Franklin, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Lyons State Theatre
221 South Main Street
| | Franklin Historic District | |
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
circa 1937
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Art Deco series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.
Location. 36° 40.548′ N, 76° 55.259′ W. Marker is in Franklin, Virginia. It is at the intersection of South Main Street (U.S. 258) and Elm Street, on the right when traveling south on South Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 221 S Main St, Franklin VA 23851, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Flood of September 1999 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Franklin (about 500 feet away); Recovery and Progress (about 600 feet away); The Age of Gasoline (about 600 feet away); "Can't Is Not in the Camp's Vocabulary" (about 600 feet away); War Comes to the Blackwater (about 600 feet away); The Age of Steam (about 600 feet away); The Barretts: A Franklin Pioneer Family (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Franklin.
Regarding Lyons State Theatre. The Lyons State Theatre at 221 South Main Street is among Franklin's most stylish buildings dating from the 1930s. Expressive of the Art Deco style, popular with movie theatres of the age, the facade exhibits such details as fluted stone or concrete bands and panels contrasting with recessed brick panels which together form typical Art Deco decorative patterns.
Also see . . . National Register of Historic Places nomination form for the Franklin Historic District.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 30, 2021
2. Lyons State Theatre
The building is currently home to Jesus is Lord Move of God Apostolic Ministries.
The Lyons State Theatre is a contributing structure to the Franklin Historic District in the City of Franklin, Virginia. The nomination form for the district was prepared by the Virginia Historic Landmarks Division Staff in 1985. A statement of significance is on page 3:
Situated at the head of navigation of the Blackwater River, the village of Franklin arose between 1835 and 1840 on the Southampton County side of the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad bridge. By the mid-19th century, the development of rail transportation and river commerce in southeastern Virginia made Franklin an important commercial depot for agricultural products of the region such as cotton, tobacco, livestock, slaughtered beef, and pork. Although no major engagements were fought near Franklin during the Civil War, the village greatly suffered from the disruption of it s river commerce and railroad system, becoming a virtual ghost town by 1864. With peace and the resumption of commerce, northern demand created not only new markets for the old products of cotton, hams, and tobacco, but also encouraged the rise of two new industries lumber and peanuts that fueled much of Franklin's subsequent economic growth. During the last third of the 19th century. Franklin became widely known as the headquarters of Union Camp Corporation, now one of the largest producers of wood products in the United States. The majority of buildings in the Franklin Historic District dates to the economic resurgence of the town in the late 19th century, which is best reflected in the fashionable residential architecture that lines Clay and High streets. Well preserved picturesque streetscapes of high style and vernacular residences are seen throughout the large neighborhood west of the downtown area. Due to a fire in 1881 that destroyed the original commercial core, and a subsequent town ordinance that forbade the construction of frame buildings, Franklin's downtown area mostly consists of rows of brick structures dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Examples of Italianate and Colonial Revival style s are particularly well represented in the commercial architecture along Main Street.
According to page 28 (item 221), The Lyon State Theatre is built in the Art Deco style in the 1930s, made of stretcher bond brick. The facility is 1 story, with a gable roof and 3 bays wide. (Submitted on January 28, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 31, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 474 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 31, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
