BEFORE 1950
Listen to descriptions of what the neighborhoods surrounding Bimini Place were like from about 1930 to 1950 from people who lived here.

THE BELMONT THEATER
The Belmont Theater was located on Vermont Avenue, just south of First St. It opened in March, 1926, had a Wurlitzer organ and sat 1680 people. The back of the Belmont Theater was located where the alley on Bimini now connects with the parking lot of long strip mall on Vermont; the alley served as the back entrance to the theater. Several of our storytellers speak about attending the Belmont Theater, including Bob Baker, Robert Carlson and Bud Warrick. Like all of the movie theaters in this area (and unlike the Bimini Baths and the Palomar Ballroom), the Belmont Theater was integrated and African-Americans like Robert Carlson could enjoy first run Hollywood movies in the comfort of a neighborhood movie palace.