Avalon Theater (Larimore, North Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Avalon Theater
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 Location in North Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 210 Towner Ave., Larimore, North Dakota |
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| Area | less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1938 |
| Architect | Jensted, Emil; Tingum, David, Sr. |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 90002191 |
| Added to NRHP | February 4, 1991 |
The Avalon Theater is a historic Movie theater in Larimore, North Dakota. It was built in 1938 and is famous for its cool Art Deco style. This theater could originally seat 350 people. Its most special parts are the marquee (the sign outside), the box office, and the entry doors. Inside, you can still see simple Art Deco designs.
The building is made of brick. The floor where people sit is shaped like a curve, called a parabolic shape. This helps everyone have a good view of the screen. The Avalon Theater still shows movies today, using its original projectors! Local live theater groups also perform there.
The Avalon Theater is important because it's a rare example of an Art Deco theater built during the Great Depression. Many small-town movie houses like this have disappeared. It is also the only Art Deco building left in Larimore. On its opening night, April 28, 1939, the Avalon Theater showed the movie Broadway Serenade.
The Avalon Theater's Story
The land where the Avalon Theater stands today once held a different building. This was the Arnold Block, a large brick building with two stories. It was built in 1905 and designed by an architect named Joseph Bell DeRemer.
Sadly, the Arnold Block was destroyed by a fire in 1938. After the fire, the Avalon Theater was built inside the remaining parts of the old building. An adjoining store was also built next to it. The new theater kept some parts of the 1905 building but also got many new, modern updates.
