Elk County Nostalgia

[W. Gray]

A bit of Elk County nostalgia.

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/8006.html

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/33798.html

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/33746.html

[sodbuster]

Plaza Theatre
115 S Wabash Ave
Howard KS 66439
435 Seats.

Does anyone know the name of the lady that would have been in the box office? She was there when my mom was a kid and there when I was a kid. Time frame 40's to 70's. I think here name was Babe for some reason.

David

[Jo McDonald]

Babe Morris ---- after her husband passed away, she married Freddie Joe Rhoades.... Her name in the late 60's and 70's 
   Babe Rhoades

[frawin]

David, it was Babe Morris, she and her husband Byron had the Theater for many years, Byron passed away and Babe married Freddie Joe Rhoades. Later Babe sold the Theater to one of my Classmates, Robert Miller and I think Robert ran it until he finally shut it down. Babe and Byron had both the Howard and the Moline Theater.

[W. Gray]

Interesting that Grenola had a larger capacity theater than Moline.

[sodbuster]

Thanks everyone for the answers. The number of seats also threw me at 435. As I thought about the number of seats I began to think maybe Waldo had posted something from the days when EK had 10,000 people. Now that I have your attention can anyone tell me a time when that 435 seater was pretty well filled? I love the history I can find here. I know the stories may seem boring to you, but I would really love to hear them.

David

[W. Gray]

I saw the movie "Gun Belt" at the Plaza in 1953, the year that movie was released. It was a Saturday night. I recall this particular movie because my sister was with me and the costar was Tab Hunter. All the girls thought he was a heart throb. The admission was 12 cents.

Elk County population in 1950 was 6,679 and Howard 1249 (I think).

I seem to recall the theater being packed.

I also saw "Last of the Desperadoes" in 1955. I recall the star was Jim Davis, who was an impressive actor even though he did not seem to ever make it really big until he became Jock Ewing. It was again a Saturday night and I thought the theater was packed.

I probably saw a dozen movies at the Plaza in the early to mid 50s even though we moved away from Howard in 1946.

[W. Gray]

Just for the record, the highest Elk County population on record was 14,283 during the 1885 Kansas decennial census.

[Diane Amberg]

It would be interesting to know why the various families did leave when they did. I would guess for jobs? I would have suspected those who were tied to the land for their living were less likely to leave.

[Wilma]

That's about right.  That is why the movers and shakers in Elk County come from families that homesteaded Elk County or settled here generations ago.