OUR STORIES

Today, we’re stepping back in time through the memories of longtime community member Wandaleen Cole, who shared her experiences growing up around Main Street Plainfield and the beloved Prewitt Theatre.

Wandaleen recalls a time when Main Street was deeply rooted in family, connection, and simple joys. With relatives like Rick Shaw active in the community, her aunt Edna Blanton running a local restaurant, and her uncle Garner Poynter settling in after World War II, Plainfield was always close to her heart.

One of her most vivid memories? The Prewitt Theatre.

She remembers walking with a packed group of elementary classmates from school to the theater to see Annie Get Your Gun, hearing other kids talk about the kind “old women” who owned it, and feeling the excitement of a full house.

But even before that, Wandaleen had her own little adventures there in the 1950s. She’d hop out of the car with fifty cents in hand, buy a ticket, and carefully decide how to spend her remaining twenty cents. Popcorn or chocolate. A decision of great importance.

She remembers seeing King Kong, and the moment her father suddenly appeared beside her seat, worried it might be too scary. She remembers attending Elvis Presley’s first movie with her mom, when not a single seat was empty. And even a Lucy and Desi film that, in her opinion, just wasn’t all that funny.

The theater wasn’t just a place to watch movies. It was the heartbeat of the community. It brought people together, supported nearby businesses like her Aunt Edna’s restaurant just down the street, and became a cornerstone of local life.

Though Wandaleen didn’t spend her teenage years in Plainfield, she remembers the stories. The Prewitt Theatre was the place for dates, for high schoolers, and for surrounding communities to gather.

These are the moments that built Main Street. The ones that remind us just how special this place has always been.

Thank you, Wandaleen, for sharing your memories with us and helping keep the story of Plainfield alive. Also, thank you to the Indiana Room at PGTPL for preserving these incredible pictures of Plainfield times past.

See less