Former Palace Theater (Gary, Indiana)

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John Eberson designed the Palace in 1924, in his traditional atmospheric style. It opened a year later, originally with live stage shows and vaudeville acts in addition to motion pictures.

Operating for decades as one of Gary's grandest entertainment venues, the cavernous Palace slowly slid into decline, closing in 1972.

Since then, several attempts have been made to bring the theater back to life, but unfortunately, none have been successful. Meanwhile, this sadly forgotten Eberson treasure has fallen into major disrepair, with substantial water damage to its auditorium and its Renaissance-style exterior crumbling away. A precarious-looking 50s or 60s era marquee appears in danger of falling off at any time.

Though in danger of being lost, the Palace would make an ideal performing arts or classic films venue, for anyone with enough interest, and more importantly, money, to put into restoring it.
To register your support for saving the Palace Theatre, contact David Wright, Gary City Planner, 219-881-5090.

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Violence at the Palace in 1968 (from the Chicago Tribune, April 15, 1968)...

400 SEE YOUTH SLAIN IN GARY MOVIE HOUSE

Four hundred persons, many of them youngsters, looked on in horror last night as a 15 year old youth was stabbed to death in the crowded lobby of a downtown Gary movie theater.
The stabbing took place as the audience was leaving the Palace theater, 791 Broadway, after a showing of "Bonnie and Clyde", a violence-ridden movie about Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, Depression era gangsters.
The stabbing victim was Aldrid Black, the son of Mrs. Anna Black of 2189 Nichols pl., Gary, and a student at Gary's Roosevelt high school.

Police Seek Youth

Police were also seeking a youth about 18, who fled onto Broadway, Gary's main street, after the stabbing. Police said he was lost in the crowd outside the theater waiting to attend the show.
Witnesses told police that the fight began when the older youth shoved Aldrid and called him an insulting name.
Witnesses said the two began to fight in the crowded lobby when the older youth pulled out a knife and stabbed Aldrid in the neck.

4 Cops on Duty

Four special policemen were on duty in the theater to keep order but were unable to get to the lobby until the fight was over.
The incident was the latest in a series of acts of violence that have taken place in downtown Gary.