Capital Theater - Ely, Nevada
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 39° 14.886 W 114° 53.603
11S E 681785 N 4346423
The old Capital Theater building in Ely, Nevada was placed on the National Register in 1993.
Waymark Code: WMTQEE
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 12/29/2016
Views: 0
The old Capital Theater (built in 1916) in Ely, Nevada is located 460 Aultman St. Radio station KDSS (92.7 FM) currently occupies part of the building.
The following information comes from the NRHP files: (
visit link)
The Capital Theater was constructed in 1916 by its owners, C.O. Fleming and P.W. Hull. The building served as a movie house in Ely until approximately 1965, when it closed. While the lower one-third of the facade has been altered, the remainder of the facade above is in excellent condition and survives as one of the most elaborate elevations which front on Aultman Street in Ely. The design of the elevation may date to the reconstruction in 1929 after a fire, and appears to be the local interpretation of Spanish Colonial Revival.
The theater is a tall, rectangular brick building which faces north. Only the north and south elevations are visible as the neighboring buildings abut the theater. The facade is divided into a lower third, which housed three business, and the upper two-thirds, separated by a concrete band, which remains unaltered. Although original sources are sketchy, the building seems to have been constructed for housing independent retailers in the east and west corner as well as the movie house in the rear of the building. Each business is flanked by square brick piers and has large, plate glass windows.
The upper section of the theater features a central section with two enriched classical door motifs in stone, one above the other, which rises to scalloped parapet with stone coping. The door motifs are carved in low relief with elaborate capitals and column decoration; there are stone vases in niches above the lower door and a stone cartouche below the apex of the parapet. The side sections, slightly recessed, have low relief designs in brick, including glazed, slightly projecting headers in a large recessed panel and blind arcading below the cornice, and flat parapets with stone coping. The large marquee for the theater has been removed.
The interior of the theater is in poor condition due to neglect and water damage. However, the space retains its original wall, ceiling and proscenium arch decoration of recessed panels alternating with vertical molded banding. The stage is located at the rear of the theater. The auditorium is divided into two sections: a lower seating area, and, separated by a low wall, the upper seating area which gradually rises from floor level. The lobby is no longer extant.