Palace Theater (Gary, Indiana)

The Palace Theater is a 1925 movie theater, now closed, located at 791 Broadway in Gary, Indiana, in the city's Emerson neighborhood. It was designed by the prominent movie palace architect John Eberson.[1][2]

Palace Theater
The Palace Theater
Address791 Broadway
Gary, Indiana
United States
Coordinates41.596781°N 87.336964°W / 41.596781; -87.336964
TypeMovie palace
Current useClosed
Construction
Opened1925
Closed1972
Years active1925 - 1972
ArchitectJohn Eberson

History

The Palace Theater was built by Maximillian Dubois' construction company "Max and Sons", who also built the Marquette Park Pavilion in Gary.[3] Construction began in 1924 and the theater opened a year later featuring live stage shows, vaudeville acts, and motion pictures.

From the time it opened, the theater was one of the grandest venues in the town, but when the US Steel plant in Gary went into decline, so did the rest of the town, including the historic theater. The theater slid into decline, and eventually shut down entirely in 1972.

The abandoned theater has since come to be a common symbol of urban decay, and is a frequent subject of photography and urban exploration. The exterior ornamentation has been largely picked away by scavengers, leaving gaping holes in the sides of the building.[4]

In 1987, private investors planned to spend over $500,000 to renovate the theater and the nearby storefronts, but eventually abandoned the deal after the first restaurant opened was unsuccessful.

When the Miss USA pageant was held in Gary in 2002, Donald Trump renovated the front of the theater. Sheets of plywood covering the windows were painted to depict a false interior, and an external marquee was mounted, declaring "Jackson Five Tonite". Google Street View and the show Life After People: The Series (Season 1, Episode 2) show the marquee unchanged as of 2009. Plastic signs reading "Jackson Five Forever" were placed on both sides of the marquee after the death of Michael Jackson. Both signs have since been lost to the wind.

In 2012 there is renewed interest in reviving the theater. Supporters of the Palace have established a page on Facebook to generate support for restoration of the theater.

The Palace Theater was used as an example for what could happen to a Chicago building in 30 years without humans providing maintenance and upkeep on Life After People: The Series (Season 1, Episode 2).

References
  1. Davich, Jerry (2015). Lost Gary, Indiana. History Press pg. 87. ISBN 978-1-6261-9604-9.
  2. Mah, Linda S. (February 2, 2015). "Kalamazoo State Theatre renovates, reworks marquee". The Detroit News. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  3. Robinson, Kevin (February 17, 2010). "In The Shadow of Chicago: Palace Theater". Chicagoist. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  4. Klatt, Mary Beth (March 12, 2000). "True Grit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
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