Chimera - Calvin Theater - Washington, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 33.544 W 091° 00.881
15S E 672981 N 4269716
There are a few on this old theater.
Waymark Code: WMZBV3
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/16/2018
Views: 2
County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: Elm St., middle of block, west side, Washington
Built: 1909
Architect: E.C. Little
"Opened September 5, 1909. The first movie seen at the Calvin Theatre was on September 17, 1909 after two weeks of live entertainment.
"The designer of the building was E.C. Little. He was the architectural supervisor of the erection of the Missouri State Building for the 1904 World’s Fair. This was a 900 seat Theatre. The Calvin Theatre has gone through a lot over it’s years of business. Commonwealth Amusement ran the Calvin Theatre from the early-1930’s through 1983. In 1983 it was purchased by Mr. & Mrs. George McLean who also owned the theatre in Sullivan, Mo. They planned to restore the theatre to it’s opera-house appearance with some success.
"The theatre’s present owner lives upstairs of the theatre and continues the Calvin’s bluegrass concert series and a few movie screenings. It had closed by April 2014. In November 2016 the marquee & sign was removed from the front of the building due to a possibility of its collapse." ~ Cinema Treasures
"55 CALVIN OPERA HOUSE/THEATRE..........311 Elm Street
Built in 1909 for John L. “Jack” Calvin, designed by A.A. Fischer. Retains much
of its early appearance except for a reconfiguration of the entrance." ~ Washington Historic Society Self Guided Your
"Revival styles most commonly were reflected in commercial buildings
only as systems of ornament. ... More fully developed
styles, however, may be found in such buildings as the ... Classical Revival designs ... the Calvin Theater (1909) at 311 Elm (Photo #22) designed by
Kansas City architect E.C. Little, ..." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF page 17