Plaza Theater - Durant Downtown Historic District - Durant, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 33° 59.515 W 096° 22.711
14S E 742143 N 3764358
The Plaza Theater had a long run in the town of Durant, but has been closed for several decades.
Waymark Code: WMYQQ7
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/12/2018
Views: 1
Item N. 67 on the Historic District nomination is the Plaza Theater. This is a three-story stucco and tile-clad building constructed in 1915. There are three bays - the outer two containing a wood door and display window, and the center bay which is slightly projected, containing the theater entrances. This consists of two sets of double glass doors covered by a curved metal canopy. Above this canopy is mounted a neon sign reading "PLAZA".
The building is stucco clad, and has teal colored ceramic tile on the first floor side bays. This tile was added in 1940. The second floor has six horizontal bands which at one time were painted a contrasting color. Vertical bands below each third story window were also colored at one time. The upper floor windows are one-over-one. The roof line has a stepped parapet, with the center bay area higher.
Taken from a Cinema Treasures website Cinema Treasures a blog entry indicates that the theater was opened in 1915 as the Liberty, and for one year in 1932, as the State, and operated as the Plaza from 1936 to 1984 or so. A photo of the theater in 1936 with its multi-colored decoration can be found here: 1936
The building no longer operates as a theater. One glass door has a sign indicating it is the office of the District Attorney. The northern occupancy was once a barbershop but it is closed too.
