Where Was the First Movie Theater in America?

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Karen Hill

During the 1890s, when movies were new, there was no such thing as a movie theater. Films were usually shown between acts at live stage shows.

But then an enterprising man in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, took over an empty store, put in 92 seats, a screen, and a piano, and opened the first real movie theater in America.

It was called the nickelodeon, since it cost only a nickel to enter, while odeon means “theater” in Greek. The first movie shown there was The Great Train Robbery.

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