Marshall Public Library (Marshall, IL)

1948

The rooming house in this photo, located at 613 Locust, was run by Clay Montgomery and his wife, Josephine. Notices in the newspapers as early as the 1920s advertise rooms for rent at the couple's home. The 1950 census, taken 6 years before this fire, recorded Clay and Josephine at the home along with 6 lodgers - Robert Schofield, Clara Crow, Mary Sanders, Sam Norton, Jack Corn and Eva Jesson.

Strand Theater
The building at 503-507 Locust Street that housed the Strand Theater was built in 1901 as the Knights of Pythius lodge hall and included a vaudeville theater called the Pythian Theater that featured visiting troupes of entertainers. The lodge was on the upper two floors. The ground floor theater entrance and lobby faced Locust Street and was flanked on each side by offices. The auditorium, balcony, and stage were at the back of the building facing south. In 1930 the theater was converted in order to show moving pictures, and a contest was held in 1943 to choose a new name. The Strand was the winner. The first movies that were shown were silent. Several local pianists including Helen Coldren (later Helen Moore) were employed to play along with the films.
The building housing the Strand Theater was destroyed by fire late at night on July 22, 1957, and a new K P Lodge building, minus the movie theater, was erected on the same corner a year later.