Kiggins Theatre facts for kids
The Kiggins Theatre in 2012.
|
|
| Address | 1011 Main St. Vancouver, Washington |
|---|---|
| Type | Cinema |
| Capacity | 340 seats |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1936 |
| Architect | Day Walter Hilborn |
| Website | |
|
Kiggins Theater
|
|
| Built | 1936 |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000421 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 2012 |
The Kiggins Theatre is an old and special movie theater in Vancouver, Washington. It has just one big screen for showing films. The theater opened in 1936. It was named after John P. Kiggins, who used to be the mayor of Vancouver. You can find it at 1011 Main Street in the center of Vancouver.
Contents
The Kiggins Theatre's Cool Design
The Kiggins Theatre looks really unique. It was designed by an architect named Day Walter Hilborn. He used a style called Art Deco. This style was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It uses lots of geometric shapes and fancy decorations.
The theater's walls are made of strong concrete. You can see cool designs, called motifs, both inside and outside. These designs make the building look special.
The bright "Kiggins" neon sign outside is the original one. Some of the lights inside the theater are also from when it first opened. The large sign over the entrance, called a marquee, was changed in the late 1950s.
A Look at Kiggins Theatre's History
Construction of the Kiggins Theatre started on September 20, 1935. The theater first opened its doors on April 24, 1936. The very first movie shown was She Married Her Boss. This film starred famous actors Claudette Colbert and Melvyn Douglas.
Kiggins Theatre's Early Years
The Kiggins Theatre showed movies all the time from 1936 to 1955. In 1958, the inside and outside of the theater were updated. This is when the marquee you see today was put in place.
The Kiggins then reopened as part of the Adamson Theaters chain. This company ran the theater for the next 20 years.
Changes and Challenges
In 1980, a local church bought the theater. It stopped showing regular movies and started showing Christian films instead.
The theater had some damage from smoke and water after an electrical fire in 1981. It stayed closed for almost two years. After repairs and some updates, the Kiggins reopened in 1983. It then showed "second run" movies, which are films that have already been in theaters for a while. They often showed two movies for the price of one, called "double features." This continued until 1996.
Modern Updates and Recognition
The theater was updated again in early 1997. Some of its original design features were brought back. New, modern equipment for showing movies and sound was also installed.
The Kiggins reopened with new management in May 1997. It operated until May 2010, when it closed again because of money problems.
The Kiggins Theatre was renovated and reopened under new management in September 2011. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
