Once many small towns had cinemas like the one in this photo. This particular one is located in Tigard, Oregon. It is on a very busy street that leads to a major highway just a few blocks down the road. I would not consider saying that the town has a small town ambiance anymore. Growth in Tigard has surrounded this little art deco place. But yet, the original signage seems to be in place -- it looks like the JOY cinema might still be in use in a rather irregular way. The front facade has a tiled design that appears original. I did not cross the street to get closer. I thought my life would be endangered by the traffic if I did.
Hang in there "JOY."
Small town? They are obviously quite "up there", featuring "The Smurfs in 3D" :-)
ReplyDeleteNice building, though.
RuneE -- Hope the owners will be able to keep the building's integrity as the commercialization of the area pushes in on it. I understand it was recently shuttered for awhile. thanks -- barbara
DeleteWhat a sweet little theater still standing so bravely 'midst all the growth in Tigard. I was unaware of it. Not far away, in Silverton where I live, we are proud of our Art Deco theater The Palace. It is completely refurbished after a devastating fire in 2012, so coupled with the beautiful historical inside we also enjoy digital and 3-D features, complete with Dolby surround-sound. You ought to visit sometime. :)
ReplyDeleteLydia -- Like to hear stories about communities that promote historical preservation. If I ever get over that way I certainly will check out your theater. My little town where I spent my youth has preserved its lone theater as it stood when I paid 14 cents for the Saturday matinee. I feel buildings have stories which contribute to the town's fabric. thanks for stopping by -- barbara
DeleteNostalgia...lots in this photo. Also kind of sad.
ReplyDeleteTabor -- I have never been to Europe or any Asian country. I feel that Europe has a handle on preserving parts of their past. I feel that China is obliterating their buildings -- commercialism rules -- as it does in our country. -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteGee, I hope the Joy Cinema still shows films! The town will surely lose another big dollop of Joy to encroaching commercialization if it stops, or has stopped, showing movies.
ReplyDeleteJune -- I am not sure of the status of the JOY. I had heard it was shuttered for awhile. It is like so many of the lovely old buildings I took photos of in KY -- here today and gone tomorrow. thanks -- barbara
DeleteThe building seems lost in an ocean of growth, and growing shabby itself. I hope the city knows to take care of it and the citizens want to preserve the building and its neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteJoanne -- I am not sure what the town's folks have planned for their area. At this point, from my viewpoint, it seems that the town has some great housing stock and also has a small viable business section. It seems that the fringes are being attacked by growth and that is where the Joy sits. thanks -- barbara
DeleteHi Barbara, somehow I've missed your recent blogs, so will be catching up on them. So glad to find you and Mt. Hood also. I have friends in Tacoma, WA, so often check on the weather happenings out there in the NW. Glad to see you again. Barb in Back Mountain
ReplyDeleteBarb -- Nice to have you leave a comment. We now live at different ends of the country. Tacoma is at the northern part of the state -- I live at the very southern tip of the state right across the border from Portland Oregon. I once lived in Oregon. But where haven't gypsies like us lived or visited in the US.? -- barbara
DeleteI love those old cinemas & have good memories of Saturday matinees. I think both of the old theaters in my old home town are gone, but we have 1 in town, & 2 within a 60 mile radius. One of the towns can hardly be called small, but it does preserve a Main Street. The other town/city is also working to preserve some of the old as the new comes in. They now, all 3, have movies as well as concerts & events.
ReplyDeleteRita - I take it that you were a participant in the ritual of attending the Saturday matinees. When I attended you took your own popcorn -- some candy was available at the inside counter. We were a noisy bunch.
DeleteI just checked to see if there was a book on Amazon about vintage theaters. Couldn't find one. Maybe one will appear in the future??? -- thanks for the nice comment -- barbara
I love this….and now it is my turn to share a link with you! We are so proud of our historic Alabama theatre in historic downtown Birmingham…..check it out : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Theatre
ReplyDeleteStarr -- I do thank you for the link -- very gilded and detailed. They even have the original organ. Book marked the link. Nice to receive links from folks like you -- part of sharing interests online. thanks again -- barbara
DeleteWow, that's a tiny little cinema! I think they do a good job preserving old cinemas around here. We saw a movie at the Liberty theater in Camas this fall. Have you been there? There are several old movie houses I want to visit around here. I'll have to look for this one next time I'm down near Tigard.
ReplyDeleteMelissa -- Oh I did not realize Camas had an old theater. I will have to make it over that way this spring. Lydia (above) pointed out that they have a restored theater in Silverton too.
DeleteI do believe residents of small towns connect personally with their hometown theaters and perhaps that is why many have been preserved.
You do get around. I like all of your photos.
ReplyDeleteAbraham -- I just have discovered your blog and plan to be back to view your photos as well as read your stories that you place with many of them. thanks for stopping by and the kind words. -- barbara
DeleteOur area of Ohio was laid out in square grids and each side was one mile long. Farmers in the area had children to send to school. So there would be a one room school, in red brick, on each one mile side -- 4 schools in the one-mile square. No child had farther to walk than one-half mile to a school that taught 1-8 grades by one teacher.
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ReplyDeleteThat was my husband's neighborhood theater when he was a kid. We went to see Dirty Dancing there once, in the 80's.Downtown Tigard was overwhelmed by developments, strip malls and trailer parks long ago. His mom lived in King City (gag!) until she moved over next door to us here in Hilo, Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteTerry's parents had three acres there in the 1940's, a pond and horses at what is now the intersection of 1-5 and 99. Tigard is one of those places around Portland that's just a mess, in my opinion. Locals offered no resistance to development there and, in fact, enthusiastically embraced the opening of Washington Square and the joys of buying and selling of real estate.
Hattie -- As much as I would like to feel that this town has a chance -- I believe your comments are the reality of Tigard. Unfortunate, that so many small towns near large cities have been swallowed up into the metro section. Its been happening slowly since post-WWII and then accelerated to warp speed during the McMansion era. Your husband's parents former place sounds like an ideal place.Too bad it had such a sad ending. thanks for the comment -- barbara
DeleteI did something wrong and my comment disappeared.
ReplyDeleteHappens ever so often with blogger!
DeleteOh I guess it's OK. You can fix it, I guess.
ReplyDeleteEverything is OK
DeleteMy trips to Oregon always lead me to little towns and building with these designs.
ReplyDeleteBirdman -- I find the Pacific Northwest has their own blend of architecture surely influenced by folks that settled the area. I hope you have enjoyed your trips to Oregon -- barbara
DeleteThis reminds me so much of a small neighborhood cinema back in the Fifties. The Palma Ceia in Tampa had a Saturday matinee that included cartoons, a serial (Flash Gordon, for example,) and a feature. It was a madhouse of shrieking kids and flying popcorn.
ReplyDeleteVicki -- Oh yes -- flying popcorn and shrieking kids is the right way to describe those Saturday matinee days. Cowboy movies seemed to be my favorites. News shorts were boring. Driving the ushers bonkers was also a favorite of the rowdy boys. Good times though. thanks -- barbara
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