Panama City in Bay County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Lincoln Theater/KofP Hall
c.1957
Historic Glenwood
Photographed by Brandon D Cross
1. Lincoln Theater/KofP Hall (1957) Marker
Inscription.
Lincoln Theater/KofP Hall. c.1957. The Lincoln Theater, opened by the Bailey Theater chain in November 1950, stood as one of the last bastions of "colored theaters" where African Americans could enjoy movies and entertainment during a time of segregation. Operating until 1957, it served as a vital cultural hub for the community. Later, the building became the meeting place for the Shady Grove Lodge #18, Knights of Pythias, and the Order of Calanthe until 1996 when it was demolished for the expansion of Cove Boulevard, now Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the years, notable Chancellor Commanders, including Lonnie Perry Sr., Lonnie Purnell, Sgt. Bailey, Rev. Brown, and La'Micheal V. Eddie led meetings within its walls, leaving behind a legacy of camaraderie and resilience in the face of adversity., (caption) , Lincoln Theater , 1115 Cove Blvd.
The Lincoln Theater, opened by the Bailey Theater chain in November 1950, stood as one of the last bastions of "colored theaters" where African Americans could enjoy movies and entertainment during a time of segregation. Operating until 1957, it served as a vital cultural hub for the community. Later, the building became the meeting place for the Shady Grove Lodge #18, Knights of Pythias, and the Order of Calanthe until 1996 when it was demolished for the expansion of Cove Boulevard, now Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the years, notable Chancellor Commanders, including Lonnie Perry Sr., Lonnie Purnell, Sgt. Bailey, Rev. Brown, and La'Micheal V. Eddie led meetings within its walls, leaving behind a legacy of camaraderie and resilience in the face of adversity.
(caption)
Lincoln Theater
1115 Cove Blvd.
Erected 2024 by Panama City Quality of Life Program.
Location. 30° 10.125′ N, 85° 39.027′ W. Marker is in Panama City, Florida,
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in Bay County. It is at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard (U.S. 98) and 11th Court, on the right when traveling south on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1115 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Panama City FL 32401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 326 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 18, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
