By John K.
Hall
Pictures & Captions From Lockport Home Page Files
Henry Thurston was an innovative entertainment entrepreneur and, mayor of Lockport in 1934 and 1935. He was as born in 1877, and he and his wife Mary Elizabeth had six sons and one daughter.
The information for this article come from several conversations with his daughter Betty Horanburg, an article his granddaughter Wendy authored and information on file at the Niagara County Historical Society. His first venture was The Golden Palace movie theater on Main Street in Lockport. It seated 200 people, and a pianist provided musical background for the silent films. The admission price was 5 cents until movies became two reelers and then the price was raised to 10 cents.
In 1908, roller skating became popular and Henry and his eight-year-old son, Ray, became expert skaters, appearing in many exhibitions. Henry developed a skill for skating on one foot and in 1908 won the World's Championship "One Foot" skating contest in Detroit, Michigan. He had to propel himself on one foot, over a given distance, without touching the other foot to the floor. This same year, he sold his interest in the Golden Palace and built and opened the Walton Skating Rink on Walnut Street across from the Tuscarora Club, then the Wheelman's Club. In 1908 Walnut Street was residential. The residents of Walnut Street and adjacent streets petitioned the Common Council, complaining about the music coming from the skating rink because it kept them awake and drove them insane. They noted that gramophones on Main Street were stopped as a nuisance. Why not stop this nuisance?
A year later an ad in the paper indicated that the "World Championship" roller skating races were to be held on February 9-12, 1910, at the Walton Rink. The ad stated that there would be "One, two and three mile races and to come and see the fastest roller skaters in the world."
In 1916 vaudeville became popular and Henry converted the Walton Rink into, a combination vaudeville-movie theater seating 1100 people. He renamed his remodeled building the Temple Theater. One of the performers was Madam Shumanheink. I remember her singing. "Silent Night," every Christmas Eve at midnight, on the radio. John Phillip Sousa and his band were regular performers there. Other acts were "Marguerite and her African Lions," "Miss Eaton and her diamond gown weighing 25 pounds and valued at $10,000, "The Bimbo's," Paula and Charles comedy act and Captain D. J. Powers, Ireland's greatest ventriloquist. The movie stars were Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino and Will Rogers. The Ziegfield Follies started during this era.
Below: The Temple Theater on Walnut Street Circa 1920's. After conversion from The Waldon Rink. Now a city parking lot.
In summer the movie houses were hot and attendance dropped. Henry had a solution for that problem. In 1918, he purchased the Jackson home and property on the southeast corner of Pine and Walnut for $110,000. George Daunce could move anything so Henry hired him to move the house. George cut the house in half and turned them around, moved them a few feet so they now faced South Street. They are still there today. The Thurston family lived in the house on the corner until 1947,when Henry died. The Retailer has occupied the other half of the house for many years.
Henry then erected the "Air Drome." This was four walls and no roof. As his granddaughter Wendy stated in her article it was like a drive in theater, except you had to walk in. The film or vaudeville started at dusk and it was much cooler than the enclosed theater. If it rained everyone walked across the street to the Temple and the film continued. Eventually he put a roof on the "Air Drome," so it could be used year round. A few years ago I was visiting with former Mayor Rollin T. Grant, and he mentioned going to basketball games in the "Air Drome" It must have been a multi-purpose recreation center.
In 1922, with
the help of the Schine Company, Henry remodeled the "Air Drome" into The
Rialto Theater. A new exterior and a fancy interior along with some stores on the
Walnut Street side resulted in a very attractive. building. Mr. and Mrs. Perry's lunchroom
was next to the entrance and Everett Baney's barber shop was in the east side. The Rialto
seated 1400 people
and featured cowboy movies and a serial every Saturday. They still had live entertainment
plus an organ to entertain us before the show started.
The Rialto Theatre, Circa 1945, Walnut and Pine Streets in Lockport. Photo from the Charlene Bower collection.
In 1924, Henry decided to retire from the theater business and turned the operation over to his son Ray. This was the year the first "talkies" were introduced, which consisted of a phonograph record, which was played along with the movie. Radios were being developed during this period and Ray Thurston thought it would be a good idea to broadcast some of the vaudeville stars appearing on the Rialto stage along with some hometown talent. With the help of the Schine Company, Ray Thurston established Lockport's first radio station, WMAK.
Meanwhile Henry Thurston entered politics and was elected mayor in November 1933, serving one term, 1934 - 1935. One of his ideas was to have the city build an electric generating plant in the canal basin, using the canal water to turn the turbines. A Republican Common Council, plus a petition with 200 signatures opposing such a plan, scuttled the idea.
Following his term as mayor, he ran the bowling allies on Walnut Street. In 1938 he opened a restaurant on Lock Street, eventually selling the property to the Moose Lodge.
The Rialto was sold to the Schine Company, and as more and more of us left the theater and watched television, business dropped off and the Rialto closed its doors in the early 50s. The" Air Drome"-Rialto was torn down to make room for the M&T Drive-in Bank and eventually the whole M&T bank.
Remembering The Rialto At Closing - Photo By John Jenkins
Henry Thurston and his family entertained a great many Lockport and Niagara County people starting with the Golden Palace in 1900, the Walton Skating Rink, the Temple Theater, the "Air Drome" and the Rialto.
Jerry Spear, who ran Jerry's Market on LaGrange Street for many years, purchased the Thurston -house in 1950. His grandmother, Minnie Curchin, played the organ in the Rialto. David Blackly, a local attorney, purchased the Thurston house in 1999 to use as his law office. His great-aunt, Mary Blackly Foltz, played the organ in the Rialto.
Memories & History of The Palace Theatre
Story of Another "Thurston"---
Growing Up In Lockport In The
50's By Barbara Thurston Petty