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Old Towne
Orange Plaza Review
Historical Society will Tour Old Orange Theatre
On
Thursday, Sept.26, the Orange Community Historical Society will offer a
rare opportunity to tour this historical building located at 172 N.
Glassell Street. Although
many of the original furnishings have been replaced, the building
retains important architectural characteristics, including the
decorative details on the front of the building above the marquee. Its
current use for religious services is a far cry from its original
mission reported in the "News": "Dedicated to the
advancement of the cinema art in the Orange community, the motion
picture temple stands as a credit to the city, the county and to its
creators- M. Eltiste, the owner, C.L. Langley, lessee, and A. B.
Crawford, resident manager." During
opening ceremonies, "Crawford was introduced as resident manager
and declared it would be the policy of the house to show only the best
that could be obtained in screen and stage entertainment." The
meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26 is free and open to the public.
While it may not attract the "crowds, crowds, crowds" reported
at the theatre opening, “our meetings usually attract about 60 to 70
people, and I'm sure this event will be even larger,” said Society
President Barbara Muench Resnick, the granddaughter of Michael Eltiste,
who completed the building after the original builder ran out of money. Barbara’s
mother, who was secretary-treasurer of the Eltiste Farm Implement and
Truck Company on the opposite corner, became owner of the theatre in a
stock exchange with her father. For more information about the meeting, call the Orange Community Historical Society, 734-8034. |
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