Capitol Theater Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Capitol Theater Building
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Arlington, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Drummey, William J. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| MPS | Arlington MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001025 |
| Added to NRHP | April 18, 1985 |
The Capitol Theater Building is a historic and important building in Arlington, Massachusetts. It was built in 1925 and has been a movie theater, shops, and homes. This building is known as one of the best early movie theaters in the area. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, which means it's a special place worth preserving.
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What Does the Capitol Theater Building Look Like?
The Capitol Theater Building is a large, three-story building made of brick. You can find it at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Lake Street in eastern Arlington. The building has a mix of styles, including Classical Revival and Art Deco.
The main entrance to the theater is on the side facing Massachusetts Avenue. There are also several shops along this street. At the corner with Lake Street, there's a shop with a unique angled entrance. Another entrance on Lake Street now leads into part of the theater's lobby.
In the late 2000s, the businesses around the building formed a group. They called themselves the Capitol Square Business Association.
A Look at the Theater's History
The Capitol Theater was designed by an architect named William J. Drummey. It was built in 1925 by the Locatelli family. They owned a chain of theaters, including others in nearby Somerville.
Building the Capitol Theater cost about $500,000, which was a lot of money back then! When it first opened, the building had 11 stores. It also had offices on the second floor and 15 apartments on the third floor.
The theater originally had a big pipe organ. It could seat 1600 people in its main area and a balcony. Besides showing movies, the stage was also used for vaudeville acts. These were live shows with different performers like comedians and musicians.
The theater changed owners many times from the 1930s to the 1990s. In 1989, it was changed into a multiplex. This means it was divided into several smaller screening rooms.
During the 1960s, the theater was updated with a more modern look. But instead of tearing down the original details, like granite columns and gold leaf, they were just covered up. Because of this, during renovations in the 1990s, the theater could be brought back to its original 1930s style.
When they turned it into a multiplex, they were very careful to keep the theater's original beauty. Each new screening room still has the special feel of the old space. Theater #1 now uses the original main seating area and stage. It still has the tall ceilings with gold leaf and plaster decorations. Other screening rooms are now in what used to be the balcony and backstage areas.
Images for kids
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Image of the Arlington, MA Capitol Theater circa 1930 with original blade sign
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See also
