Hi everyone!
welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page.
I took this photo looking south along West 63rd Street just east of the intersection of South Kedzie Avenue, in March of 1986. In the days before VCR's, Video rental Stores, and home entertainment centers....Many Chicagoans visited local neighborhood movie theatres.
For many years, My family either took the CTA Route # 52 Kedzie / california Avenue bus, or took the family car to enjoy feature movie films at the Marquette Theatre
at west 63rd Street and South kedzie Avenue. We usually went on a Friday or saturday night, or would occasionally go there on a Sunday afternoon. We would see most any film from Childrens Disney movies, to romantic comedies, or action and adventure motion pictures. It was a much simpler time in Chicago, and going to the local movie theatres was a way of life for many people.
The Marquette theatre had closed around 1981, but I can vaguelly recall it temporarily being reopened briefly around 1983. There was even an attempt to bring back live concert shows featuring local Chicago rock and roll music acts like the band known as "Off Broadway". Unfortunately....it never materialized.
The building had fallen in to a major state of disrepair and urban blight. There were large flocks of Pidgeons roosting on the building, as well as rumors of Rat
infestations inside. Gradually the businesses left one by one, and the building was eventually demolished in August of 1987.
This is the Marquette Theatre building one year before demolition in March of 1986.
2 comments:
are you familiar with the movie theater that used to be on Archer Ave in Brighton Park?
Hi Winslow!
Yes I am. I seen many a movie at the Brighton Theatre on South Archer Avenue just west of South Sacramento Avenue.
It was demolished within the last ten years, and today it is a vacant lot surrounded by a chain link fence. It's a shame too. With all of those storefronts along Archer Avenue...It looks like a missing tooth.
Thank You.
Eddie K.
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