The Washington Theatre

The Washington Theatre. 1330 19th Street. , The first Washington Theatre was opened on December 21, 1910. Louis Landau, Jr. was the manager. It seated 750 people. Several years later a balcony was added making the seating capacity of 1,200. In 1911 the Air Dome was added next to the theatre. Mr. Landau bought out the Lillian Amusement Company's interest in the Washington Theatre and Air Dome on January 1, 1923. One month later Mr. Landau closed a contract with R. Levin and Company of Chicago to build a new theatre and ground was broken for the new Washington Theatre on May 17, 1923. It was built with seating capacity of 1,70 in a large auditorium and balcony, a long promenade, a large lobby, and dressing rooms under the stage. It had an up-to-date first aid room, a smoking room, nursery, play room, with a nurse in charge. A Barton Organ was installed, which could be lowered when not in use. Walter Parker was the first organist. A heating system was installed beneath the seats. The cost of the building was approximately $500,000.00. The theatre opened on December 21, 1923. Mayor Robertson switched on the new lighting system on 19th Street, called the "White Way" which had been installed by the Peerless Electric Company, and then led the way in to the theater for the dedication. , A fire on 19th Street in 1946 caused the outside of the Washington Theatre to be remodeled. The longest serving manager was Christ Pashoff, who managed the theatre through it's hey day for 33 years. The theater was closed for a time in the mid-1970s but was opened in the 1980s as a multipurpose venue for banquets, auctions, dances, boxing exhibitions and 2nd run movies. In the early 1990s The Washington Theatre was demolished to make way for the Madison County Transit Bus Terminal.