After the Final Curtain: America's Abandoned Theaters

In the early 20th century the streets of small towns and cities across America were filled with the lights and sounds of movie theaters. The most opulent — known as “movie palaces” — were designed to make their patrons feel like royalty; people would dress up to visit. But as time went on it became harder and harder to fill the 2,000+ seat theaters and many were forced to close.

Today, these palaces are illuminated only by the flicker of dying lights. The sound of water dripping from holes i...