Oaks Amusement Park: Set For a Film and Setting For Exhibition
Oaks Amusement Park, located on the Willamette River and near the present-day Sellwood Bridge, opened its gates for the first time on June 1st of 1905. The amusement park was a huge family place of amusement for their rides, live music, roller arena, picnicking and many other activities.
Portland Motion Picture Censorship – For the Good of the People?
As early as 1897, local film censorship boards regulated film exhibition with standards that varied city to city, and because of a lack of enforcement power, even theater to theater. In 1911, Portland debuted a censorship board of its own. The chairman of the board, at least in 1916, was a man by the name of F. T. Richards.
Pathe Pictures and the Alhambra Theater
While I was scouring the Historic Oregon Newspaper archive for an advertisement concerning the Alhambra Theater in Portland, a common subject continued to crop up: The Iron Claw.
High Demands For Cheaper Theaters Calls For Shifting Marketing Strategies
After a short run as a theater, according to available newspaper clippings, The Nickelodion had its first ad in January 1907.
The Infamous Mr. Pantages
Alexander Pantages was a Greek immigrant who opened more than 60 theaters across the western United States and Canada. The Pantages Theater circuit was quite successful, and three of its theaters still function today in Hollywood, Minneapolis, and Tacoma. During the 20th century, the theaters would showcase both films and live vaudeville performances.
Charming and Well-Priced Theatre "The Esquire" Becomes a Staple for the Nob Hill Community
Located on NW 23rd and Kearny St, the Esquire theater was an entertainment staple for the Nob Hill neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.
The Story Behind Building the Marquam Grand Opera House
In the issue of the Oregon Daily Journal on February 22, 1914, the story of P.A. Marquam and his improvement on the Marquam Building from a $500 property to a million dollar building appeared.