Palaces

The southern side stood a small building (Initially called the Biograph Theatre), in between the large attractions- Temple of Mirth and Moorish Palace. Visitors could take a gander at the newest form in entertainment- the Byaphone picture.

With the turn of the century, advancement of equipment pioneered by Thomas A. Edison, George Eastman and the Lumiere brothers allowed spectators to see short pictures of the latest entertainer, dancer, history, and many other short films. Shortly, nickelodeon theaters would crop up all over the country.

Using a contraption called a Nickelodeon.

Edison,who was in competition to company's toying with motion pictures, such as Westinghouse, showcased a number of his films. One of the most noteworthy was `The Battle of Chemulpo,'

The short film showed the crew of a Japanese Man-of-War working a gun during the engagement of Chemulpo Bay. A Russian cruiser "Variag" and gunboat "Korietz" are shown entering the port, before being attacked by the Japanese fleet causing the two warships to sink before reaching the bay.

The film was shot in the Edison studio and included a a battleship set, with extreme foreshortening, and a number of miniatures.

St. Louis in 1904 had no theater to show moving pictures.