I’ve loved small-town cinemas ever since my dad took me to see Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at a vintage movie palace in Waupaca, Wisconsin. I was only fourteen, but that night left a deep impression! The plush seats and towering screen of the Rosa felt like somewhere from a galaxy far, far away. Ever since then, I’ve made it a habit to stop and take a photo whenever I come across another old cinema. Most recently, I visited the ninety-year-old Castle Theatre in downtown New Castle.
New Castle’s seen at least eight theaters come and go since 19071, but today only the Castle remains. Opened in 1935 by Theatrical Managers, Incorporated, the 650-seat operation was tucked inside a modest, single-story structure just south of the Henry County Courthouse. Still, its striking swirled Vitrolite facade2 hints at the cinematic history within the building’s walls.
Believe it or not, the Castle isn’t the only story waiting to be told at 221 South Main Street. If you look closely at the theater’s northeastern corner, you’ll spot a weathered plaque hinting at a deeper past. Long before moviegoers lined up out front, the site was the homestead of Judge Joshua H. Mellett, a Henry County pioneer who was elected to the Indiana State Senate in 1860 and advised Governor Oliver P. Morton during the Civil War3. According to the plaque, his granddaughter dedicated the property to the James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association.
Some years after Theatrical Managers opened the Castle, Illinois-based Kerasotes Theatres took over its operations4. Kerasotes intended to build a state-of-the-art five-screen cinema in a shopping center at State Road 3 and Riley Road in the late 1990s, but the plans never materialized5. Today, the strip mall’s home to nothing. It doesn’t exist! There’s a Tractor Supply there, but that’s it.
The Castle went dark in 2010 and closed its doors for what many feared might be the last time. Fortunately, its story didn’t end there- a pair of seasoned cinema operators from Indianapolis, the Battas family, stepped in with a vision. They leased the building, restored it, and brought the theater back to life6. It wasn’t just a reopening when the lights flickered back on and the neon glow returned to South Main Street- it was a homecoming. Local officials and residents alike celebrated the Castle’s revival7!
Unfortunately, the theater was shuttered again in 2018. This time, though, the story took an exciting turn: in 2024, the Cook family breathed life into the space again by reopening it as an event center. A spacious stage now anchors the auditorium, while the original seating has been replaced with tables and chairs arranged for concerts, weddings, and community events. The Castle won’t be showing movies every weekend since upgrading to a digital projector remains a costly challenge. Still, the old theater will occasionally return to its cinematic roots with special screenings of classic films8. The marquee advertised When Harry Met Sally when I drove past.
The Castle Theatre may have changed, but it’s still shining for New Castle in a new way. In a world where so many historic theaters fade away for good, the Castle’s ongoing story is something to celebrate. A win is a win, and this one belongs to all of New Castle.
Sources Cited
1 Going to the movies in days gone by (2023, October 26). The Henry County Historical Society & Museum. Web. Retriebed April 8, 2025.
2 Castle Theatre (n.d.). Cinema Treasures. Web. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
3 Joshua H. Mellett (1895, April 30). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 4.
4 (See footnote 2).
5 Lake, J.L. (1999, July 12). Plans abandoned for two Big Boys. The Muncie Star Press. p. 7.
6 Pierce, A. (2010, March 3). Putting the ‘Castle’ back in New Castle, Ind. Cinema Treasures. Web. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
7 (See footnote 6).
8 Ouellette, T. (2024, December 16). Historic New Castle theater reopens for event venue and, yes, some movies. Indiana Public Radio [Muncie[. Web. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
