The movie theater has changed greatly over the past century. The days of the large movie palaces are gone, replaced by small, compact theaters in malls and cineplexes.

This exhibit of postcards shows the variety of theaters that existed in northern New England during the early 1900s. The black and white images are typically unaltered photos, while many of the colored images were retouched, with people, clouds, and other objects added.

Click on the images to learn more about the theaters. Our information came from many sources including trade journals, city directories, the cards themselves, and the recollections of moviegoers. Maps, such as the Sanborn fire insurance maps, hold many details about the buildings and their context. Local historical societies, amateur historians, and community history books often can provide much information about movie going in a town or city.

The majority of these images came from the Q. David Bowers Collection at Northeast Historic Film.