Holly Theatre (Medford, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Holly Theatre
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
The theater's exterior in 2013
|
|
 Location in Medford OR
Location in Oregon
|
|
| Location | 226 W 6th Street, Medford, Oregon, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | Frank Chamberlain Clark |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Part of | Medford Downtown Historic District (ID98000949) |
| Added to NRHP | 1998 |
The Holly Theatre is a beautiful old theater in Medford, Oregon, United States. It was built in a special style called Spanish Colonial Revival. This theater is an important part of Medford's history.
Contents
History of the Holly Theatre
The Holly Theatre was the second movie theater to open in Medford. Building work started in 1929. However, it stopped because of the Great Depression. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money.
Building the theater started again in March 1930. It was finished later that same year. Frank Chamberlain Clark, a well-known architect from southern Oregon, designed the building.
From Vaudeville to Movies
The Holly Theatre was a very busy place. It showed both movies and live shows called vaudeville. Vaudeville shows included singers, dancers, comedians, and other performers.
The theater had 1200 seats. This was enough to seat ten percent of Medford's population when it first opened! The Holly Theatre was a top entertainment spot until the 1970s.
However, its large size eventually became a problem. Smaller, more efficient theaters started opening. The Holly Theatre could not compete with them. It closed its doors in 1986. Many other large, single-screen theaters also closed around the country.
In 1998, the Holly Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building recognized for its history. It is part of the Medford Downtown Historic District.
A New Beginning for the Holly
In 2010, the JPR Foundation bought the theater. This group is part of Jefferson Public Radio. They planned to restore the Holly Theatre. They had already successfully restored the Cascade Theatre in Redding, California.
Restoring the Holly Theatre
The JPR Foundation bought the building in 2011. They began a big project to restore it. The restoration was expected to cost about 3.5 million USD.
The building needed many repairs. The ceiling supports were broken, and the roof was leaking. These problems were fixed. The front of the building, called the façade, was also restored. It now looks just like it did when it first opened in 1930.
A new blade sign and marquee were added. These are the big signs that light up outside a theater. The new sign has 347 lights and 500 feet of neon tubing. A special ceremony was held on April 21, 2012, to light up the new sign.
Public Tours and Support
In 2013, the JPR Foundation started offering public tours of the theater. People could see the restoration work happening inside. These tours helped raise money for the project. The interior of the theater was under construction for a long time. This meant visitors could see the old beams, stained walls, and faded paint.
The tours included climbing 144 steps to the top of the building. An elevator was installed as part of the restoration.
Actor Jim Belushi helped with the restoration efforts. He performed a benefit concert in the summer of 2015. Randy McKay, who works for Jefferson Live!, said Belushi "fell in love with the theater." Belushi helped get more people to donate money. He also helped secure state funding for the project.
Restoration work was expected to begin very soon in late 2018. The Holly Theatre officially reopened in 2025. It is now ready to welcome audiences once again.
See also
