On Wednesday, August 10, over 40 members of the Inlet His-torical Society met at the Inlet Town Hall for an evening of business and history.
President Charles Herr gave his annual report regarding the status of the Society and its use of the second floor of the Post Office Building by the Collections Committee for accessioning artifacts.
Secretary Dianne Thibado provided minutes from last year’s meeting and Treasurer Greg O’Hara gave the fiscal year-end financial report._
Attendees applauded Kay Carmichael and Carolyn O’Hara for their stellar efforts regarding the Society’s Cookbook project.
After approval of revisions to By-Laws and the Society’s Constitution, the members approved the following slate of officers: President Craig Wittlin, Vice-President Mitch Lee, Treasurer Lynn Durkin, Corresponding Secretary Julie Gibson Biehn, Recording Secretary Maureen Shantz and Director at Large Waddie Kalil._
Town Historian Letty Kirch Haynes also remains of the Board as ex officio member._The new Board members provided brief introductions prior to the vote, except for the absent Ms. Shantz.
After a brief break, Charlie Herr provided a brief history of Inlet’s first theater, the Pavilion.
The theater was built by Dr. Harry Thomson of Old Forge who opened it in June 1923, a week after the inaugural opening of his Thomson Theater (today’s Strand) in Old Forge.
Initially called the Casino, the Pavilion was sold to Jacob Routstone in June of 1926 and it appears in several of the 1920s Inlet Main Street postcards.
Dr. Thomson sold it after his Forge House, his Forge House barn with the saved furniture and a Forge House gift store burned in little over a year._
Routstone, who had already built the Gaiety Building next door, planned to use it for movies and music entertainment in tandem with his theater expansion.
Unfortunately, the Pavilion burned days later despite the efforts of Inlet and Old Forge fire departments. The location was occupied by Keith’s Diner for many years and now is occupied by a caboose.
