| Summary: | This photograph of "Schine's Strand Theater" was probably taken in the latter 1940s. The theater, located at 28 E. Winter Street, was designed by architect Fred W. Elliot and opened in 1916. In the beginning, it was used for stage shows and silent movies. The original owner was Henry Bieberson, Jr. The Schine Circuit Theater chain was active in the 1940s and 1950s, and this theater was part of that chain. The movie playing at the time of this photograph was James Stewart's Call Northside, released in 1948. J.S. Buck's insurance and real estate company is also pictured in the photograph, at 30 E. Winter Street. The Strand advertised to OWU students in the 1932 Bijou (yearbook) as "a picture play house of character." It is one of the oldest continuous running movie theaters in the United States. Famous people who performed here included Tom Mix (early cowboy star), and Robert Byrd, discoverer of the North Pole. Byrd brought his husky with him. More recently, Homer Hickham (subject of October Sky movie) came to speak at the theater. Ohio Wesleyan University purchased this theater in 2002. Ownership was transferred to the non-profit Strand Theatre and Cultural Arts Assn. in 2007. Vincente Minnelli painted the backdrop curtain for the theater while a high school student. It is not known what became of the curtain. This is the only remaining movie theater of the original six located in downtown Delaware.
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