NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Does anyone remember the theaters that were once in Pawtucket?

The Fairlawn we know is there, but there was the Center theater in downtown near the Blackstone River and the Darlton that was razed in 78 and the Strand that was razed in 1950, and of course the Leroy that was sadly left to crumble & was replaced by a Walgreens. It was said that it rivaled the Loews in Providence although a bit smaller.

There were memories of Gershwin playing here and even some top entertainers on the stage. Maybe even the recent late Irving R. Levine might have watched something as he too was born in Pawtucket RI

Some of the theater seats still continue in use in the Visitors Center theater for tourism attractions and our Warm a Heart Buy Nothing Coat Drive in November

I do not recall but I remember my mother and an aunt talking about the Strand,

Dear Arthur,

My dad recalled at one time in the early 1950's, nine theaters graced the downtown district.  In Susan Boucher's book, "The History of Pawtucket" , the author recalled such theaters as the "Imperial", across from the Leroy, the "Capital",  the "Bijou", and what later became the old Peerless Department store, the Music Hall, which is across the street from the Grant building. 

Central Falls had the "Bellevue" on Dexter Street.  However, I forgot the theater on Broad Street.

Peace,

Jim 

There are pictures in the Arcadia the Pawtucket Preservation Society has and hopefully we will have a talk about all these oldies...Maybe there is something at the Betty Johnson Research Center. Does anyone have any pictures or flyers?