Colonial Theatre, just right of center, 1920. Mt. Baker in the background; foreground is the lot where the Post Office will be built in 1925. The low, dark building in the center of the photograph is 59 Broadway, known as the old candle shop.Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 29, 2003 Address: 46 Broadway
Old Address: 53-55 Broadway
Other names: Colonial Theatre, William Fortune Paint Store, Mullen Cottage (DIS 1932), Saranac Lake Supply (DIS 1932), Mullen Block, Key Bank (1997)
Year built: between 1908 and 1916
Other information: In 1908 there was a grocery store on the site in a considerably smaller building. The Colonial theatre was replaced by the much smaller Farmers National Bank in 1974, which merged with the Key Bank in 1982.
The future site of the Saranac Lake branch of the Farmer’s National Bank includes the old Candle Shop lot at left, the Saranac Supply building, and, at right, the Dickies building.
The Supply was once the famous Colonial Theater which presented both film and stage shows. The Mullen family bought the building about 45 years ago. The buildings will be demolished in the spring.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 1974Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 28, 1974
Farmers National Bank will locate on Broadway
SARANAC LAKE - The Farmers National Bank has secured options on four parcels of land on Broadway for its new Saranac Lake offices.
The Bank has decided on a location approximately across from the Saranac Lake Post Office on Broadway. The bank has secured options, through the I. B. Hunt Agency, on parcels of land owned by the Adirondack Publishing Co., Inc., Saranac Lake Supply Co., Inc., the Village of Saranac Lake and the former Dickie Restaurant property. The price of the transaction was not disclosed.
The announcements were made by the following: The Honorable John Brewer, Mayor, William Doolittle, Bernard and Richard Mullen and Robert Leith and Laverne K. Dickie and Donald E. Stone, President of Farmers National Bank.
Mr. Stone stated that his is awaiting formal approval to its Saranac Lake branch application and that he is optimistic that this information will be forthcoming within the next 30 days.
Mr. Stone further stated that he is hopeful that demolition and site preparation can be accomplished by April 13th with ground breaking on or before May 1st. It is anticipated that the new bank will be operational in the community by late summer.
The lot owned by the Adirondack Publishing Co., Inc. is where the old burned out candleshop was once located – 50 Broadway.
NRHP Building Inventory FormThe village tore that building down last summer in exchange for a sidewalk right-of-way through to the the proposed village parking lot.
The bank intends to demolish the Dickie and Mullen buildings to make way for the Farmers National building.
National Register of Historic Places building inventory form (pdf)
