The History of the Strand Theatre

The Strand Theatre held its grand opening on Monday, November 15, 1920. The first pictures featured were Norma Talmadge in "The Branded Woman" and Fatty Arbuckle in "The Garage." Admission prices were 17 cents and 33 cents.

The Strand Theatre was the first structure to be built on the  corner of 5th Street and Jefferson Avenue. It took eight months to construct and cost an estimated $100,000. It was the first  steel-framed structure in Moundsville, M.A. Sybert, promoter, owner, and manager of the theatre, and local contractor Thomas Shimp & Sons, made  certain that the new building was  technologically up-to-date, and included many modern amenities including central heat, Class "A" fire rating and the steel beam reinforced walls and ceilings.

The Strand ran first-run movies from 1920 until it closed in 1968. In its heyday, as many as 5 different movies where shown each week. While not showing films, Sybertís Strand hosted a variety of Vaudeville acts, minstrel shows and thespian productions. Groups of performers visited Moundsville on showboats that traveled the Ohio River.

The theatre operated regularly until 1968. The Strand sat empty for eight years until it’s reopening in 1976. The theatre ran first-rate movies for another 20 years until it closed in 1996. The curtain fell for what was to have been the final closing of the historic part of Moundsville’s uptown.