It’s almost unthinkable today when cities the size of Anderson, Elkhart, and Marion no longer have a movie theater to call their own, but once upon a time, even the smallest towns could boast a cinema. Albany, Indiana, was one of them. For a time, it had its own little window into Hollywood.
The Albany Theater got its start in 1947, when William and Lecile Tharp of Dunkirk filed articles of incorporation along with Robert L. Smith of Portland1. Although county records say the theater building dates to 19202, I have reason to believe it was built the year the theater opened3.
Advertised variously as the Albany “Theater” or “Theatre,” the Albany was described in its day as nice and modern4. Period recollections say it lived up to the claim: inside, a gently sloped floor ensured clear sight lines, while a separate room at the back of the house gave parents with crying children a place to retreat without missing the show5. Films rotated three times a week, and the single-screen cinema proved popular enough to draw moviegoers from as far away as Muncie- twelve miles down the road6.
Outside, the theater featured a short stepped facade sort of like a Wild West storefront. Two pairs of doors with arched windows sat beneath a prominent, trapezoidal marquee.
A year after the Albany opened, more than four-hundred kids attended a Christmas show under the sponsorship of the Tharps, the Albany Chamber of Commerce, and the local legion post. Santa Claus even made an appearance after the show to distribute sacks of treats7!
In 1956, the theater held a Moments to Remember party for juniors and seniors at Albany High School. The celebration was centered around the crowning of a king and queen at midnight, followed by a showing of Anything Goes8.
The last Albany advertisement I found was from 1960, when it played Beloved Infidel starring Gregory Peck and Deborah Kerr9. The theater’s incorporation was revoked in 1966 after its owners failed to file annual reports for two or more consecutive years10. The Tri Kappa sorority held a rummage sale in the old building the following year11.
Today, the remodeled Albany Theater building is home to Bullock Heating & Cooling, but the fact that it’s still standing still matters. The Albany may no longer project Hollywood dreams, but it remains a reminder of a time when even a small Indiana town could claim a seat in the dark, a shared story on the screen, and a place that brought the community together.
Sources Cited
1 Swartz Motor Sales Is Incorporated Here (1947, September 4). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 15.
2 Parcel 0802428006000 (2026). Office of the Assessor. Delaware County [Muncie]. Web. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
3 Business Opportunities (1947, May 11). The Muncie Star. p. 31.
4 Spurgeon, B. (1997, October 14). Trip continues down memory lane of early Albany. The Muncie Star Press. p. 20.
5 (See footnote 4).
6 (See footnote 4).
7 Albany (1948, December 27). The Muncie Star. p. 12.
8 Mavis, M. (2006, April 16). The Muncie Star Press. p. 25.
9 Albany Theatre (1960, April 3). The Muncie Star. p. 23.
10 Field, L. (1966, August 6). Incorporation of 86 County Firms Revoked by State. The Muncie Evening Press. p. 6.
11 Tri Kappas Sell Rummage (1967, October 2). The Muncie Star. p. 6.
Thanks for this small bit of history. I am reminded of the theater in Fowler, which is just about exactly the same size as Albany and a true gem.
I’ve been past the Fowler, but never stopped in. It’s very similar!