Courtesy Google Maps
Amherst Theatre was where my family went to see movies during the 1960s. It was located fairly close to those of us on the west side of Lorain, and it was a safe alternative to going to the movie houses in the declining Downtown Lorain. My parents knew that the Matteys (who owned and operated the theater) ran a tight ship and didn't put up with any horseplay from kids. They'd even stop the movie if kids didn't settle down.
Not being from Amherst, I had no idea that there had been an earlier version of Amherst Theater right across the street from the one we went to, and that it had been demolished as late as 1972. The article below, which appeared in the Journal on August 5, 1972 tells the story.
According to the article written by Journal Staff Writer Tom Oney, the theater originally opened as The Empire in 1909. Some time before 1920, the name was changed to The Mary Jane, taking its name from the wife of one of the owners. In the late 1930s, it finally received the name, Amherst Theater.
Here is the link to the theater's website.
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I wrote about the April 1959 Grand Opening of the "new" Amherst Theatre back here.
