Inland Theaters Inc. Records

Collection

Identifier: WCMss-117

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Inland Theaters Inc. Records primarily consists of correspondence relating to the day-to-day operations of Inland Theaters inc. from 1931 to 1934. Some individual documents that date through 1960 are present, though not comparable in scope to those the 1931-1934 period. The collection includes materials from: the Keylor Grand Theater, Roxy Theater, Capitol Theater, and Liberty Theater in Walla Walla; the Granada Theater, and Liberty Theater in La Grand; the Victory Theater, and Liberty Theater in Toppenish; and the Liberty Theaters in Kennewick, Pasco, Sunnyside, and Yakima. The collection contains: inter-theater correspondence; company newsletters; correspondence with various suppliers; film operator reports; shipping instructions with films, distributors, and theater destinations listed; documents related to theater renovation; paper molds for printing; various financial documents including invoices, petty cash reports, paid checks, and expense reports; and correspondence related to the Whitman Centennial.

Dates

1931-1960 (bulk 1930-1934)

Creator

Inland Northwest Theaters (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

In 1912 Frederick Mercy senior bought the Majestic theater in Yakima, Washington. This purchase was soon followed by the acquisition and construction of other theaters in the region. Under the business name of Inland Theaters inc. Frederick Mercy senior and his son Frederick Mercy junior owned and operated fourteen theaters in the states of Washington and Oregon by 1932, including theaters in Walla Walla, La Grande, Yakima, Sunnyside, Kennewick, Pasco, and Toppenish. In the 1930’s Inland Theaters inc. was bought by the Hughes-Franklin Theater Company and continued to be operated by the Mercy family. Frederick Mercy senior died in 1948 leaving the company to his son, Frederick Mercy junior. Over the years the number and locations of the theaters operated by the Mercy family has fluctuated. In 2018 the Mercy family continues in the theater business, owning and operating three theaters in Yakima, Washington.

Extent

7 Linear Feet (7 record cartons)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Theaters in the inland northwest have been owned and operated by the Mercy family since 1912. In the 1930’s, under the business name of Inland Theaters inc., Frederick Mercy senior, and his son Frederick Mercy junior operated fourteen theaters in the region. The Inland Theaters Inc. Records consists of correspondence and other documents relating to the day-to-day operations of Inland Theaters inc.

Processing Information

This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and in some instances minimal organization.The finding aid for this collection is compiled from a preliminary list for the acquisition that was created at or around the time of receipt by the archives. The preliminary list was migrated to comply with current archival descriptive standards in 2018. As part of the migration, modifications were made to the formatting of the list, however, the content of the list was neither modified nor verified. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.