Fourth Avenue Theatre (Anchorage, Alaska) facts for kids
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Fourth Avenue Theatre
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 Location in Downtown Anchorage
Location in Anchorage
Location in Alaska
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| Location | 630 West 4th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1941-1947 |
| Built by | C.W. Hufeisen |
| Architect | B. Marcus Priteca and Augustine A. Porreca |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001620 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 05, 1982 |
The Fourth Avenue Theatre, also known as the Lathrop Building, was a famous movie theater in Anchorage, Alaska. It was known for its cool Art Deco style, which was popular for buildings back then. Construction started in 1941 but paused during World War II. It finally opened in 1947. This large theater had 960 seats and was a top movie spot until the 1980s.
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About the Fourth Avenue Theatre
The Fourth Avenue Theatre was designed by B. Marcus Priteca, a top architect known for creating amazing movie theaters. He worked with A.A. Porreca from Seattle. They designed it for Cap Lathrop, a very important businessman in Alaska.
Inside the Theatre
The lobby of the theater had a beautiful gold leaf mural of Mount McKinley. Interestingly, it didn't have a snack bar at first. Cap Lathrop thought a snack bar wasn't fancy enough for his theater.
The main movie hall was decorated with shiny silver and gold murals. These were painted by Anthony Heinsbergen and Frank Bouman from Los Angeles. The ceiling even had a picture of the Big Dipper, which is a special symbol for Alaska. The murals were painted on canvas, and some parts were raised using Masonite covered in gold and silver. The building itself was made of strong reinforced concrete with travertine stone on the outside.
More Than Just a Theater
The building was also called the Lathrop Building because it housed other businesses owned by Cap Lathrop. It had offices for his radio and television stations. There was also a restaurant inside. Later, in 1959-1960, a fancy penthouse apartment was added to the building.
Later Years and Demolition
After the movie theater closed, the city of Anchorage tried to fix it up. A company even used it as a place for banquets and parties. In 2006, a group called Rasmuson Foundation offered a loan to the city. The idea was for the city to buy and restore the theater. They wanted to use it as a meeting space for visitors. However, the city council decided not to take the loan, so the plans didn't happen.
In 2011, a new owner, Peach Investments, bought the theater. They announced new plans to restore it. But on May 17, 2022, the mayor of Anchorage, Dave Bronson, announced a big plan. This plan involved tearing down almost the entire city block where the theater stood. The theater building itself was owned by Peach Holdings, LLC. The plan was to rebuild parts of the theater's front and its famous sign. The Fourth Avenue Theatre was torn down in late 2022.
See also
- KENI Radio Building, another building designed by A.A. Porreca
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Anchorage, Alaska
