Some images, like most of the pre-1924 negatives and prints from the CAP collection, represent a challenge in dating. Many archives with niche collections develop their own in-house tricks to place a photograph. Here at the American Theatre Architecture Archive, we often try to read the films advertised on a theatre’s marquee to place the photo in time. 

The marquee at the Rose Theatre, shown in this photo, lists “The Black Eagle,”“The Outlaw,” and “New Mighty Draam.” Sadly, a quick search doesn’t show a date for any of these films. Do you know when they were released?

(credit: American Theatre Architecture Archive, Theatre Historical Society of America)