Richmond in Wayne County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
C. Francis Jenkins
Photographed By Marilyn Lyons, January 28, 2015
1. Honoring C. Francis Jenkins, inventor of the Motion Picture projector & first audience projection
memory
of
C. Francis
Jenkins,
inventor of the
original
Motion Picture
Machine,
who projected the
First Moving
Picture
ever shown in Richmond
in this building.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is June 6, 1894.
Location. 39° 49.747′ N, 84° 53.503′ W. Marker is in Richmond, Indiana, in Wayne County. Marker is on East Main Street just west of North 8th Street (U.S. 27), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 726 East Main Street, Richmond IN 47374, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sailor Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Mendenhall-Clay Debate / Confrontation (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Esther G. White (approx. 0.2 miles away); 1968 Downtown Richmond Explosion (approx. 0.2 miles away); Freedom Fountain (approx. 0.2 miles away); Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Korean War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wayne Township World War II Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
More about
this page online
Regarding C. Francis Jenkins. C. Francis Jenkins, also known as Charles Francis Jenkins, grew up on a farm north of Richmond in the mid-late 1800s. He later moved to Washington D.C. and eventually became an inventor. That is where he invented the first motion picture projector. On June 6, 1894 he returned to his roots-Richmond & Wayne County, Indiana, where his family still lived, with his projector to show off his invention and projected the first motion picture (moving pictures) before an audience. This building at 726 East Main was probably used because it was where a family member operated a business and because it was long and narrow, perfect for showing a motion picture.
While it is not known when this plaque was placed, it was probably after Jenkins' death in 1934. The wording on the plaque is a little misleading as it suggests this was the site of the first showing of a motion picture in Richmond, when in actuality & historically it was the site of the first motion picture projection before an audience anywhere.
Also see . . . C. Francis Jenkins & this site's history. (Submitted on May 5, 2020.)
2. C. Francis Jenkins Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2020. This page has been viewed 187 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 5, 2020, by Marilyn Lyons of Cambridge City, IN - Indiana. 2. submitted on May 9, 2020. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
