Philly & Stuff: The Original Holme Theatre

7937-7939 Frankford Avenue

My thanks to John Rowe who found one reference to the "unknown" theatre as I had framed it in a previous blog entry below.

Theatre Unknown - 7939 Frankford Ave - Holmesburg / Torresdale - 1913 - ?

John had found one written item, mentioned in the comment section of that entry that the theatre had at one time been known as the Garden Theatre. It probably had that name after the name went up the pike to a newer larger movie palace at 8045 Frankford Avenue. I don't really know. Could not find another written reference to that fact etc.

Upon research further, the building pictured above and surviving I believe to this day had been the original "Holme Theatre", a name associated to this day with a later building built in 1929 and later renamed the "Penypack Theatre" (one "n") and closed in 1959.

My blog entry above used a later city altas map that labeled 7937-7939 Frankford with the building as merely labeled "Theatre". I have now found an earlier atlas in 1920 that confirms the "Holme Theatre" label.

Two Holme Theatres in Holmesburg - history wise.