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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Grand Theater - Indian Orchard, Massachusetts

Here is the former Grand Theater of Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. Indian Orchard is a neighborhood in Springfield, and this movie theater has stood here on Main Street since the days of vaudeville. Closed in the early 1990s, it is now used as a church.

The Grand Theater has special significance for another building across the street, Henry’s Jewelers, where the Titanic Historical Society resides and a very interesting museum on the disaster. Museum curator, Edward Kamuda, whose family once owned the Grand Theater, saw “Titanic” (1953) as a boy here, and his fascination with the historical event lasted a lifetime. For more on the Titanic Museum he created, have a look at Tuesday’s “New England Travels” blog.

9 comments:

Tony said...

Thanks for posting on this theater. When I was about 9 years old, my cousin and I BEGGED our parents to let us go see a theater movie by ourselves. It was my first ever, and it was at The Grand. We walked down there from my grandparent's around the block. The film?

Saturday Night Fever!

I remember not really understanding it, but it was a big screen movie, and that was all that mattered...

Jacqueline T. Lynch said...

"Saturday Night Fever"?! My, but you were a precious lad, Tony. No Disney for you. Thanks so much for sharing your memories of the Grand.

Jacqueline T. Lynch said...

Precious? That's precocious. But, I'm sure you were both.

Tony said...

Yes, who knows what kind of ingrained subliminal influence it would have on my later years!

Fred said...

Wow!!! Thats sooo cool that you referenced Saturday Night Fever as your first movie at the Grand (or ever)! I saw this movie at the Grand and remember it very well. I was also very young (lets see...if first run in December in US and Grand was known as the last stop for movies, then I saw it at age 8!!!!....I also didn't understand it.) I truly remember being so corny when after the movie I yelled to my friend outside who was with his family as well, "Hey, I hope you catch the Saturday Night Fever!!!" THE WORST!!! I can also remember seeing Star Trek The "Motionless" Picture there and I think they also ran Portugese movies if my memory serves me correctly. The Orchard sure has changed, so thanks for takiing me back to memory lane!

Anonymous said...

Well, now I feel REALLY old, but I grew up in "the Orchard" and remember going to see the Beatles in "A Hard Day's Night" and "Lawrence of Arabia" (with the Intermission.....what were they thinking?!?) Admission was .25 cents which later rose dramatically to .35 cents. We were all shocked. I remember old fashion "rumbles" between gangs from Ludlow and Indian Orchard, too. Talk about the good old days.

Jacqueline T. Lynch said...

Thanks for stopping by, Anon. Love to hear about the movies you saw. Rumbles? Between those nice, sweet kids from Ludlow and Indian Orchard? I don't believe it.

Anonymous said...

I also remember seeing movies at the Grand Theater when I was a kid. Cost 50 cents to see two movies, WOW. I also remember the concession stand where you could buy an ice cream sandwich for 10 cents and a candy bar for 5 cents. The Good Ole Days!

Anonymous said...

wow, I really feel old! I remember going to the Grand when I was a kid...I think it cost 10 cents for a newsreel and two movies! I loved Gene Autry!!!
A woman named Bertha used to walk around and make sure we were all quiet....she was scary!!!!

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