THE EXCITEMENT AT STATE THEATER
On March 17, 1940, Ticonderoga witnessed a moment of great excitement at the State Theater. The much-anticipated film, “Gone with the Wind”, billed as “The Most Eagerly-Awaited Motion Picture of All Time” made its debut for a full week of viewing pleasure. Moviegoers had the chance to see stars such as Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, and Vivien Leigh, who was quickly becoming a rising star.
LOCAL PROMOTION AND RELEASE
From our collection, we have a four-page advertisement that was handed out to the audience, complete with handwritten comments. Notably the film took two months to reach Ticonderoga after its general release in the United States on January 17, 1940.
THE CONNECTION TO MARGARET MITCHELL AND THE LOCAL PAPER MILL
Margaret Mitchell, the author of the novel “Gone with the Wind”, which was released in June 1936, had a unique connection to the community. The local paper mill supplied the paper for the book’s first edition, amounting to forty train cars. This substantial order during the Depression provided much-needed work and kept the mill operating for some time.