The Princess Theatre

The Princess Theatre. Marlborough, Massachusetts. This site once served as home to a prestigious theater that entertained thousands of local residents during the early 1900s. , After hosting numerous prominent abolitionist speakers in the pre-Civil War era, the old Town Hall was moved to this location in 1869 when a larger Town Hall was built. It had been purchased by the First Baptist Church of Marlborough, and, in a feat of engineering, a rock ledge was carved out, the old Town Hall was literally moved across the street, the building raised up, and two retail stores were installed at street level. The second floor hall became “Fulton Hall”. In 1887-1888, the Baptists built their new church at Monument Square and sold Fulton Hall to a private businessman. It then became known as the “Union Block”. , The hall served as headquarters for the Ancient Order of Hibernians until 1907 when the building passed to a syndicate that operated a string of theaters. These new owners expanded the hall into a theater that could seat 1,000 people. The facade was renovated to look like a scenic temple and the building was called “Scenic Temple, The Princess Theatre.” , The Princess Theatre became a popular gathering spot for featured speakers, shows, vaudeville acts, and movies. General admission was ten cents and reserved seats cost ten cents extra. , After offering the community many entertaining events for over twenty-three years, the theater closed around 1931 and was demolished shortly thereafter. , [Captions (top to bottom)] , . This colored postcard shows the Princess Theatre in the early 1900s. You can see the grand entrance to the left with “Scenic” over the door and several showtime announcements on either side. , . Local newspaper advertisements and showtimes for the Princess Theatre from the early 1900s.