Hole in the Wall Tavern

[Tomcat]

In Hollywood was studied and listed as a Maryland historic building. I don't remember who it was did the study though. Over the years the paperwork has been misplaced. Would you have any idea what agency / organization may have done this study and how I could find a copy of it?

For those who don't know the history, in the early 30's? It was originally a wholesale gasoline distributor/ general store (think very early Burch Mart) It was sold and became the Hollywood Movie Theater (first movie theater in St.Marys County) Walter "Flug" Norris ran a concession stand / bar there and eventually bought the place. Later on he turned it into just a bar, Norris' Tavern. In the 70's? it was sold and the name changed to Hole in the Wall Tavern.

[Henry]

Elizabeth Hughs and Kirk Ranzetta from 1997 to 2000 conducted a St. Mary's County Historic Sites Survey for the Department of Planning and Zoning. The results of this survey were published in a seies of area specific pamphlets. These are available at the public library.

However to the best of my knowledge the Hole in the Wall building was not included. Perhaps it should have been if it really was the County's first Movie Theater.

[jaunxy]

My grandmother, who lives in the house left of Hole in the Wall (the one with tons of X-mas lights every year), worked at the concession stand of the movie theater when she was younger. She's been in that house for a majority of her life, so she'd be a great person to ask about Hole in the Wall's history.

[Henry]

If I just went to your grandmother's house, would she talk to me? What I really need to know is when the first movie was shown. What year.

[Tomcat]

check your pm

[jaunxy]

She would most definitely chat with you if you were to stop by, but unfortunately she's in the nursing home recovering from a recent blockage in her leg. Hopefully she'll be out soon since it's driving her crazy being cooped up...she's an 84-year old energizer bunny! (If you do by chance meet her, please don't tell her I revealed her age...she'd kill me).

I'll see her this evening and ask her details about the theater. On another note, there also used to be a general store directly in front of her house on the hill (right next to the blacksmith shop) that they didn't tear down until sometime in the 70's I believe.

[Tomcat]

check your PM's

[jaunxy]

Hi Henry, me again. I just spoke with Mom-Mom (my grandmother) and learned all kinds of stuff! Probably not a whole lot to help you out, but I learned family info that I never knew.

Basically, her house on the hill was owned by my Pop-Pop's stepfather, Vince Wise. The store in front of her house (which was torn down in the late 70's) was a general store owned by Vince Wise. My Pop-Pop (Joe Wible) worked at the store, although he did not live in the house with his stepfather and mom...he was raised by his grandmother. His brother, Durant (Frank), did live at the house. He now lives in New Mexico, but my Mom-mom speaks with him daily. When she talks to him today, she's going to ask him about his memories of the old movie theater, and see if he still has any photos. He'll most likely know details, such as when Flug Norris took over and turned it into a bar.

Mom-Mom doesn't recall the exact year that the movie theater was opened, but she worked there before she was married (17-20 years old). That means the theater had to have been open prior to 1940. It was owned by Ike Weiner, a Jewish man, from what Mom-Mom recalls. Her fondest memory of the old black & white movies was a man named Wilson Greenwell who would always hand her a handkerchief before she went in the theater, since they always made her cry (not something for historical records, but it was cool to hear her talk about it). She met my Pop-Pop while he was working at the general store. After his stepfather and mom passed, Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop took over the house on the hill, where she has lived since.

As a side note, Winslow Pump and Well, right across the street from Hole in the Wall, used to be Joe Weiner's (theater Ike's brother) grocery store. A little metropolis resided at that intersection apparently ;-) .

This has been fun. I'll let you know when I hear back from Durant.

[Henry]

Thanks "jaunxy" for your fascinating information.

Henry

[lkt]

I believe the first movie theatre in the county was in leonardtown "Duke's"