The Dome

I have a lot of wonderful memories of special one-on-one experiences with important people during my childhood:
-story time at the library and lunch at McDonald's with Grandma Harris
-playing Barbies with Mom
-swimming with Grandpa Purcell and chicken soup with Grandma Purcell
and many more...

Among those memories, some of my favorites were Daddy-Daughter dates to the movies.  We saw a lot of movies together.  And it was always a special treat (big thanks to my mom for being so sweet holding down the fort while we were out having fun).  But you always knew it was an extra special occasion when you went to see a movie at "The Dome".

The Dome was the biggest screen in the area, in a huge wrought iron, dome-shaped theater, complete with curtains over the screen that opened when the show was about to begin.  There was something old and majestic about that theater that just made you feel like you were back in some bygone era of glamorous Hollywood.  Just walking in and finding your seat, you knew you were in for something special.

All the biggest and most anticipated films were shown in the Dome.  I'm pretty sure I saw at least one Indiana Jones movie in the Dome.

With the rise of newer, stadium seating and IMAX theaters, the Dome has slowly declined over the last decade.  And I heard the sad news 2 weeks ago, that the beloved theater would be showing one last weekend of classics before closing permanently and being demo'd.

So it was that on Friday April 18th I made one last trek to the Dome, to see, arguably one of the most famous classics in movie history, Jaws, on the big curved screen of that massive theater.

The movie, which I've seen before, frankly freaked me out.  I'd forgotten how jumpy I get in the movies and I think I ended up watching half the movie from behind the sweatshirt I was cuddling up under as a blanket.  Nonetheless, it was a magical experience.  I felt that same anticipation as I sat in the darkened theater, looking up at the wrought iron canopy above me.  And I think one of my favorite parts was listening to all the other movie-goers reminisce about their history with that special place.

The Dome theater may be gone, but the memories it inspired will live on in my mind and in the minds of all those who ever participated in the grand experience of seeing a movie in "The Dome."