Minonk's past
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A look at Minonk's past |
Royal TheaterThe Royal Theater was built in 1915 by Harma Hinrichs. It was the first theater built expressly for movie purposes in Minonk. The building was located on West Fifth Street on the site now occupied by the Alpha Community Bank. Shortly after the Royal was built, Mr. Hinrichs sold the business to Dr. O. P. Morse of Fairbury, who operated it until 1938. During this time talking pictures were invented, and the building was remodeled and soundproofed for them in 1931. At that time the Royal was one of the few small town theatres equipped for the "talkies". Herman Claymon was one of the first employees at the Royal Theater in 1915 where he worked as janitor, advertising man and usher. The theatre was sold to the Bailey Enterprises in 1937 and in 1938 the theatre was moved to a new location in the Sutton building on Oak Street. In the 1940's Millard Blan, proprietor of the Blan Insurance Agency, purchased the theater building and remodeled it into a combination office and apartment building. That building was eventually torn down in the 1980's and was replaced by the addition to the Alpha Community Bank.
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Standing in front of the Royal Theater in this early photo are from left to right;
Eariel Rowe, Hopkin Hill, Cloyd Phillips, Ed Morgan, and Henry Defries.
This picture was taken in the 1930's.
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