 2009 11:12PM
I saw The Who there also on CC TV. It was a reaction to the stampede deaths at a "Festival Seating" show in Ohio a few months prior. Was like watching a movie, not same as real thing.
The lot is vacant still where it stood.
The lot is vacant still where it stood.
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
SuperCFL
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: December 09, 2009 12:15PM
Jacob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, the theater was completed in 1931, while the
> building the ads are on seems to date from the
> 1920s, so the ads must be from the late 20s or so.
Lill Coal Company was one of the last (if not *the* last) retail coal dealers on the north side, closing abruptly in 1973. It was also the last customer of the CTA's overnight freight service.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, the theater was completed in 1931, while the
> building the ads are on seems to date from the
> 1920s, so the ads must be from the late 20s or so.
Lill Coal Company was one of the last (if not *the* last) retail coal dealers on the north side, closing abruptly in 1973. It was also the last customer of the CTA's overnight freight service.
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
rjmachon
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 08, 2012 09:25PM
Wasn't Lill Coal Company on Berwyn Avenue right next to the CTA Redline tracks?
Re: Northtown Theatre
Posted by:
Chipast
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 09, 2012 01:01PM
Well, You could also blame the slipshod, thoughtless development of the area, Like many other once thriving areas. Which had some decent shops, places to eat, shows, etc. Which unfortunately many have seemingly vanished & turned into homoginized, bland, dull districts.
