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The Princess Theatre

Walking Tour Prepared By Kevin & Lisa Ragland
With History By: Yolanda Reid & Linda Dean

Circa 1900 - two story brick with remodeled first story, second floor features seven arched windows with corbeled surrounds and a central projecting bay, four small round windows decorate parapet.


February 1897 Owned by C C Bell 2nd floors & Center Wall Tenants
1st Floor East - The Rocket Store, owner J M Elan & Co
1st Floor West - Elbert Benton Furniture
2n Floor - Springfield Herald, Cumberland Telephone Co; M. Moskovotz, Tailor, Sterling Beaumont Insurance, R.L. Peek & R. C. Verhine Attorneys
January 1898 Tenants
1St Floor East - Vacant
1st Floor West - Vacant


2nd Floor - W. Hand Printing Shop; Cumberland Telephone Co., others probably the same as 1897
February 11, 1898 at 7 pm a fire started in Moskovitz Tailor Shop. All buildings on the North side of Public Square were destroyed from the Woodard Building to the driveway two offices west of Bell Building.


1903 Bell building rebuilt - Tenants
1st Floor East - Hardware
1st Floor West - Hardware
2nd Floor East - offices
2nd Floor West - W. Hand Printing
Basement - Tin Shop


1905 Headquarters for the Dark Tobacco Distribution Planters Protective Association. Robertson County and some adjoining counties occupied the 1St Floor East
1908 Tenants
1St Floor East - Tobacco Sales Room
1St Floor West - J W Bell Pluming
2nd Floor East - offices
2nd Floor West - W. Hand Printing
Basement - Tin Shop
1913 Tenants
Offices
J. W. Bell Plumbing
Offices
Print Show and Electrical Shop
Tin Shop not used
November 5 & 6, 1915


J. W. Bell remodeled entire building and opens Bell Theatre. Building equipped for motion pictures or stage shows
Motion Picture "Birth of a Nation" shown
August 21, 1920
Theatre sold to crescent Amusement Co. of Nashville for $16,000. Name changed to Princess Theatre.
July 27, 1939


Crescent Amusement opened newly built Capital Theatre on South Main. All staff from Princess transferred to the Capital. Princess is closed for 7 years.
March 7, 1947 - Princess Theatre remodeled and reopened.
December 22, 1954 - American Legion host Christmas party for children of the county.
January 5, 1956 - A. L. Hancock retires as manager of Capital Theatre. Lewis Cobb manager of Princess transferred to Capital. Princess Theatre closed never to reopen.
1957 - Newly remodeled building occupied by Gamble's Store
1950-1961 - Gambles Store
1970 - Crescent Properties sell the building to Louis Draughon.
1971-1978 - Fred's Department Store
December 1, 1981 - Grady Elder buys property from Draughon Estate and moves his business Olympic Sportsware for next eight years.
January 30, 1990 - Building sold to Wayne Boger business T & T Screen Printing.
November 29, 1994 - Daniel Beus and Charlotte Fleming purchase building: "Oak House Antiques", a copying service and Fleming Attorney
September 16, 1996 - Building sold to W. E. (Ed) Head and restored the building to office space.

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