Melba Theatre This and Planted Dogwood Trees
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Houston, Mo., Oct. 18, 2001 Section A Page 8 THE SECOND FRONT The date of Houston's first picture We expect them for the Wednesday show is not clear, but Gaylord Elliot, night show of this week but do not know Present Houston's first undertaker, is given for sure. We will have a good showin- credit for also undertaking this new stead if they do not arrive in time for ' Minstrels to Movies 1900 - 1920 (Part 1) business venture. the Wednesday night show. It is believed the first Houston July I, 1915 Houston Herald Life for Houston building to house a theater was a one- Mail delivery in the early part of residents in the early story building located on the north- the century was more closely related 1900s was not easy. west corner of the city block that to the Pony Express than the Federal Jfravel on rural roads burned in 1999. Brown's Chevrolet Express of today. Routes were unre- connecting small was later located on the lot.. liable and dependent upon road con- A roundup of area newspapers: communities was ventured with expectations of impediments and ob- "On the corner was a vacant lot on ditions, whether it be snow or rain. Houston native Robbie Smith, who stacles. People kept close within the boundaries of their everyday lives. A movie schedule was easily altered. rescued a baby deer in June in , Social gatherings were church singings, school pie suppers and neigh- which G.V. Elliott established flooding waters at West Plains, was Houston's first picture show. " borhood dances. pictured last week. The deer has Down Memory Lane by Dan Elliott Local Mention Traveling troupes of actors, musicians and performers promised to been fed two, two-liter bottles of Feb. II, 1965 Houston Herald - After being in darkness^for the past lamb's milk each day, along with bring a fragment of the outside world to the community. A scheduled Local Mention three weeks the electric lights came on chased a new machine, piano and dry dog food. The animal is slated event enjoyed the support of good crowds. Entertainers were consid- again last Saturday night. The head of - Gaylord Elliott's movies show at the lighting outfit and assure you good to be returned to the wild early next ered to be somewhat of a novelty and most likely held with an element of water at the power plant was not airdome was rained out again last Sat- pictures and a warm house from now year... .The South Barry County respect and suspect - they having seen and experienced much more of enough for good lights Saturday night Hospital's board members voted urday night, but the sfww was put on on. G. V. Elliott the world than many of the residents of the small community. Doubtless Monday night. Gaylord is giving some but by Sunday night they gave their last week to affiliate the local Nov. 16, 1916 Houston Herald they appealed to the imagination and fascination of Houston residents good shows, including the famous usual brilliancy and will continue to get facility with St. John's Health Systems of Springfield. The news long ago and provided an escape from the reality of everyday problems. Charlie Chaplin pictures. better. A force of men under direction Theaters, including Houston's, of- came after Aurora decided to link It would be an attraction Houston would support for nearly the next Houston Herald, June 15, 1916of M.G, Coyle have been busily en- ten advertised inside climate and gaged in repairing the break in the dam with St. John's. Decreased century with the evolution of minstrels to movies. comfort of the movie house as a sell- reimbursements as a result of the An outdoor theater is remembered and apparently have done a good job ing point. Many early businesses Balanced Budget Act and managed 1900s usually not more than a store, emp- and may have been an option during of it for it is believed the dam is in bet- were heated by a solitary wood stove health care contracts were cited. - Tickets for the Blind Boone musical tied of fixtures and merchandise with different time periods in Houston. ter shape than it ever has been. The XXX - not a comfort to the row of seats entertainment at the hall next Monday the addition of chairs. Price of ad- Certainly, a cool summer evening forebay was also renewed and con- You can purchase the Herald furthest away from the source of night are on sale at the post office. Gen- mission was a nickel. Piano music breeze would have been more desir- creted and this together with some other now on Wednesday afternoons warmth. Shivering was preferred to eral admission 25 cts.; Reserved seats, was played fast or slow depending on able than cramped seating in a build- repairing and improvement yet to be from the newspaper box in front of be generated from the suspense of a 35 cts. Dec.l. 1898, Houston Herald the speed of the chase taking place ing, the only air circulation caused by made will place the light plant prop- the Herald office. erty in better condition than heretofore. villain's capture instead of the tem- XXX Some of the earliest shows in The company has met every expense perature. Holiday Season Approaches: The Houston were held in the G.A.R. Hall and has endeavored to make the plant Summer could cause the opposite Salvation Army is seeking (Grand Army of the Republic) This a convenience and a benefit to the town, volunteers to ring bells this holiday discomfort. Society dictated Sunday season. There are 140 two-hour although, owing to the washouts, it has hall was located on the northwest cor- best clothing, which could be warm time slots in Houston, Cabool and ner of Grand and Mill, the present not been a paying proposition. - wool jackets and long sleeved Licking. Bell ringing starts the day site of Elmore's Men's and Boys' Oct. 7, 1915. Houston Herald heavy dresses. after Thanksgiving and runs Wear. The hall was large enough for A long fan traveling on a runner, through Christmas Eve. Eighty-five Electricity came to Houston from a public gathering and for several de- moved manually from a crank on the percent of money collected remains the Lone Star Mill power plant in in Texas County to assist with cades would house variety shows, wall is remembered at one of 1908. Even if the picture show, at many needs. The Salvation Army early movies, roller skating gradua- Houston's early theaters. times had its own generator, power motto is "Sharing Is Caring." Sign tions and a new type of team sport in A dress code continued for many was unpredictable. The Electric up by calling the Texas County the early 1910s called basketball. decades. And the Great Depression Food Pantry at 417-967-4484. Plant would keep the turbine turning of the 1930s did not allow for much XXX A large and enthusiastic audience specifically for the theater until the code relaxation. Houston theater pa- Odds and ends: A trip to greeted Blind Boone, the great Negro movie was over. More than once a trons remember LaVonne McKnight Columbia on Saturday shows the musician, at the G.A.R. Hall last Mon- show had to be interrupted until the leaves prettier in our neck of the taking tickets wearing a mink stole, day night and everyone was well repaid power plant operator could clear the woods...Is gasoline going to below high heels and silk stockings that for his trouble in coming out. The mu- turbine of debris and restore power. a dollar a gallon? Some experts sical abilities of this blind Negro is dared not waver their seam from a think so... something wonderful, the man being Movie notifications are found scat- straight path. XXX certainty entitled to all the praise that tered in the Herald in 1915. World The Melba Theater, built in 1938 Houston students organized an has been bestowed upon him for the "Nickelodeons" were some of the first theaters, often a store bragged of being "Air anti-drug special supplement in today's newspaper. We think you'll great musical talent with which he is emptied and chairs added. The price to see the new moving Conditioned Winter . pictures was five cents, hence the name. find the job they did commendable. endowed.... and Summer." The air The Herald printed 650 extra conditioning was a Dec.8, 1898. Houston Herald on the screen. a flurry of hand-held fans. copies that were distributed to each large fan blowing air high school and middle school The summer and fall editions of the The theater was enclosed by a 1910s through a screen of run- student. Meanwhile, copies of the 1904 Houston Herald each week tell metal fence. Wooden bleachers The Great Train Robbery (1903) ning water. This system newspaper also are being provided of Texas County residents attending seated patrons. to fourth and fifth graders as they The Birth of a Nation (1915) may have accounted for the St. Louis World's Fair. It is likely The fence provided an opportunity participate in a weekly feature on Alimony i\9\%) the musty smell remem- the visitors were able to experience for a dime's worth of extra candy in the Pony Express that is appearing bered by later Melba By 1900 movies had become a such a new invention at the World's the event an occasional little brother, in the Herald. patrons. The heat was popular attraction at amusement ar- Fair and may have wondered if and with a name such as Bill Christie, was XXX two fuel oil stoves.