Winfield in Marion County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Pastime Theatre
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, June 13, 2026
1. Pastime Theatre Marker
The Pastime c. 1937 Theatre has been placed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage by the Alabama Historical Commission
Erected 2015 by Alabama Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is February 12, 2015.
Location. 33° 55.745′ N, 87° 49.036′ W. Marker is in Winfield, Alabama, in Marion County. It is at the intersection of 164 Bankhead Hwy (U.S. 43) and State Highway 243, on the right when traveling west on 164 Bankhead Hwy. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1052 US-43, Winfield AL 35594, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, 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 Confederate
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: In Honor of Those Who Served in World War II (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Johnny Michael Spann Memorial Park (about 400 feet away); Winfield, Alabama (about 400 feet away); State Bank and Trust (about 700 feet away); Town of Glen Allen, Alabama (approx. 4½ miles away); Stephen A. Caudle, Jr. (approx. 6.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winfield.
Also see . . . Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage Nomination Form.
The Pastime Theatre was built in 1937 as a movie theatre with a stage large enough for live vaudeville productions. During restoration, a poster was found advertising vaudeville act "Cousin Wilburn and his Tennessee Mountaineers". Newsreels were shown prior to movies which provided education and reporting current events of the time. This included coverage of World War II. Many young women whose husbands were away fighting(Submitted on June 13, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia.)attended the movies, not only for entertainment, but also to get news of the war.Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, June 13, 20262. Pastime Theatre & Marker
A part of local history included the separation of blacks and whites. Black theatre goers bought their tickets on the opposite side of the ticket booth from the whites at the bottom of an external stairway that lead them directly up to a segregated area in the balcony. We preserved 9 original seats in this area and they remain roped off and not used. The projection room was also preserved.
According to Anthony W. Horn, his grandfather owned several movie theatres in northwest Alabama, including theatres in Jefferson, Walker and Marion Counties. The Pastime Theatre in Winfield is the only theatre still in existence as all the others have been destroyed or torn down. The theatres in Carbon Hill and Winfield were mirror images of each other, according to theater historian Leroy Ingle who worked for Mr. Thornton as a technician and operator.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 13, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
