Although apple pie and baseball are frequently touted American symbols, I think that movies – and the historic buildings associated with the “moving pictures” – should be added to that list. A new middle class emerged in America in the first few decades of the 20th century, and increased leisure time (and disposable income) meant that movie houses transported viewers to exotic new worlds and locales. Even if we don’t perceive the movie business the same way today, the historic movie theaters of the first half of the 20th century provide a glimpse into what truly seemed like magic at the time.
Undated photo of the Lane Theatre, Williamsburg, Kentucky, from the Restore the Lane Theater Facebook page.
Although I will slam on the brakes for many a historic building, I have a soft spot for downtown movie theaters. The Lane Theatre in Williamsburg, Kentucky, is a particularly compelling late Art Moderne building, as shiny and inviting today as it was when it opened in 1948.
The Main Street facade of the Lane.
The brown and yellow enameled metal is a distinct departure from the more conventional masonry facades along Main Street – and it is all swoops, curves, and movement.
The marquee.
So many historic theaters across Kentucky have been demolished, and many that still stand do so with a wounded air, having long since lost their marquees. Not so the Lane – its delightfully exuberant marquee with scrollwork and neon serves to highlight the geometric banding of the building.
The metal enamel panels on the facade cover what is a fairly traditional two-story brick structure, built on a concrete foundation.
An article in the July 15,1948 cover story in the Whitley Republican on on the occasion of the opening of the theater described the 600-seat venue as “thoroughly fireproof and has the best projection and sound equipment available. An attractive Lady’s Lounge and a modern men’s room have been provided for the comfort and convenience of patrons along with air conditioning, a sanitary drinking fountain and numerous other items designed to make theater going a pleasure.”
A detail of the ticket box.
The theater was owned and operated by its namesake, Foster Lane, a former mayor of Williamsburg – and a movie maven, as he operated two other theaters in Whitley County. The Lane Theatre operated until 1987, when falling attendance prompted its closure.
The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, and is now owned by the Williamsburg Action Team, a local non-profit seeking to restore the theater. The efforts to save the building – and to bolster community spirit – is more magical to me than even the riveting stylistic touches of the theater itself. I wish Williamsburg the very best in preserving this remarkable gem of movie magic.
