April 4, 2011

The Ritz opened as an opera house on Main Street in Blytheville (Mississippi County) in the early 1900s. A popular entertainment venue, the building was renovated in 1951, about the time this photo was taken, giving it a modern appearance. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair but was restored to its 1950s look in the 1990s. Since 1981, it has served as the Ritz Civic Center and the home of the local arts council.

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