Valley Girl Views: February 2023

The Victoria Theater In Danville
Located on the corner of Mill & East Mahoning Street
(The site of the Post Office today)

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On December 28 1873 the Danville Opera House opened on the second floor of the newly constructed building. The prices for the opening night show were $8 And $10 each. $10 in 1872 is nearly $250 today.

The ground floor was occupied by several stores, including a tin shop, Hunt's Drug Store, the Farmers Bank and the post office. Danville Newspapers, The Montour American and Later the Danville Morning news, had offices on the first floor.

The third floor contained offices, lodge and club rooms, and apartments.

Postmarked 1909

In 1907, Webster Foust, Heister Foust and G.D. Edmondson bought the building in 1907, and they had a new roof put on it.

1908

First 6 Rows Parquet, $1.50

Parquet $1.00

First 2 Rows Dress Circle 75 cents

Balance Dress Circle 50 cents

Gallery 25 cents

The concrete stairs and landing on Mill street were part of the improvements made during the summer of 1910.

On September 21 1910, the "large and fine appearing electric sign which was hung during the past few days was illuminated" for the first time.

1908 Advertisement, showing prices for the various levels

1909, Decorated for the IOOF event

On May 12, 1914 a new six-wire antenna was erected on the roof of the Danville Opera House for receiving the latest news and baseball scores.

Danville Symphony Orchestra on the stage of the Opera House in 1923

E. Hart Bugbee was the conductor, and Miss Gertrude Heim accompanist. William J. Mull was concertmaster

On July 13 1923, the building was purchased by the Chamberlain Amusement Company, which changed the name to the Victoria Theater

"In addition to the Opera House Proper, the purchase included a number of storerooms and offices housing some of Danville's leading business establishments

Advertisement For the Victoria Theater Shows

Inside of the Advertisement

The Victoria showed its last movie, "The Great Meadow", starring Johnny Mack Brown and Eleanor Boardman, on March 7th 1931.

Symphony Orchestras from Danville, Milton, and Williamsport continued to give concerts there, after the movies ceased.

The building was razed in 1937.

"The razing of the Opera House building, corner of Mill and East Mahoning Streets will erase the last landmark of Danville, marking the gun battle staged between local peace officers and a gang of safe crackers 44 years ago (1893). A chip out of the wall of the building near a door on Mahoning Street remains as evidence of the gun fight in which Danville's chief of police was wounded and another peace officer had a bullet pierce his hat."

"A crippled relic of Danville's Golden Era, the old Opera House now lies in shambles of brick and mortar. From its ashes shortly will arise, phoenix-like, our modern post office building.

... for here is the end of a 64 year saga that dates back to when men were gallant and women demure. Collapsible gold toothpicks were refinements and no woman would be seen on the street minus her bustle when the $154,000 Opera House opened December 23 1873, with "Ye Old Folks"

... But the blood in its veins got thinner. The troopers who brought flesh and blood drama to its stage gave way to the flicker of films and whirr of the movie camera" - Danville News

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Where The Movies Played

An Index Of Old Movie Theaters

In & Around The West Branch Valley

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/07/where-movies-played-old-movie-theaters.html

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A look at Front Street In Milton Pa
Through the Decades

A work in progress.

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Unlike most streets, the house numbers do not correspond to the block numbers. For instance, 700 North Front Street is not at 7th street, but rather at the

Northeast Corner of Front and 4th Streets.

2 North Front Street

10 North Front

The Law Offices Of Col. John McCleery

View of North Front Street from Broadway.

Looking North on Front Street from Broadway, during the 1936 flood

North Front Street From Broadway, 2020

The Chamberlain Home

21 North Front Street [Later The Elks Building]

21 North Front Street

The Chamberlain Home

The Elks purchased this building in 1921

Read More about the Elks Home, here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-elks-home-milton-pa.html

During the 1936 flood

In 2020

Post Office, Elks Building, Brick Building at Corner of Broadway and North Front.

Little building between Elks and large Brick building facing Broadway

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28 North Front Street - The Wilson House
Built in 1887 by R.F. Wilson of the Wilson Fly Net Factory
Wilson's Pierce Arrow Automobile, parked in front of the Wilson Mansion, North Front Street Milton (across from the current day post office)

28 North Front Street, in 2020

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Schaffer Furniture & Funeral Director, 30 North Front Street, Milton.

[The building to the right is the Chamberlain Home, later the Elks]

Schaffer took over the business from E.S. Weimer in January of 1909. He appears to have operated for just one year, with Geo. W. Wills was the successor to R.M. Schaffer, Funeral Director, at address of 30 N. Front St, in August 1910.

Dating this photo between January 1909 and August 1910 [assuming the Schaffer sign was changed immediately].

For context:

Most Civil War Veterans were between 65 & 75 years old in 1910.

The Sons Of Veterans Held a large event in Milton in 1909. [Reports mention old soldiers being carried in carriages ]

The Veterans of the Twelfth Regiment PA Volunteers of the Spanish American War celebrated the 11th anniversary in Milton in October 1910.

Signs on the side of the theater in this photo include:

? No. 31, Meets Tuesday Night

J.R. Smith Co. Pianos & Organs, Musical Merchandise

J.E. Wilson Studio, Picture Framing, Kodak Supplies, Finishing

To the left - Miltonian Printing Office

From Bell’s History of Northumberland County 1891:

J. R. SMITH, proprietor of a furniture and music store, was born in Centre county, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1838, son of William and Isabella (Reighard) Smith. He was reared in Union county from the age of four years, and received his education at the Mifflinburg Academy, after which he engaged in teaching. He subsequently removed to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and was engaged in the mercantile and boat building business three years, and then went to Mooresburg and one year later to Pottsgrove, this county, where he conducted a mercantile business until 1884.

In November, 1879, he established his present business in Milton, and was burned out in May, 1880, but immediately started again under a tent, and continued his business until the completion of his present mammoth store room, which is erected upon the former site of the Academy of Music. He now has the largest wholesale and retail establishment of the kind in the county, and one of the largest in the State. In December, 1869, he married Sarah C., daughter of William Reed, of Pottsgrove, by whom he has two children: William R. and John R. G. Mr. Smith is a Presbyterian, while his wife is a member of the Lutheran church; in politics he is a Democrat.

J.R. Smith also had a store in Shamokin.

This is the above mentioned advertisement on page 2 - showing the Shamokin location.

[the Masonic Temple was formerly the YMCA building in Shamokin, built by Monroe Kulp. The building was destroyed by fire in 2017.]

1932

The James Reighard Smith building. This building was known as the Family Theater, and the bus terminal. It was torn down and today the Milton Post Office sits at this location on North Front Street.

The Wrestling Match Riot, in 1911, began here.

Inside the Family Theater

1933 - Reighard Building Demolished to make room for the new Post Office.

The Two church steeples are the Presbyterian in the center, and the German Reformed on the right. The house on the left, at the corner of Walnut Street, was the Hepburn-McCleery Home.

43 North Front Street

The United States Post Office, built in 1935

Read more about the art deco post office here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-art-deco-post-office-in-milton.html

45 North Front street (across from Walnut)

The McCleery Mansion

Gutted in the 1880 fire, only the brick shell remained. It was rebuilt within the original walls.

50 North Front Street

The Chapin House

Built in 1890s

102 North Front

The Caldwell Home

101 North Front Street

Manufacturers Club

Originally built by Charles A Godcharles & Co.

Godcharles had lived in Milton for the 1880 fire and 1889 flood,. He made sure the first floor of this house was higher than the level of the 1889 flood.

In 1920, it became the Milton Manufacturers Club

Gargoyles on the old Milton Manufacturing Building, 2020

2020

Godcharles had lived in Milton for the 1880 fire and 1889 flood,. He made sure the first floor of this house was higher than the level of the 1889 flood.

In 1920, it became the Milton Manufacturers Club

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2020

The Old Manufacturers Club, Milton Hotel [Masonic Temple] , and Dale Rank Funeral Home

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2020 View

Dale Rank Funeral Home, Masonic Temple [Milton Hotel]

The Masonic Building was completed in October of 1930

117 North Front Street

The Masonic Temple

Built in 1929, completely of concrete

It was the only fireproof building in the borough at the time.

John Wannamaker Store furnished most of the interior.

At one time there was a roller skating rink in the basement, but it was removed afer floodwaters destroyed the floor.

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125 North Front Street

Today the Dale Rank Funeral Home

Originally the home of Frederick Godcharles

Annual Jig Saw Puzzle Sale, 1924

201 North Front Street

The Murry House

Built in 1883 by Samuel Murray, one of the founders of The Car Works [AC&F]

213 North Front Street

The Hull House

Dr. Thomas Ryerson Hall purchased the land and built a house around 1863.

Hull was a member of the electoral college that elected Lincoln in 1860.

He was also Chief Burgess of Milton for 2 terms.

216 North Front Street

Built by George S. Shimer, son of Samuel J. Shimer

According to the walking tour of Milton, none of the homes on the river side of North front street had parking.

Samuel build a large brick garage on teh south side of Upper Market St, behind the Presbyterian church.

228 North Font Street

Built by Samuel Shriner in 1890

View North From Market St - looking south towards Broadway

North Front Street, and Market Street.

246 North Front Street

Residence Of Elmer Shimer, son of Samuel J. Shimer

246 N. Front Street in 2022

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342 N. Front Street

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View from 1st Street in Milton, Looking North

The Same Approximate view in 2022. The red brick building in the above postcard appears to be gone. The American Legion building, yellow in the above postcard, pale yellow here, has had the front changed significantly. Here's another photo of the Legion building:

401 North Front Street (Corner of 1st and N. Front)

The American Legion Moved to their new home on North Front Street in October of 1962. Prior to that, they had occupied a building built in 1928, on Bond Avenue.