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Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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JIM: 100 years ago, February 6, 1912, Parlor Circle opened Today's tidbit adds to the JIM'S wonderful: JIM: A Brief History of Early Cinema in Columbia, Ky., c. 1903 to late 1922
By JIM Today, February 6th, 2012, marks the centennial anniversary of a seminal event in Adair County's entertainment history. Through 1911, local entertainment consisted almost entirely of live performances -- musical presentations, plays, debates, speeches, and dramatic readings, for the most part. Occasionally there would be stereoptican (think slide projector) presentations, and some of the well-to-do Adair County families had player pianos or phonographs, but those were few and far between. Beginning around 1900, folks with a projector, canvas (screen), and a few reels of films would occasionally come through to give screenings at the courthouse, a schoolhouse, or wherever else space might be rented for a night (or a few nights) but no permanent movie house existed in Adair County until after the first decade of the new century had expired. In January 1912, Messrs. Ray Conover, George Montgomery, and George W. Lowe announced plans to open a first-class picture show in Columbia in the immediate future. They rented the upstairs of the brand new Sinclair building (now 130 Public Square) over W.H. Wilson's store. Toward the latter part of the month, Mr. Conover went Cincinnati to procure the equipment, to-wit: "a Standard machine, the best that is made, the necessary number of chairs, piano, etc." (The "Standard machine" referred to the projector.) Enthused the News about this new venture, Only first-class pictures will be put upon the canvass. It will be a place of amusement, such entertainments as to merit the endorsement of Christian people. Picture shows have become quite popular, and all towns the size of this place support one. We are glad to make this announcement, believing that the people of the community will enjoy the entertainments, and be glad to patronize the promoters. The name of the show will be the "Parlor Circle." In this era, the News carried a Wednesday publication date but actually went to press on Tuesday and was available locally later that day. The edition bearing the date of Wednesday, February 7th announced somewhat tersely, "Everybody be at the Parlor Circle this (Tuesday) night. The show will open." Unfortunately, the paper didn't note the the title of the first movie shown, but the following week came this "review" of opening eve: The Parlor Circle is a delightful place to spend an hour or two before retiring. The show was started last Thursday (sic) night, the hall being filled to its utmost capacity. The pictures were good and the machine worked perfectly. The few stops made were unavoidable, as the film in one of the reels was [broken] in two or three parts. Hereafter the films will be examined before starting. The music, piano, cornet and tenor drums rendered each evening, is delightful. (In the era of silent movies, local musicians provided entertainment during reel changes and other lulls in projection as well as providing the mood for whatever was being shown. Almost certainly, Mr. George W. Lowe, who was in charge of music for the Parlor Circle, was the cornet player and his wife the piano player on opening night.) - Compiled by JIM This story was posted on 2012-02-06 06:13:43
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. More articles from topic Jim: History:
JIM: Ben Carter, Overland to Santa Fe - Part 5 of 5 JIM: Ben Carter, Overland to Santa Fe - Part 4 of 5 JIM: Lips that touch liquor shall never touch mine JIM: The founding the United Brethren Church near Ella, 1908 JIM: Ben Carter, Overland to Santa Fe - Part 3 of 5 JIM: The United Brethren on Jamestown Hill JIM: Spreen's most amazing shot might have been from Elroy, KY JIM: Wholesome advice, 1906 style JIM: The fantastic LWC win; or Methodists 1, Baptists 0 JIM: Overland to Santa Fe, 1851 (part 2 of 5) View even more articles in topic Jim: History |
 
115 Jamestown St. Columbia, KY. 270-384-2496 
  
   
 Provided by the Adair Co Fiscal Court and the Adair Co. Emergency Mgt. Agency 
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