The Sherman County Theater has had quite a journey to get where it is today.  Before we had this theater there were three other theaters in town; the Crystal Theater, the Only Theater, and the Lyric Theater.  These were placed in existing buildings around town including the Goodland State Bank and the Gray Front Hotel.  All three closed and in 1926 the Sherman Theater we know today was built by E.E. Sprague.

The first movie theatre in town was called the Crystal Theater and opened on January 6, 1909 by Mr. Wessel.  It was on the ground floor of the Goodland State Bank.  Show times were daily except on Sundays at 7:30 and 8:30 and matinees which were 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 on Saturday afternoons.  Tickets cost 5¢ and 10¢ a person.  The Crystal Theater was closed on May 31, 1909 because not enough money was being generated to maintain it.  Mr. T.N. McFeaters purchased the Crystal and turned it into the 2^nd opera house, The Walker, and movies were still played there.

Goodland’s second movie theater was called the Only Theater and was opened late 1909 early 1910 at the same location as the Crystal.  In 1910 an amphitheater type floor was installed and the name changed from the Only Theater to the Gem.  In 1911 however the Gem was closed leaving only the Crystal.  In 1914 E.E. Sprague, the manager of the Crystal, wanted to move to a better location and moved to the Gray Front Hotel between 10th and 11th streets.  This new theater was called the Lyric Theater.  But on July 31, 1926 the theater closed.  Goodland’s 4^th and final theater is the Sherman Theater, still in operation today.  It was built specially to be a theater and was opened on August 26, 1926 and was owned and operated by E.E. Sprague.  Today the theater is owned and operated by David Branda.  For more information go to the Sherman Theater website.