OUR HISTORY
The Emporia Granada Theatre was nearly lost to fire and ruin before being saved and lovingly restored by Emporia citizens who preserved its original, beautiful design and unique history.
A PIECE OF HISTORY
The Emporia Granada Theatre first opened its doors on October 3, 1929, following a dedication speech by William Allen White. Designed by Carl and Robert Boller, the theatre is reminiscent of the Spanish Colonial Revival movement, which had become especially popular in the late 1920s. The Boller brothers designed many theatres in the Midwest in both Spanish and Italian themes. The Granada, which cost $350,000 to build (or roughly $5.3 million today), was the last theatre designed by the brothers before the stock market crash of 1929.
During the Great Depression, the Granada was a place for people to relax and forget about their responsibilities. Early in its history, the theatre was able to seat 1,400 people. In an interview, Duane Henrikson recalled that during the early 1950s, the theatre would screen a newsreel followed by cartoons and then a feature presentation – many times a western or occasionally a drama. In addition to screening movies, the theatre attracted a variety of performances. The Granada was the venue for beauty contests, vaudeville acts, even traveling Broadway shows. While the Fox Corporation held the lease, the theatre became known as Fox Theatre.
UP IN FLAMES
On January 1, 1952, an organ in the Granada caught fire, causing extensive damage to parts of the theatre. Through the years, the Granada has closed twice. It first closed for three years, from 1977 to 1979, before attempting to open again for a short time. Unfortunately, it would only stay open for another three years until 1982 before officially closing its doors due to lack of upkeep, a leaky roof, fire damage, and competition from other theatres in town. It remained closed for twelve years.
Despite being added to the National Register of Historic Places, by 1994, the Granada was under the threat of being demolished. During this time, a group of citizens created the Granada Theatre Alliance to save the building. John Mallon, the group’s spearhead, purchased the theatre for $6,000 and created the Granada Historical Society Non-profit.
RESCUE AND RESTORATION
The initial objective of the Granada Theatre Alliance was to clean up and repair the theatre. The restoration process lasted from 1995 – 2008. The majority of the work done at the theatre was completed through volunteer work by various individuals from the Emporia community who donated their time and expertise, spearheaded by Bones Ownbey. During this time a feasibility study investigated whether Emporia would be able to support another theatre. It was clear from the results that the Emporia community wanted the theatre to be a multi-functional facility.
On October 3, 2008, seventy-nine years after its initial dedication, the Granada Theatre reopened in style – completely restored in a magnificent fashion. The restoration committee matched the paint, recreated the molds, repainted the niches, and even custom ordered an exact replica of the original carpet. The final cost of the renovation totaled just $4 million dollars due to the tremendous support from volunteers throughout the community.
If you have more information about the history of the theatre or have a story about the theatre, we would love to hear from you! Visit our contact page and tell us your story!
SPECIAL THANKS
Steve Hanshew
John and Sophie Mallon
The Trusler Foundation
The Maybe Foundation
Beth Thomas
Walter Anderson
The Jones Foundation
Harry Stevens
Bones Ownbey
Kim McDermott
Casey Cagile
Mike Schmidt
George Crocker
Don Cannon
Jane Reeble
Duane Henrikson
Mary Sue Wade
And many, many more who donated their talents, time, and money to making the reopening of the Emporia Granada Theatre possible.