Liberty Theater (Murphysboro, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Liberty Theater
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1333 Walnut St., Murphysboro, Illinois |
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| Built | 1913 |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000322 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 2012 |
The Liberty Theater is a very old movie theater found in Murphysboro, Illinois. It is located at 1333 Walnut Street. This theater first opened in 1913 and was called the Tilford Theatre. It was one of the first five movie theaters in Murphysboro.
In 1918, the theater's name changed to Liberty Theater. This happened because people felt very patriotic during World War I. Later, in 1938, the theater got a big makeover. It was updated in the Art Deco style, which was a popular design style at the time. During this update, a bright neon marquee was added. The outside walls were also covered with shiny black material called vitrolite.
The Liberty Theater showed movies for many years. It kept showing films until 1998. It was the last of the original five movie theaters in Murphysboro to close its doors.
After closing, the theater was renovated again in 2002. A group that does not make a profit reopened it. Today, the Liberty Theater is a place for community events. People can also rent it for their own special occasions.
A Historic Landmark
The Liberty Theater is considered a very important building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 2012. This means it is recognized as a special place in history.
