In 1902, this land was sold by Jesse Hilles (1828-1914) and his wife, Mary Catherine, to Samuel Russell Reasin and Samuel Reasin Jones (1870-1916). Hilles (sometimes spelled Hillis) had acquired the large parcel of land in 1864 that was improved by “A Brick Steam Grist Mill” and was the office building of Jesse Hilles and Company. The grist mill ceased to exist by 1924 when the Havre de Grace Banking and Trust Company was built over its foundation (and is now MacGregor’s Restaurant). Jesse Hilles previously was a wholesale coal merchant at this address.

In 1910, The Bijou Dream Motion Picture Parlor (currently known as the State Theater) was opened next door to and just north of the Willou Theatre by Marshall E. Lindsay, who worked at the Havre de Grace Water Plant. The Bijou had seating for 135 people. In 1911, John William “Will” Bauer bought the Bijou from Samuel R. Jones and his wife Laura, built a passageway between the two theaters and upgraded some features. (The 1921 Sanborn Insurance Map shows the extended theater.) Initially during that period both theaters ran the same film—the reels were carried back and forth between the two theaters. Later, different films were shown in each theater and changed each day.

In 1925 the Willou Theatre next door was severely damaged by fire and closed down, leaving only some damage to the Bijou. Once repaired, the Bijou was the only “Moving Picture” company in town and Will Bauer was the owner of both. In 1927 Bauer sold both properties presumably making more money on selling the intact Bijou as an operating theatre. Bauer sold them to Baltimore-based Frank H. Durkee of Durkee Enterprises (known as The Grand Company). Durkee created a 500-seat movie theater and renamed it the “State Theatre,” which became a very popular landmark in Havre de Grace for decades. The brick structure was designed in the style of many theaters of the day and although not wired at first for “talkies,” Durkee did so a couple of years later.

Many current and former residents of Havre de Grace have fond memories of seeing movies here from the early 1930s through the 1960s. And with each movie also came Paramount News or Movietone News, complete with their jingle. The best time, they say, was Christmastime in the State Theatre. Every year for Christmas, the State Theatre would show a special holiday movie and cartoons following which Havre de Grace firefighters lined up on both sides of the aisles. Santa himself came on stage, and as each child went up to the stage Santa gave them an orange and a box of candy or chocolates. The box would always be decorated with a Christmas print. John Correri remembers as a kid delivering the navel oranges from their fruit market to the theater with his Dad.

What some children also remember, but never questioned at the time, was that if they were white and going to the movies with an African American friend, they would have to split up when they got to the theater—whites only were allowed in the ground floor seats but their black friends had to go to the balcony. Some white kids have said they wanted to go to the balcony with their friends, but that wasn’t allowed either.

One child, a Havre de Grace High School graduate and freelance writer, who didn’t question the segregation at the time but wrote about it later was Diedre A. Ware. In the Los Angeles Times (December 25, 2005) she wrote, “Every year, a few days before Christmas, our town sponsored a free movie day. Ushers led my white friends into the main part of the theater, while we coloreds were escorted into an overcrowded balcony.” In her article entitled, “At Last, A Santa Whose Cheeks Aren’t Rosy,” she continued, “Santa gave everyone equal time to discuss their wish lists, but the white children were always first in line. Still, a starry-eyed girl of 7 didn’t care about the wait, or the color of Santa’s skin—or that none of us colored families had chimneys. I believed in Santa.” And then, “I was 24 years old when I first saw a Black Santa Claus, while walking through an Atlanta mall. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Here was a round, jolly-looking fellow in a red suit. But he didn’t have rosy cheeks. I was immobile. As I stared at the white-bearded Black man, I thought back to my childhood and realized that the myth of Santa Claus was even more of a fabrication in colored neighborhoods. This man we idolized should have looked more like me. Or, rather, like my father. Because that’s who he had been all along.”

Diedre’s father, Charlie C. Ware, was much loved at Havre de Grace High School and he and his wife, Annie, in their 90s, still live in town, where many locals celebrate their birthdays.

Kids enjoyed going to the State Theater in the summer also—mainly because it was air-conditioned. Jim Miller says that with a quarter he could get into the Saturday matinee and with another quarter he could get a bag of popcorn, a candy bar, and a soda. And then he would stay and watch the movie again! On some Saturdays, the theater would hold a “Western matinee” and Richard V. Grubb (now a well-known local dentist) used to dress up like a cowboy with chaps, two toy guns, and a hat!

The State Theatre provided a lot of employment for teenagers—Melvin Cullum’s first job was as an usher for 50 cents an hour and two free movie passes; Merrill Dougherty worked as an usher and projectionist; Kathy Perrett was a “candy counter girl” in the 1960s; and Edith Grindstaff Griffith worked for 50 cents an hour in 1966. Gary Leadore worked there for 50 cents an hour and says that if the projectionists didn't place the carbon rod just right in the old carbon arc projectors, the screen would go black when the carbon rod burned out and all the moviegoers would stomp their feet and yell until they changed the carbon rod.

The theater was managed for many years by George Robert Elder, Sr. (1911-2000) and the Assistant Manager was Kay Pearson Keetley’s Aunt, Katherine Johnson—Katherine had first been hired in the 1920s to play the piano during silent movies. People remember that Katherine had a pet monkey named Judy and Beverly Tabor says Katherine would get her to go outside and catch spiders for the monkey. And taking tickets was Delores Dougherty, mother of former Mayor Wayne Dougherty. A memorable day for many in January 1965 was when during the movie “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” Ronald Dubs shot his estranged wife in the lobby. George Elder and others witnessed the shooting and held Dubs until Sgt. Paul Bungori arrived and arrested him. The case went before well-known local Judge Harry E. Dyer, Jr. (The Evening Sun,August 25, 1965.)

In 1973, the State Theatre closed due to poor business. The problem was attributed primarily to newly built shopping mall theaters in the Harford County area. Frank Durkee’s son, also Frank Durkee of Baltimore’s Grand Company, sold the property to Faith Tabernacle Church in 1974.

In 1981, however, a group of local citizens, including Clovis Bolen, Allen Fair, Donald Angert, Gunther Hirsch, and Gary Pensell formed the Havre de Grace Growth Corporation and bought the building. After doing some repairs and restoration they opened The Lafayette, showing current movies every day. Unfortunately, with competition from other theaters that housed multiple screens, business dwindled and the hopes of recreating the joy of the State Theatre ended. There were other owners and early in the 2000s, the building was used by the Evangelistic Church of Deliverance for Sunday services until about 2015.

Beginning in early 2019 a group of energetic arts lovers, led by Jared Noe, worked hard over two years to refurbish and renovate the State Theater and have made it a unique venue, complete with the art-deco style of its heyday. It now offers space for comedians, music acts, theater productions, and film screenings. And it houses Jared Noe’s media production company, Suited Four, Inc. It first opened to live entertainment in January 2020.

This property along with 327 St. John Street continues to be owned by St. John D Investments, LLC of 423 St. John Street.

County Records
Built 1920. 4,770 sq ft commercial church, 4710 sq ft lot. This property is recorded together with 327 St. John Street.