Palace Theater (Crossville, Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Palace Theater
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 210 N. Main St., Crossville, Tennessee |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Eston Smith; William Garrison |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001477 |
| Added to NRHP | January 7, 1994 |
The Palace Theater is a cool old movie theater in Crossville, Tennessee. It's located at 210 N. Main Street. This theater was built a long time ago, in the 1930s. Today, it's a historic building that people still visit.
Contents
The Palace Theater's Look
The Palace Theater looks special because it was built in the Art Deco and Moderne styles. These were popular ways to design buildings in the 1930s.
Outside the Theater
Outside, the theater is covered with a special kind of stone called Crab Orchard stone. This stone is arranged in cool patterns that show off the Art Deco style.
Inside the Theater
When you look at the front of the theater, you'll see a bright neon-lit sign called a marquee. Inside, there are round lights on the walls called "bulls-eye wall sconces." These are also classic parts of the Art Deco and Moderne styles. The main room where movies were shown could fit about 600 people.
The Palace Theater's Story
The Palace Theater first opened its doors in November 1938. The very first movie shown there was If I Were King, starring Ronald Colman.
From Movies to Community
For many years, the Palace Theater was the main place to see new movies in Crossville. It stayed open until the 1970s. However, in 1978, a new movie theater with two screens opened in town. Because of this, the Palace Theater closed down. It was empty for a long time, and the building started to get old and worn out.
Saving a Historic Place
In 1987, a book called Great American Movie Theaters featured the Palace Theater. This book was written by an expert named David Naylor. After the book came out, people in Crossville decided they wanted to save their old theater. They started a campaign to preserve it.
In 1993, the city of Crossville bought the building. The next year, in 1994, the Palace Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places in the United States. With help from public money, the theater was carefully fixed up and restored. Now, it's not just a movie theater anymore. It's a community center where different events and shows can take place.
