20 Facts About Orange Phelps

Orange Phelps was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon.

Orange Phelps continued in the movie business until the 1970s and opened the first drive-in theater in the county.

Frederick had moved to the West Coast in 1866, where Orange Phelps's mother was born, and the couple had four daughters and four sons.

Orange Phelps grew up in Davis before attending college at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana.

Orange Phelps then transferred to Northwestern University in the Chicago area where he played baseball.

Orange Phelps played catcher for the semi-professional Hillsboro Cardinals for about twelve years, starting in 1909.

Orange Phelps renovated the building that had been built in 1888 and opened the 200-seat Grand Theater that same year.

Orange Phelps expanded the theater to 500 seats in 1916 and changed the moniker to the Liberty Theater.

Ten years after opening his Grand Theater in 1926, Orange Phelps remodeled it and changed the name to the Venetian Theatre, which in turn burned in 1956.

Orange Phelps started holding a free Christmas show for children at the Venetian in 1935, which became an annual Hillsboro tradition into the 1980s.

Orange Phelps entered politics in 1920 when he ran for a seat on the Hillsboro City Council, winning the November election and taking office on January 4,1921.

Orange Phelps won re-election to the council and remained in that office until January 4,1927.

Orange Phelps won re-election as mayor in an uncontested race in November 1932, and served as mayor from January 2,1929, until January 2,1935, when J H Garrett became mayor.

Orange Phelps served on the city's planning commission from 1935 until 1969.

Orange Phelps was named as the distinguished citizen of the year in the senior division by the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce in 1964.

Orange Phelps was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a Freemason with the Tuality Lodge, and a member of the Montezuma Lodge.

In 1978, Orange Phelps sold his theaters to Tom Moyer's theater chain.

Orange Phelps had been named as the oldest movie theater man still living in the country before he retired.

Orange Phelps died on August 4,1985, in Forest Grove, Oregon, at the age of 98.

Orange Phelps was buried at Mount Olive Cemetery in the community of Laurel, south of Hillsboro.