In the 21st century, it’s hard to imagine that 100 years ago motion pictures were considered a novelty.
In the early 20th century several small theaters were opened in Lockport to showcase this new form of entertainment. One of these was operated by Henry F. Thurston. Before we examine that theater, we’ll look at his life prior to that event.
Thurston was born in Wilson, in 1877, the son of Nelson and Augusta Wright Thurston. At various times his family resided in Wilson, Niagara Falls and Lockport, and young Henry attended schools in the latter two cities. His first job was at Fibre Manufacturing Co. on Mill Street (later Indurated Fibre) in Lockport. In 1901, Henry went into partnership with John McCarthy, opening a confectionary shop at 64 Main Street. A year later he opened a billiard hall at 7 Main Street, operating it until 1910.
Expanding his business prospects, Thurston took advantage of the new rolling skating craze by erecting a rink on Walnut Street near Pine Street. He was a world champion roller skater and famous for skating on one foot. When the billiard hall closed, due to the enlargement of the Erie Canal, Thurston entered the motion picture business when he opened the Golden Palace Theater at 64 Main Street.
The early show places were usually located in store fronts where floors were built on a slant and could seat 100 to 200 people. A piano provided appropriate music for the silent movies projected on a screen. The projection booth was at the back of the theater (in the front of the building). These booths were dangerous contraptions that were small, cramped and lacked proper ventilation.
By 1911, Thurston had converted the roller rink into a new theater, the Temple at 121 Walnut Street, and established an open air “auditorium” at the corner of Walnut and Pine to hold sporting events. In 1916 this arena was enclosed and became the Thurston Auditorium.
In the late 1910s and early 1920s, Thurston was a busy man, operating two entertainment venues almost across the street from one another. It was at this time that he brought his sons, Raymond and Carl, in to the business to assist with the management of the two locations. In 1924 the Thurston Auditorium was replaced by the Rialto Theatre. This was a pivotal time for theaters in Lockport with several opening in the 1920s, including the Palace in 1925. It was also at this time that Thurston sold his theater interests to the Schine theater chain and moved on to other pursuits.
In 1928 William Thiele opened a bowling alley at 79 Walnut Street. That was acquired by Henry Thurston in 1933 and expanded to 81 Walnut Street. A newspaper article reported the “Brilliant Reopening for Bowling Alleys” and described “many pleasing changes and decided improvements…combined to make the reopening of the Thurston bowling alleys in Walnut St. a memorable occasion.” Although Thurston only had the alleys for a few years, they were popular and well-advertised in the newspapers. One ad reads: “Are You a Bowler? My, the things that bowling will do for you. The exercise makes you strong and cheerful — it is a benefit to the health.”
As a businessman and resident of the city, Thurston decided to run for mayor of Lockport in 1933. He couldn’t get the Republican endorsement so he switched parties and ran as a Democrat. According to one newspaper account, he won “with a large majority.” His campaign was based on the promise that he would “abolish petty grafting and unlawful practices that have become so entrenched thru long custom” and would give the city a “clean, honest and honorable administration.”
Thurston lived up to his campaign promises by taking on the city water department. The new mayor learned that the city was using 6.7 million gallons of water a day but the water department could only account for 2.7 million gallons. It was discovered that many “friends” of water department employees were receiving water in their homes and businesses at no charge while ordinary citizens were having their water shut off if they missed a payment. Thurston also shut down what one newspaper called “vicious” houses; these places promoted various types of vice by paying off the police department to look the other way. And, he proposed creating a city purchasing department where all purchases would be submitted for approval, thus taking the authority away from the department heads.
Needless to say, many of these measures and proposals did not set well with some of the city office holders, department heads or “higher-ups.” Thurston served two years as mayor and lost the 1935 election to his Republican opponent.
In 1938 Thurston embarked on yet another chapter of his life. He purchased the old Whitcomb-Holmes Building at 4-6 Lock Street and opened a restaurant. It was described as having “a spacious banquet hall, bar, grill and coffee shop” and was “heralded as one of the most modern and attractive rendezvous in Western New York.” As an added amenity, it was “completely air conditioned.” The building also included five apartments, one of which Thurston used as his own. The restaurant was short-lived, closing in 1942. It later became the Lockport Moose Lodge.
As for his personal life, Thurston married Elizabeth Conniff at St. John’s Catholic Church in 1899. They had seven children, six sons and one daughter. Elizabeth died in 1921 and Thurston married Mary F. Murphy in 1924.
Thurston, a man of many talents, died on Dec. 31, 1947, aged 70. He is buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.
Ann Marie Linnabery is the assistant director of the History Center of Niagara.
