The Loux moving pictures parlor was on South Forklanding Road on the east side between the stores on Main Street and Carmen's Barber Shop. It has been called "The Palace" or the "Red Onion" by people but I do not know about that. It has been said to have started there in 1915 but a chain of title would refute that and the fact that it was never mentioned once in the 1916- 1917 Progress newspapers.
Arthur N. Cutler's book draft has some information. His writings contain many errors but good things as he was around during the times so here goes-
About 1915 Louis and Berth Loux built a movie house and apartment at what would be 9 South Forklanding Road. They continued to operate until about 1922 when the Community House, torn down in 1925, started operating movies.
In 1920 the Loux Movie House on South Forklanding Road (better known as the Red Onion) was in deplorable condition. Our town had grown to such a size someone got the idea that we should have a Community house where we could hold meetings, they organized the Maple Shade Betterment League.
Forklanding Road
George S. Loux, Painter Automobiles
Bertha H. Loux, Wife, None
Sylvester, Son, Operator Moving Pictures
Cape May/ Avalon
George S. Loux, Telegraph Operator
Bertha H. Loux, Wife, Housewife
Sylvester, Son, Scholar
Elizabeth, Daughter, Scholar
The 1920 Census was done in February and they are not in Maple Shade.
Found Bertha bought a house or lot somewhere around Mill Road and Elm Ave. in 1921 and sold it in 1923.
Meyer Tobias Complainant,
Bertha H. Loux, Defendant
Court of Chancery, Foreclose Final Degree
1938 money due since 1934 when Twp took for taxes
Deed book 901, page 108
BTW- Meyer Tobias had the drug store on the corner after Roland Petitt. The drug store was on Lot No. 1 on the Plan of the Barlow Tract.
*****
Bertha H. Loux
took title on November 7, 1922
under deed book 620, page 278
from George S. Loux
For the sum of 500 dollars
Lot No. 11, on the Plan of the Barlow Tract
*****
(A drive way)
Thomas J.S. Barlow Sr.
took title on November 20, 1922
under deed book 611, page 203
from George S. Loux and Bertha H. Loux, his wife of Maple Shade
"A strip of land on the Northerly side thereof nine feet nine inches in width to be used as a driveway."
*****
George S. Loux of Maple Shade
took title on May 12, 1920
under deed bok 571, page 137
from Thomas J.S. Barlow Sr.
For the sum of 700 dollars
Lot No. 11 on the Plan of the Barlow Tract
*****
Thomas J.S. Barlow and Annie Theresa Barlow, his wife of Maple Shade
took title on May 1, 1918
under deed book 544, page 233
from William C. Coles and Henry B. Coles, executors of Charles B. Coles, late
containing seven acres and sixty five one hundredths of an acre
Excepting lot sold to the Congregational Church in 1912
From the Courier Post newspaper, Sept. 16, 1922-
It is estimated that fully 1,000 people jammed the Loux moving picture parlor, last night at the citizens' mass meeting held under the auspices of the First Maple Shade Republican Club. Nearly seventy-five per cent of the audience were women, which would indicate that the females are taking more interest in the coming battle here than on previous occasions. Many who could not get in the building, sat in their automobiles and listened to the issues at stake, there being over one hundred automobiles parked outside the place.
George Pfeiffer, of Camden, was the principal speaker. He is a man of wide experience concerning water plants, having constructed many large plants for different municipalities, and he told the taxpayers just how water could he obtained for Maple Shade and cited figures and facts concerning similar plants such as would be adapted to a town of this size.
I wouldn't think it was there before they bought the land from Thomas Barlow in 1920. I had assumed that when the Roxy Theatre came along in 1927 it helped put it out of business but Arthur Cutler's thoughts on the Betterment League's Community house might be the case. But if so not in 1922. It was still having movies a year later in 1923 according to the Sanborn map. It has to be further investigated when it ended.
In 1920, the Loux family buys a large lot, Lot 11 of the Barlow Plan, which I also heard it called "The Unsubmitted Plan of 1918."
Interesting how Charles B. Coles bought 7 acres along Main St. from Charles Shuster. He owned a huge lumber yard in Camden called "C.B. Coles & Sons." Was he going to have a local lumber yard? Was he gonna have someone build houses with his lumber?
Anyhow I do not think Barlow wanted houses built there. He was filling in between the German families block between Maple and N. Poplar and the Barlow Building block with more stores. Maybe even his contractor Oscar Anderson built the stores with apartments over them.
Well the Loux theatre probably ran until the Roxy came in 1927 and was much nicer. I bet the son Sylvester Loux was a moving pictures operator at the Roxy when it came.
-Dennis