Crump Theatre - Columbus, Indiana
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Crump Theatre - Columbus, Indiana
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Crump Theatre in downtown Columbus, Indiana, is part of the Columbus Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
John Smith Crump hired architect Charles Franklin Sparrell in 1889 to add a theatre to the south side of an existing building known as Keith’s Arcade. For the first 30 years, Crump’s Theatre was a Vaudeville theatre and opera house. It eventually became a motion picture house. The theatre needed to be remodeled to hold a second projector for longer motion pictures, but John Crump died in 1920 before that could be accomplished. The Crump heirs completed the remodel and ran the theatre until 1931, when they sold it.
Under new ownership in 1934, a contest was held to rename the theatre. The name “Von Ritz” won first place, but it was never used since many in the community were against removing the original owner’s name.
The Art Deco facade with the ceramic neon sign seen today was added to the building in 1941 during the theatre’s third renovation.
Copyright 2022 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
December 8th, 2022
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