Hole in the Wall Tavern

Tomcat

Tomcat

Anytime
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.
 
H

Henry

New Member
Hole in the Wall

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.
 
J

jaunxy

New Member
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.
 
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Henry

New Member
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.
 
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jaunxy

New Member
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.
 
J

jaunxy

New Member
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.
 
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Henry

New Member
Ikt

Thanks for your note. I also thought that the movie theater in Leonardtown was the first and only one in St. Mary's County; but there is no question that the Hole in the Taverne was a movie theater. I am trying to determine
when they came into existance.

Henry
 
jazz lady

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Ehesef said:
Dukes was a bowling alley. Nook and Monk's was a movie theater.
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My mom used to go bowling at Duke's way back when. I think somebody told me the bowling alley is still up there. I definitely remember the movie theater. I saw "Blazing Saddles" there for the first time with a bunch of drunk girlfriends. :lol: There also used to be a drug store (Rexall?) just up from there with a real soda fountain.
 
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Henry

New Member
First Movie Theater

Dear Ehesef & Sunfkower

You are both correct, but the real problem is nobody has given me or uou any dates as to when the first film was shown at either venue!

Henry
 
Ehesef

Ehesef

Yo Gabba Gabba
Henry said:
Dear Ehesef & Sunfkower

You are both correct, but the real problem is nobody has given me or uou any dates as to when the first film was shown at either venue!

Henry
Click to expand...
The only thing I can tell you is that my Great Grandfather used to send my mom and her brother/sisters/cousins up to the movie theater with a nickel to watch the John Wayne double feature on Sundays. Mom was born in 1955, so I would assume that this was between then and 1965. I couldn't even begin to guess when the first movie was shown.
 
MrX

MrX

High Octane
Jaunxy, thanks for the information, it definitely was interesting. My GF says she knew who your Pop-Pop was; Flug Norris was her Great Grandfather.
 
W

wineo

loving life
lkt said:
I believe the first movie theatre in the county was in leonardtown "Duke's"
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You are correct. The Dukes showed movies in their house, which is across the street from 4 Star Pizza, before there was a "Movie House" friends and family would gather and watch films there. Just some history I know of the family.
 
caprism

caprism

New Member
The original movie theatre in Leonardtown was in the building where The Hair Company is. The movie theatre where Nook and Monks (now Cerro Grandes) was - was there as far back as I can remember... late sixties. In the 70's they actually had late night adult films that played there... In the early 80's Rocky Horror Picture show was shown there. I think that was the closure of the theatre. My last memory there was just that... Rocky Horror Picture show... What a hell of a way to close a place down !!!:diva: Every seat in the place was packed.

Sorry but I don't know about the Hole in the Wall history...:offtopic: I know...:popcorn:
 
SLIM

SLIM

Active Member
:howdy:
I don't know alot about the 'Hole' either except when I used to hang out there in the late 70's, early 80's :buddies:
I do remember the grocery store across the street used to be McKay's in 1965 because I won 2nd place in a coloring contest they had there at halloween that year:lmao: Perhaps Manning McKay could help you with what you are trying to find.
Anyway, Good Luck and keep us informed.:howdy:
 
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