The Liberty Theater

Almost a hundred years before the Beach Theatre, Cape May’s last movie palace, was torn down, a new theater was erected. The headlines in the Cape May Star and Wave in August of 1919 read in bold letters “To Have Big Theater;” the sub-headlines read “Adam Suelke and Son, Karl Suelke, backed by prominent Philadelphians, will construct a modern playhouse on Washington Street.” Thus heralded the arrival of the new movie theater just north of Decatur. In a nod to the “Great War” having just ended, the new structure would be called “Liberty.” 

Motion pictures and Hollywood were just starting to come into their own, and there were already motion picture theaters in Cape May: the Palace Theater on Washington near Perry, and another adjacent to the Convention Hall pier. In 1922 Mr. Joseph P. Cox announced that he would build a new pier and theater adjacent to the old iron pier at the foot of Decatur Street. The Green Mill Club was projecting movies on an outside screen during the summer time. Vaudeville was out and motion pictures were in!

Adam Suelke and his son, Karl, were starting to make plans and get estimates from local contractors for the erection of a modern photoplay and vaudeville house.  The complex they had in mind was also to have storefronts with apartments on the second floor, and was to be built on a lot formerly owned by the Manor Real Estate Company.   

When my good friend Karl P. Suelke was born, his family lived in the Miller Cottage on Perry Street, which has since been torn down. In 1921 his grandmother bought the house at 812 Columbia Avenue; in 1924 they moved back to Collingswood but summered on Columbia Avenue. Karl told me how his father had worked for Paramount and Universal Studios, travelling to theaters in towns all over Pennsylvania and New Jersey selling films

Groundbreaking for the Liberty was to start immediately, with hopes of the structure being completed by October 15, 1919. The Suelkes decided to use local contractor Sherman S. Sharp, who was optimistic he could have the work done so the grand opening celebration of the theater could take place on October 19. Mr. Sharp was a well-known builder and contractor in Cape May, a master carpenter with a proven track record in the area. He had built a number of large projects, most notably Cape May’s first Convention Hall and pier in 1917.

In the latter part of August 1919, the Camp Wissahickon Naval Training Barracks located at the end of what is now the Garden State Parkway, was being dismantled, with the buildings and equipment being sold by the government. It was reported that the YMCA building from that complex had been sold, and its lumber was to be used by the Suelkes in the construction of their new theater. 

The Liberty building, which was to house the theater, apartments, and stores, was to be built with a Colonial appearance. It was to be two and a half stories, with the second-floor apartments having porch fronts overlooking Washington Street. Original plans called for it to be constructed of ornamental tapestry concrete and block to make it as fireproof as possible. I do not remember it being built of brick and block but an all-wood frame. 

I remember as a young boy, buying my movie tickets at a window just off the sidewalk on Washington Street. There was a rather large foyer leading up to the theater, which I estimate to have been about 30 feet long. The end of the foyer opened up into a large lobby, and you’d go to the right where you’d find the auditorium. The candy counter was in the lobby, and did a bang-up business with all us kids who went to the movies! 

The original reports of the interior say that the decorations consisted of Colonial posts and ornate decorations. The lobby had a fireplace, which made it both beautiful and comfortable. The restrooms, said to have been furnished with every modern convenience, were located at the rear of the theater. The stores faced Washington Street at the sidewalk level and were 15 by 50 feet. The three apartments on the second floor had six rooms and a bath. The theater itself measured 32 x 120 feet, and had seating for 800 people. The stage was 24 by 20 feet, and was equipped with everything a modern stage would have for that time period, including all the necessary equipment to accommodate any sort of show. The dressing rooms were located in the basement for those performing live productions. 

 The newest and latest innovations at the theater were found in the projection room, built with every modern electrical essential needed to run the latest motion pictures. The projection system was one of the newest in the industry. The apparatus furnished light of absolute steadiness by using a 1000-watt light bulb, and was equipped with a powerful reflector and special lenses. This type of equipment had been proven in New York and Philadelphia theaters, and eliminated the flickering of film that ordinary arc lamp projection equipment made. Movies at the time were silent, and music was played in the background as the film ran. To ensure the best music, a Moller organ was installed. Ms. Helen Porter, one of the organ players, was a piano teacher and taught music in the public schools. The stage and auditorium at the Cape May City Elementary School were named after her and her portrait has its place of honor there.

On November 19, 1919 the new Liberty Theater opened for business. It was dedicated to the “Cape May boys” who had served in World War I. By today’s standards, of course, admission was very cheap: 25 cents for adults, 15 cents for children. The first movie that played was Almost a Husband, featuring Will Rogers.

Because of the competition in the motion picture industry, even in Cape May, the Suelke’s Liberty Theater ran the very latest motion pictures being produced. In December of 1919, they ran Charlie Chaplin’s latest million dollar production, A Day of Pleasure. At the time, Charlie Chaplin had been turning out a series of movies and all were top box-office attractions. The Suelkes came up with innovative ideas to fill the seats, such as selling family books of 12 tickets for $3.00. 

The Suelkes owned the theater for many years, and later leased it to Hunt’s Theater Inc., which eventually bought and operated it. At one point during the sixties, the theater was given a facelift by a local contractor, Chick Idell.

In 1986, after 67 years, the Liberty Theater was torn down. A mall was built in its place and named the Liberty Mall, the remnants of which are Liberty Way today.