In April 1920, C. M. Stringham, proprietor of the Eko Theatre, purchased a lot on the north side of Main Street, between Seventh and Eighth streets (modern-day 100 East and Carbon Avenue), with the intent of building a first class theatre.  With a large stage and a seating capacity of 1000, the new theater would be able to accommodate “even much more extravagant attractions than ever before.”^[1][2]

 

Cannon and Fetzer, architects from Salt Lake City, gave Stringham tentative plans for the $50,000 theater in March 1921.  The building was to be “a good and substantial one,” a theatre of which Price could “well be proud and one that will be the equal, on a smaller scale of course, of any theatre in the state in beauty and completeness.”  The ground floor had space for two business establishments, with the theater entrance between them.  Several office rooms would occupy the second floor.  Construction “will probably start within sixty days.”^[1][2]

 

A month later, Stringham painted the interior of the Eko Theatre, made lighting changes, and installed better ventilation.  “These improvements being made by Mr. Stringham do not mean that he has given up building a new theater, he states, but the improvements have been needed so badly and for so long he decided to go ahead with them and thinks they will be worth their cost, if only used a few months.”^[3]

 

After the loss of a $3,000 “photo player” in the Eko, Stringham installed a new theater organ in October 1921.  The organ, “absolutely the best instrument of its kind made,” was to be moved to Stringham’s new picture house, “when that is built.”^[4]

 

Stringham moved to Ogden in 1925, after purchasing the Colonial Theatre.  When he left Price, Stringham operated the Eko Theatre, the Paramount in Helper, and a theater in Rains.^[5]