The Boston and Maine Railroad built this depot at 246 Central St in 1876 while still in competition with the Boston and Lowell railroad. In just a few years they absorbed the B&L along with all of the smaller area railroads and the depot on Central St. was occupied by the New England Telephone and Telegraph company from 1896 to 1906.
In 1911, the Owl Theatre opened in the building and operated until 1920 at which time it became the Rialto.
According to Nancy Tuttle of the Lowell SUN, Norman Glassman, who purchased it in 1930 and ran successful second-run films along with crowd-drawing Gift Nights until 1962, later converted the Rialto into a bowling alley after opening the Lowell Drive-in on Pawtucket Boulevard.
Since then the building has housed florists, music teachers, a paint store and the Lowell Humane Society. The marquee was removed in 1987. Owned today by The National Park Service, they recently restored both towers.
Cinematreasures.org theater:13365