Liberty Theatre (Camas, Washington)
| Liberty Theatre | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Former names | Granada Theatre |
| General information | |
| Address | 315 Northeast Fourth Ave |
| Town or city | Camas, Washington |
| Country | United States |
| Current tenants | The Rootstock Capital Management LLC |
| Year(s) built | 1927 |
| Opened | June 14, 1927 |
| Renovated | 1994-1996, 2011 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | P. M. Hall-Lewis |
| Other designers | Charles Anman |
The Liberty Theatre, formerly known as the Granada Theatre, is a movie theater in downtown Camas, Washington. It is the only movie theater in the city and is located on NE Fourth Avenue, next door to the Farrell Building.
History[edit]
The Granada Theatre was constructed in 1927 with funding from Camas businessman Charles Farrell, who also owned the land the theater was built on, along with the Community Investment Corporation, a group of local citizens.[1] Design and construction cost about $75,000, including a $12,000 pipe organ, and lasted about six months.[2]
Architect P. M. Hall-Lewis of Portland, Oregon designed the theater, while Charles Anman designed the interior and the entryway. It is an example of art deco style with “Spanish/Moorish” influences.[1]
The Granada opened on June 14, 1927, showing the war comedy Lost at the Front. Admission was 30¢ for adults, 10¢ for children.[3] In addition to movies, the theater presented live performances such as vaudeville on a stage that was 25 feet deep and 32 feet wide.[4] [1]
New management changed the theater's name to the Liberty in 1938.[5]
On November 13, 1989, serial killer Westley Allan Dodd was captured and arrested after attempting to abduct a 6-year-old boy from the restroom of the theater.[6]
On August 27, 1994, a three-alarm fire destroyed the ticket booth, lobby, and concession area, and damaged the balcony. Owners the Farrell family invested about $630,000 in a restoration project that took 20 months to complete. A firewall constructed as part of the restoration eliminated the live performance stage.[4] The Liberty reopened on April 26, 1996, with a special showing of The American President.[7]
The Liberty closed for financial reasons in September 2009.[8] In 2011, Rootstock Capital Management LLC struck a deal with the theater's owners to reopen and operate the theater. On reopening, the Liberty switched from a first-run movie theater to a second-run and arthouse venue.[5] Renovations included the creation of a second screen, dubbed The Granada as a nod to the Liberty's history. The theater reopened on March 17, 2011, with a showing of Darby O’Gill and the Little People.[9]
In 2013, the theater converted from film to digital projection.[10]
Layout[edit]
When it was constructed, the Granada was a single-screen theater with 800 seats.[2]
When the Liberty reopened in 2011, one of the renovations was to add a smaller second screen.
Now the Liberty's main auditorium seats about 348 people, and the Granada seats 29.[4]
Gallery[edit]
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Lit up, viewed from across NE Fourth Ave -
Public Christmas tree in front of the theater in December -
Close up of the marquee -
The neon "Liberty" -
Entryway at night -
Lights above the entryway
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Flom, Eric (January 26, 2003). "The Granada Theatre in Camas opens its doors on June 14, 1927". HistoryLink. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Hewitt, Scott (June 10, 2017). "Renovated Liberty Theater thrives in Camas". The Columbian. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Parrish, Susan (June 11, 2012). "Liberty Theatre turning 85". The Columbian. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ a b c Hewitt, Scott (July 13, 2013). "Independent theaters on epic quest for secret success formula". The Columbian. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "The Liberty Theater" (PDF) (Press release). Liberty Theatre. n.d. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
- ^ Geranios, Nicholas K. (December 21, 1992). "Citizen who caught Dodd doesn't think himself a hero". The Kitsap Sun. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Oppegaard, Brett (April 26, 1996). "Liberty takes a bow". The Columbian – via ProQuest.
- ^ Acheson, Heather (January 25, 2011). "Liberty Theatre to re-open in March". Camas-Washougal Post-Record. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ Middlewood, Erin (March 6, 2011). "More theater options in Clark County coming soon". The Columbian. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Feldhaus, Dawn (November 4, 2013). "Liberty Theatre to serve beer and wine, starting Nov. 15". The Columbian. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
External links[edit]
