Lehi’s historic Royal Theatre once housed hotel, survived 1944 fire

Lee Anderson | Lehi Free Press

For 135 years, the building at 121 E. State St., has been a part of Lehi’s history. It was constructed originally to be the Union Hotel in 1891 and remained in business until 1914, when the building was transformed into the Royal Theatre opera house. At that time, the side doors and windows were bricked over, and the second floor was removed to accommodate a balcony.

For more than a decade, the Royal Theatre was a popular place to see operas, theater performances and silent films. Equipment was installed in the theater to usher in a new attraction that would entertain future generations—movies with sound. The Dec. 28, 1929, edition of the Pleasant Grove Review announced, “The Royal Theatre at Lehi has the talkies!” Its debut film, “Rio Rita,” opened Jan. 1.

“Talking films” gave the theater a new life. John H. Miller and his son, Cliff, owned and operated the theater. They did their best to bring in quality films and activities that provided entertainment for the citizens of Lehi and surrounding communities. In August 1944, they remodeled the theater, modernizing the interior and adding a large marquee in the front. Unfortunately, it all changed just a month later.

Around 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 22, 1944, Cliff did his usual lock-up before going home for the evening. About 30 minutes later, neighbors noticed smoke coming from the building and called the fire department. When the Lehi Fire Department arrived, they found a door open and the building totally engulfed in flames. They called the American Fork Fire Department for assistance and concentrated on protecting the drug store to the east and the lumber store to the west.

Debris from the burning building was scattered across State Street. Both fire departments battled the blaze for eight hours and continued to douse the smoldering ruins throughout the day. The fire caused the roof to collapse and part of the east wall fell onto the roof of the adjoining drug store. Thankfully, the fire was contained to the theater.

Three exterior walls survived the fire, which made it possible for the Millers to rebuild. With a lot of hard work, the new Royal Theatre reopened on March 22, 1945. The balcony was gone, but the theater had new equipment and upholstered seating. The Royal Theatre saw 62 years of business in Lehi. It closed for good in 1976.

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