OTTAWA — The Plaza Grill and Cinema Theater movie theater is the oldest operating theater in America — and maybe in the world. Because of a recent donation of historic photographs made to the Franklin County Historical Society, Executive Director Deb Barker found photos of the theater in operation from the early days of 1900 and alerted owner, Peach Madl. Barker says that since then, local newspapers mentioned the theater frequently, establishing the link that allows Madl to make the claim that it’s the oldest operating theater. Because of the photos and news clippings it appears that it has been operating longer than the Korsor Biograf Theater in Denmark – which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest operating cinema in the world. Madl says she was surprised and is excited about the theater’s distinction. She says it also shows that despite being a rural town in the middle of the midwest , Ottawa would be progressive enough to start and keep a theater. A group that includes the Historical Society, the Franklin County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Midland Railway and the Kansas Belle Dinner Train, the Ottawa Herald’s Studio 104 and other business leaders are embarking on a project to make the Plaza Grill and Cinema an homage to film and as regional destination for tourism. The Herald’s Jeanny Sharp says the group has started an internet fundraising campaign through the web site kickstarter.com.
Updated 9/30/13 @ 9:38 pm
