In 1949, a new building was constructed at the bottom of Cliff Street and Main Street. It consisted of a new Sears Roebuck store and a new Loew’s-Poli Theater, pictured here in 1951, to replace the one that was located in the old Broadway Theater. It was one of the first theaters in the nation that was equipped with air conditioning. Frank Sinatra attended the grand opening, which filled Franklin Square and the adjoining downtown streets with 75,000 admiring fans. About a decade later the theater and building was purchased by Ed Lord. He renamed the theater The Midtown. Today it is The Morosky Building, headquarters of the Reliance House.

Ken Keeley is the author of 12 Norwich pictorial books. He can be reached via e-mail at kenekjr000@comcast.net.