Palace Bar
Whitefish, MT
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

Here's the Palace Bar in downtown Whitefish, Montana. Despite the earlier theater identification, this old Central Avenue establishment has a history rooted in saloons rather than cinema. Its historical marker describes a building believed to have always housed an alcohol-related business, including the Kalispell Malting and Brewing Co. from 1915 to 1919.

For most of the years afterward, it has been known as the Palace Bar. Local lore places a brothel upstairs during its early days, while the old wooden backbar reportedly traveled by steamboat to Fort Benton, then by wagon and boat into the Flathead Valley. Later entertainment included mouse races, with patrons cheering their chosen mice along narrow ropes. Quite a different show from the movies originally attributed to this place.

UPDATE: The Palace continues as a downtown Whitefish watering hole, carrying on a tradition stretching back more than a century. This landmark belongs to the town's saloon history, complete with an old backbar and some colorful local tales. 06-26

Kerby Theatre (Closed)
Worland, WY
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

For decades, the Kerby supplied the town with an evening's entertainment along Big Horn Avenue. Its approximately 500-seat auditorium belonged to an era when a single downtown screen could be a major community gathering place. The marquee was reportedly removed around 2006, taking away one of its most recognizable features.

UPDATE: The theater had closed by 2007 and was declared a dangerous structure in September 2015. City officials boarded up the frontage in 2016 after broken windows raised safety concerns. The building was still documented standing in 2024, a quiet reminder of Worland's picture-show years. 06-26

Bluebird Theatre
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The Bluebird Theatre is hard to miss along Denver's East Colfax Avenue. Its projecting sign and flowing script give the old movie house a distinctive presence, the kind of advertisement that makes you look up while passing along the sidewalk.

Built during 1913–1914 as the Thompson Theatre, the venue became the Bluebird in 1922. It spent decades serving neighborhood moviegoers before finding another entertainment role. The building's long history reflects Colfax's evolution, while its familiar facade keeps a visible connection to the avenue's early cinema years.

UPDATE: The Bluebird continues as a live music venue, with national and local performers bringing audiences back through its doors. Good to see this longtime theater carrying on as an entertainment destination beneath one of Denver's most recognizable marquees. 06-26

Fiesta Twin Cinema
Cortez, CO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

Check out the colorful Fiesta Twin Cinema in downtown Cortez, Colorado. The bright facade and prominent sign give this Main Street theater plenty of personality. It began as the An Le Theatre in late October 1948, opening with 646 seats during the postwar moviegoing boom.

The original name honored Anna Lee Survant, daughter of theater owner John Survant. Allen Theatres purchased the business in 1967, and the auditorium was divided into two screens in 1977. The resulting Fiesta Twin offered audiences more choice while keeping the older downtown building in the movie business.

UPDATE: The Fiesta Twin continues to appear in current movie listings as an Allen Theatres location. Nearly eighty years after its beginnings, this colorful theater remains part of downtown Cortez's entertainment scene. Good to see another Main Street movie house carrying on. 06-26

Acme Theatre
Riverton, WY
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Acme Theatre has been a familiar part of Main Street in Riverton, Wyoming, for more than a century. Its present building opened on July 14, 1920, built for local businesswoman Belle Mote. The new theater offered an impressive auditorium with room for approximately 800 moviegoers.

The property originally combined entertainment with everyday downtown commerce, including storefronts, upstairs apartments, and a basement pool hall. A pipe organ was ordered for the auditorium, adding musical accompaniment during the silent-film years. Quite a collection of activity beneath one roof.

UPDATE: The Acme has experienced interruptions in operation, but recent listings and community events confirm that movies are again bringing people inside. An October 2026 fundraiser and current Barry Cinemas programming document its continuing role in Riverton. Good to see this century-old theater still drawing an audience. 11-26

Skyline Theatre
Canon City, CO
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Skyline Theatre brings a classic movie-house entrance to Main Street in Cañon City, Colorado. Dating to 1918, the theater has welcomed generations of audiences through changing names, owners, and entertainment habits. Its colorful frontage gives downtown a welcome touch of movie-night character.

The Skyline has faced several closures and comebacks over the years. After closing in September 2017, it underwent another restoration and reopened on July 28, 2023. Bringing an old auditorium back into service takes more than fresh paint, making each reopening another chapter worth noting.

UPDATE: Although some directories continue to list the Skyline as closed, its own website advertises movie programming and regular operating hours. The theater was also referenced for a May 2026 event in city records. Good to see activity continuing at this historic Main Street showplace. 11-26