Hall Theater
| Moving pictures came to town about 1912 and were quartered in the north floor room of the Barry Hotel building on the west side of the square. Silent pictures were shown in that location for several years. In 1914, Thomas J. Preddy rode into town on a horse from his native Oklahoma and shortly thereafter, purchased the movie house at the above location. Later he was joined by his brother, Jess, and sister, Ardelia Tucker. Through successive hands, it passed down to the Ozark Theatre which was on the south side of the square in 1928 and “talkies” were first available. The movie house remained there until it was sold to Glen and Clairece Hall at the end of World War II. That site was closed when Mr. and Mrs. Hall purchased the community building and remodeled it for the Hall Theater after World War II. From The First 150 Years in Cassville, Missouri by Senator Emory Melton |
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Ozark Theater on 8th Street on Cassville Square |
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In 1946 Glen Hall moves from Ozark Theater building to Community Building location and renames the business Hall Theater. |
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Cassville Community Building in 1929 |
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Bond issued in 1928 for consturction of Cassville Community Building that later become the Hall Theater Building. |
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Harry Truman visits Community Building in 1938 |
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View inside the Hall Theater |
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Hall Theater Remodel in 1969 |
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Hall Theater in 1975 |
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Hall Theater Building in 2019 |
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On March 1st 2022, fire destroyed the two-story building on the northern end of the west side of the Cassville Square commonly referred to around town as the Hall Theater building. The building began life as a community building for the city of Cassville, with the corner stone laid in August 1928. Cassville financed the project through the voter approved issuance of $18,000 in bonds drawing 5% interest. Besides housing a hall for events such as graduation ceremonies, the building also contained the city hall, town library, and post office, which in 1929 was relocated by Postmaster Horine from the two-story building on south main (current location of the Cassville Democrat newspaper offices) to the community building, and remained at that location until 1938, when under the WPA a new post office was constructed. On October 24, 1938, Senator Harry Truman gave a speech to county WPA workers in the Cassville Community Building. Another notable visitor in April 1940 was the world’s tallest man Robert Wadlow. But with the WPA construction projects of the post office and high school gymnasium completed, need for a community building lessened. In 1940 Bertha Shore opened Shore’s Café in the community building. In 1944 the Cassville Commercial Club sponsored roller skating in the building. The building was eventually sold to Glen and Clarice Hall to enable the relocation of the Ozark Theater on the south side on the square to a larger venue. After some remodeling, a grand opening for the new Hall Theater was held on August 15, 1946. Barry County audiences enjoyed movies at the Hall Theater until Glen and Clarice retired in the late 1970s. In 1969 the Hall’s remodeled the building to a colonial style with a Cedar shake roof. Other businesses located in the building at that time included the State License Bureau, Ozark Production Credit Office, Meadors Jewelry Store, offices of Dr. Mary, as well as living quarters for the Halls on the second floor. The building will be missed, but memories of flickering lights on silver screen still endure for as long as we shall remember. |
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Hall Theather Building Demolition in 2024 |
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Glass sign found during demoliton |
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Community Building Time Capsule |
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Cornerstone for the building laided in 1928. Inside was a time capule found during building demolition in 2024. |
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Items Found in former Hall Theater building Time Capsule |
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Cassville Commercial Club 1926 |
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Manley Insurance Agency 1927 |
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Cassville Democrat Newspaper from August 25, 1928 |
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Celestra Chapter 81 1897-1913 |
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Pythagoras Lodge 3883 1972-1907 |
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First National Bank Cassville 1928 |
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James F. Chastain Strawberry Tolken dated 1902 Purdy |
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Hall Theater Flyers |
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| Hall Theater Flyers 1 | Hall Theater Flyers 2 | Hall Theater Calendars 1958 |
| Ozark Theater Calendars 1939-41 | Ozark Theater Calendars 1942-44 | Hall Theater Calendars 1956 |
| Hall Theater Calendars 1957 | Hall Theater Calendars 1959 | Hall Theater Calendars 1960 |
| Hall Theater Calendars 1961-67 | Hall Theater Opening Night Program 1946 | Hall Theater Flyers 3 |
Green Hills Drive-In |
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| In 1951, Mr. and Mrs. Hall purchased land on Hwy. 248 (known as Hwy. 44 in 1951) and constructed a modern drive-in theater, with individual in car speakers and graded ramps to ensure perfect vision of the massive screen. Known as the Green Hills Drive In Theatre, the Halls continued to entertain outdoor audiences until 1979, when they sold the business to Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Dell. | ||
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Green Hills Drive-In in 1951 |
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Hall Theater Sign from 1950s |
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