Historic Capitol Hill

[Martin]

^
any idea when/how the structure met its demise?

-M

[Doug Loudenback]

^
any idea when/how the structure met its demise?

-M

No, I couldn't find anything in the Oklahoman archives about that, although I looked. That doesn't mean that it's not there ... the Oklahoman's on-line archive software's search features are only average at best. For example, if you search for "Capri" or worse yet "Capri Theater" or Capri Theatre", you'll get very few hits, even though "Capri" probably appears in a couple of dozen, maybe 3 or 4 dozen (I wasn't counting) ads that I eventually found. Instead of searching for "Capri" or variations thereof I finally searched for "2510 s. robinson" or variations on that. Despite the annoyance that "south" was ignored as a search word (and if you can force the search engine to include excluded words I've not figured out how), just plain "2510 robinson" turned up the Capri ads and related information, like the pair of criminal charges.

Maybe some Capitol Hill old-timers can fill us in on when the building was destroyed. As papaOU shows in one of his photobucket pics, some of the former sidewalk tile is still present:

Credit: papaOU at his photobucket account

[USG '60]

I use'ta buy clothes and shoes at David's in Capitol Hill. I guess I was pretty far out. Was there another David's on N. May?

I was the one withthe long hair and beard. The 2nd one was at 50 30 N May. We moved the CH store to North Park. It did not do well there and was closed after a couple of years. The Mayfair store lasted into the 80s.

[gen70]

I was the one withthe long hair and beard. The 2nd one was at 50 30 N May. We moved the CH store to North Park. It did not do well there and was closed after a couple of years. The Mayfair store lasted into the 80s.

Thanks! Now I remember the N. May store at Mayfair. I bought a few things there....didn't know about the store at North Park. David's had some cool clothes.

[papaOU]

I was the one withthe long hair and beard. The 2nd one was at 50 30 N May. We moved the CH store to North Park. It did not do well there and was closed after a couple of years. The Mayfair store lasted into the 80s.

Now why doesn't '64 and Prunepicker rag you about your hair and beard?

[papaOU]

Okay gang. Check this site out. I say the information for the Capitol theater is incorrect. But it is a good site for photos and information about other theaters.

Cinema Treasures

[gen70]

I was the one withthe long hair and beard. The 2nd one was at 50 30 N May. We moved the CH store to North Park. It did not do well there and was closed after a couple of years. The Mayfair store lasted into the 80s.

Now I'am the one with the long hair and beard.

[gen70]

I remember going to the Knob Hill theatre with a neighborhood friend to see King Kong vs. Godzilla and the line to get in was all the way down the block.

[Doug Loudenback]

Do none of you Capitol Hill guys know when the Circle/Capitol/Capri Theater was torn down?

[Doug Loudenback]

I've pretty much finished researching the Knob Hill theater.

A couple of brief articles described its development: May 1, 1946 and September 22, 1946.

Here's the ad for its October 10, 1946, grand opening:



Owned by the same fellow, Lewis Barton, who was opening the downtown Home Theater around the same (he also owned the Redskin),
the Knob Hill even co-hosted a "Southwest Premiere" of at least one movie (although their were many other 1st runs), at least once,
as shown by the December 24, 1946, ad below:



As late as 1964, the Knob Hill was still showing 1st run movies, even if some might call them "B" (maybe B+) movies.

October 28, 1964:



December 16, 1964:



In the above ad, note that it says "all new seats," so some attempt was being made to keep the theater viable.

The last ad I could find for the Knob Hill as a movie house was the 9/28/1973 ad shown below.



Between October 19 through October 27, 1973, instead of showing movies the facility hosted
a Baptist Revival, per the October 19, 1973, article below:



So, late-September early-October 1973 may have been the end point for the facility's use as a motion picture theater.
I found no movie ads for the Knob Hill after September 1973. According to the 1980 article, below, the theater
had been closed "for years." Perhaps some of you Capitol Hill guys can help pin down the closing date.

The demise of the Knob Hill is not at unique -- city-wide, suburban theaters were closing in all parts of town.

The reopening of the Knob Hill as the Oklahoma Opry was greeted with much fanfare and hope for revitalization
of Commerce Street in the April 15, 1980, article below:



Other than the Knob Hill, Barton also developed the property west of the theater, and had plans to
develop east from the theater, as shown by the December 5, 1954, article below:



How much, if any, of the property east of the Knob Hill got developed per the above article, I've not yet researched.

From papaOU's photobucket pages:



His comment about this building at 420 Commerce, west of the Knob Hill, is:

While growing up this was a carpet store. The grocery catered to Latino's. After the ice storm of 2007 it never reopened.

As you can see from the above 12/5/1954, Oklahoman article, he nailed the initial tenant.

[papaOU]

I've pretty much finished researching the Knob Hill theater.

A couple of brief articles described its development: May 1, 1946 and September 22, 1946.

Here's the ad for its October 10, 1946, grand opening:



Owned by the same fellow, Lewis Barton, who was opening the downtown Home Theater around the same (he also owned the Redskin),
the Knob Hill even co-hosted a "Southwest Premiere" of at least one movie (although their were many other 1st runs), at least once,
as shown by the December 24, 1946, ad below:



As late as 1964, the Knob Hill was still showing 1st run movies, even if some might call them "B" (maybe B+) movies.

October 28, 1964:



December 16, 1964:



In the above ad, note that it says "all new seats," so some attempt was being made to keep the theater viable.

The last ad I could find for the Knob Hill as a movie house was the 9/28/1973 ad shown below.



Between October 19 through October 27, 1973, instead of showing movies the facility hosted
a Baptist Revival, per the October 19, 1973, article below:



So, late-September early-October 1973 may have been the end point for the facility's use as a motion picture theater.
I found no movie ads for the Knob Hill after September 1973. According to the 1980 article, below, the theater
had been closed "for years." Perhaps some of you Capitol Hill guys can help pin down the closing date.

The demise of the Knob Hill is not at unique -- city-wide, suburban theaters were closing in all parts of town.

The reopening of the Knob Hill as the Oklahoma Opry was greeted with much fanfare and hope for revitalization
of Commerce Street in the April 15, 1980, article below:



Other than the Knob Hill, Barton also developed the property west of the theater, and had plans to
develop east from the theater, as shown by the December 5, 1954, article below:



How much, if any, of the property east of the Knob Hill got developed per the above article, I've not yet researched.

From papaOU's photobucket pages:



His comment about this building at 420 Commerce, west of the Knob Hill, is:


As you can see from the above 12/5/1954, Oklahoman article, he nailed the initial tenant.

The building east of the Knob Hill was identified by me as the home of Mosher-Adams. Map makers and such. USG '60 placed another business there before Mosher-Adams. Peyton-Marcus, a women's clothing store.
Near the end the Knob Hill Theater was showing porn. I don't know when they started or the end.

[Doug Loudenback]

I found no porn ads for the Knob Hill. Are you certain about that?

The newspaper article reads,

East of the Knob Hill will be a two0-story 50 by 140-foot structure. The ground floor will be leased to a retail firm, and offices will be on the second story. * * * All of the buildings are expected to be constructed next year, with other units following completion o the furniture store. * * * However, one brick structure is expected to be left at the site and converted into a doctor's clinic.

Do you know that the buildings you mentioned above were built by Barton per the above Oklahoman statements?

[Doug Loudenback]

The County Assessor's website shows the building at 400 SW 25th to have been constructed in 1955, so that fits.

Assessor Photo:



Know anything about the other planned buildings mentioned in the article?

[papaOU]

The County Assessor's website shows the building at 400 SW 25th to have been constructed in 1955, so that fits.

Assessor Photo:



Know anything about the other planned buildings mentioned in the article?

The above photo is not the correct one. See post below!!

If you notice this gives a view from Commerce to the houses on the south side of SW26Th. From the alley behind the Knob hill south to 26Th (401 sw 26 Th ?) and west from Hudson to Walker were Barton's except for the two lots from Walker east on 26Th. As far back as I can recall it was parking.
The lot on the NE corner of 26Th was part of Fred Jones Used cars. East of it was the Oklahoma State Employment Office. But that was a newer building and something there before.
Are you confused yet?

[papaOU]

The above photo is not the correct one. See post below!!

If you notice this gives a view from Commerce to the houses on the south side of SW26Th. From the alley behind the Knob hill south to 26Th (401 SW 26 Th ?) and west from Hudson to Walker were Barton's except for the two lots from Walker east on 26Th. As far back as I can recall it was parking.
The lot on the NE corner of 26Th was part of Fred Jones Used cars. East of it was the Oklahoma State Employment Office. But that was a newer building and something there before.
Are you confused yet?

The above photo is incorrect. The photo below is the view south from the Cattlemen's Mall. You can see the buildings on the south side of SW 26Th.

[papaOU]

The above photo is incorrect. The photo below is the view south from the Cattlemen's Mall. You can see the buildings on the south side of SW 26Th.

ONE MORE TIME!!!!!!!

<a href="http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/papaOU/Businesses%20on%20the%20Hill/?action=view&current=CattlemensMall.jpg" target

[USG '60]

Nupe...tain't workin'.

[papaOU]

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/v...lemensMall.jpg

Please Work..........

[Doug Loudenback]

Here's something I learned as a result of looking at a 1955 Sanborn map, a crop of which is shown below ...



Huh? A radio & tv station at 128 Commerce (probably 128 1/2 above the 1st floor Beacon newspaper's address)? That sent me looking into the Oklahoman's archives to figure this neat information out. Here's what I found.

In a 11/29/1946 article, it was reported that a new radio station, KLPR, had been authorized by the FCC. Shortly after, the 12/20/1946 article below reported that the station would be operating out of Capitol Hill ...



The above article opined that the station might/would likely be located in the Capitol Hill Chamber's facility, but that didn't happen. Instead, it located at 128 (probably 128 1/2) Commerce. An example of its early broadcasting fare appeared in the 9/6/1947 article below.



I didn't fully research KLPR radio's high (or low) points, but one which stands out occurred in 1951 and from which Capitol Hill gained national if not international prominence, but not in a way in which the station's owner found pleasure. It is recalled that the Korean War was going on at the time, and it is also recalled that, in this time, Minnesota Senator Joseph McCarthy was not an unknown figure in this country (although that was not mentioned in the 2/1/1951 article linked to, below).

Listeners were invited to give their opinions if the United States should get out of Korea. The program's producer, Maruice Odgen, working at KLPR under the name Mike King, got fired. The survey results were that 4 said that the United States should stay in Korea and 312 said that we should get out.

A New York communist party newspaper, the Daily Worker, picked up on the matter. Ogden denied that "he is or has been a member of the Communist party ..." To read the Oklahoman's 2/1/1951 report on this Capitol Hill episode, click here.

Doubtless, the OU grad spoke the truth, but that wouldn't matter so much in this era.

On to TV. A couple of years later, as shown by this 2/12/1953 article, KLPR was authorized to operate a television station in Oklahoma City, and it operated out of the same location in Capitol Hill. This 11/1/1953 article reports on that. Also, see this 9/26/1953 article about the station's intention to do local programming.

When KLPR exited Capitol Hill I haven't yet learned. But, judging by 1960 items in the Oklahoman which indicated that the address was by then occupied by the IBM Institute of Technology, it had doubtless exited by that time. See this 10/1/1960 article, for example.

[papaOU]

I knew KLPR was in later years '60's and into the '70's was owned and operated by Jack Beasley. I once read that Wanda Jackson would go to station and perform. Just did not know where the station was located. Now the question is did she perform on the radio or t.v. station?

[Doug Loudenback]

Here are some map resources for you Capitol Hill buffs. These are extractions of Sanborn Map Company maps from its 1929_1955 series, meaning that the source maps were made in 1922 but updated through 1955. However, that was the "publication" date. A note on one of the cover sheets shows that the maps were actually finalized in September 1954.

In some instances, building dates are shown, as well as other information. "D" means "dwelling."

Click on the maps for larger views.

1. Walker to Hudson



2. Hudson To Harvey



3. Harvey to Robinson



4. Robinson to Broadway

[papaOU]

When out and about I could not for the life of me figure out where the fire station was. It was moved a few years back to SW23rd behind the Capitol Hill Hospital.

[papaOU]

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/v...lemensMall.jpg

Please Work..........

Is it not amazing how when you quit thinking hard about something the result of the question comes to you?

The NW corner of SW26Th and Hudson there was an office building on that site. Not large and elaborate but nice looking. Like the article said it was a doctor's office.

[Doug Loudenback]

Since I posted the 1922_1955 (but really 1954) Sanborn maps above, I took a look at the original 1922 Sanborn Maps. I'll not post them here since they don't show all that much -- the point being that, in 1922, the buildings that existed were immeasurably less dense than existed in the 1922_1955 versions. Some parts of SW 24, 25 & 26 were virtually unpopulated, assuming that the Sanborn Maps are accurate, and they probably are.

Still, if you want to see the comparison for yourself:

1. Click here for the 1922 Walker to Hudson Sanborn Map
2. Click here for the 1922 Hudson to Harvey Sanborn Map
3. Click here for the 1922 Harvey to Robinson Sanborn Map
4. Click here for the 1922 Robinson to Broadway Sanborn Map

One item is well worth mentioning, though, and that is the part of the Harvey to Robinson map (Sanborn Map #3, above) which shows the unnamed-in-the-map Yale Theater. Immediately east of the indoor Yale was an "air dome" outdoor theater. Though I don't presently know for sure, I suspect that it was part of the Yale's owner, Sam Caporal's, operations.

Air dome or airdome theaters were popular in the 1900s-1920s to deal with the hot summer heat. Somewhat analogous to drive-in theaters since they were "outdoors," these theaters were different since they were sit-down theaters but without a roof and accommodated as many as 1,000 people or more. They hosted both vaudeville and movie performances. Downtown Okc air domes included the Bijou, Majestic, Lyric, Maze, and Colcord, as well as an air dome theater at Belle Isle Park. I don't have any images of Okc airdome's but here is an example -- a 1910s airdome at Chattanooga, Tennessee ... credit JackCoursey at Airdome Theatre on Flickr - Photo Sharing! .



Capitol Hill had at least one air dome theater, too.

Notice in the cropped portion of Sanborn Map #3 below the Air Dome and the location of the screen. The Yale indoor theater is the theater at the left. The air dome theater is immediately east (right) of the Yale.



Now, whether this air dome theater was the same thing as the Rex airdome in the September 5, 1926, ad below, I don't know, but that would be my best guess. If not, there would be yet another theater in Capitol Hill other than the Yale at this point in time.

[papaOU]

Since I posted the 1922_1955 (but really 1954) Sanborn maps above, I took a look at the original 1922 Sanborn Maps. I'll not post them here since they don't show all that much -- the point being that, in 1922, the buildings that existed were immeasurably less dense than existed in the 1922_1955 versions. Some parts of SW 24, 25 & 26 were virtually unpopulated, assuming that the Sanborn Maps are accurate, and they probably are.

Still, if you want to see the comparison for yourself:

1. Click here for the 1922 Walker to Hudson Sanborn Map
2. Click here for the 1922 Hudson to Harvey Sanborn Map
3. Click here for the 1922 Harvey to Robinson Sanborn Map
4. Click here for the 1922 Robinson to Broadway Sanborn Map

One item is well worth mentioning, though, and that is the part of the Harvey to Robinson map (Sanborn Map #3, above) which shows the unnamed-in-the-map Yale Theater. Immediately east of the indoor Yale was an "air dome" outdoor theater. Though I don't presently know for sure, I suspect that it was part of the Yale's owner, Sam Caporal's, operations.

Air dome or airdome theaters were popular in the 1900s-1920s to deal with the hot summer heat. Somewhat analogous to drive-in theaters since they were "outdoors," these theaters were different since they were sit-down theaters but without a roof and accommodated as many as 1,000 people or more. They hosted both vaudeville and movie performances. Downtown Okc air domes included the Bijou, Majestic, Lyric, Maze, and Colcord, as well as an air dome theater at Belle Isle Park. I don't have any images of Okc airdome's but here is an example -- a 1910s airdome at Chattanooga, Tennessee ... credit JackCoursey at Airdome Theatre on Flickr - Photo Sharing! .



Capitol Hill had at least one air dome theater, too.

Notice in the cropped portion of Sanborn Map #3 below the Air Dome and the location of the screen. The Yale indoor theater is the theater at the left. The air dome theater is immediately east (right) of the Yale.



Now, whether this air dome theater was the same thing as the Rex airdome in the September 5, 1926, ad below, I don't know, but that would be my best guess. If not, there would be yet another theater in Capitol Hill other than the Yale at this point in time.

So does the Yale predate the Circle?

I had read somewhere that the Yale put on live shows (vaudeville?) before came along.
A few years ago a "Ghost Hunter" team came to the Hill and they found that the Yale was haunted. Word is someone, an employee hung themselves there.

The "team" also found that the Puckett's yard also had haints.

some of the local t.v. stations picked the stories up and broadcast them.