The Turnage Theatre is a historic circa 1913 theater building in Washington, North Carolina. It originally had a shoe store on its ground floor and a vaudeville theater upstairs. Later a movie theater was added. [1] It is located at 150 West Main Street in the Washington Historic District. [2] First a vaudeville theater was built on the second floor and in 1928 a theater for "talkies" was constructed behind it. [3]
Raleigh based WRAL-TV states, "The importance of the Historic Turnage Theatre and its preservation is paramount to both the local community and North Carolina at large. A North Carolina designated historic site and a contributing structure to the Historic District of Washington, the Historic Turnage Theatre is a 32,000-square-foot building that houses two theaters." [2]
Established as a vaudeville theater, it was one the first movie theatres in the eastern part of the state. Restored in the 1990s, it is now home to Arts of the Pamlico. [4]
The theater was named for its owner, C. A. Turnage. [2] Various events are held at the theater. [5] East Carolina University utilizes the theater for music and art events. [6] An oral history included recollection of George Diamond's soda shop beneath the theater. [7]
Turnage Incorporated it as New Theatre Inc. [8] It appears in 1922 state department of revenue report. [9]
It was succeeded by the Cinema III at Washington Square Mall in 1976. [1] In 1994, "adaptive rehabilitation" of the theater building was planned. [10] It features on a Ghost Walk history tour. [11]
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