The Park Theatre was a first-run house. The theatre’s construction was begun in 1913 by J.L. Jackson, and was completed by C.H. Bond in 1914. Sometime after, Bond sold to Fred Jackson, who operated the theatre until 1922 when he sold it to Ralph Gwynn, who added the lobby and the tall landmark tower in 1926. The theatre’s tower became known locally as the “Tower of Love.” Gwynn operated the theatre until his death in 1963.
Vic Walker purchased the theatre from the Gwynn estate. From 1968, Ola and Richard Stanger ran the theatre for Walker, and they purchased it from him just before the Lawn Lake flood of 15 July 1982. The Park Theatre was entered onto the National Register of Historic Places on 14 June 1984. The Stangers remodelled the theatre in 1989, adding leg room to each aisle of seats which reduced the number of seats to 224, with 16 rows of 14 seats each.
Since the Stangers’ deaths in 2003 and 2004, the theatre continues to be run by the Stanger family and friends each summer from May through September, ending with the annual Estes Park Film Festival. The theatre is currently owned by Sharon Seeley.
References: Website-Wikipedia : Park Theatre website : with additional information provided by Sharon Seeley. |