Movie theater

418-422 East Pettigrew / The Wonderland Theater

Wonderland Theater, looking southwest from East Pettigrew and Ramsey Streets, 1922. (Courtesy Duke Rare Book and Manuscript Collection / Digital Durham) The Wonderland Theater was built in 1920 by Frederick K. Watkins, self-described "Movie King" (his house at 1218 Fayetteville St. still bears this description) at the southwest corner of East Pettigrew Street and Ramsey Street.

Regal Theater

Regal Theater, late 1930s or early 1940s. (Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper) The Regal Theater was built in 1927 by George Washington Logan - providing a variety of entertainment, including musical performances by the likes of Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and others. By the 1930s, it seems that the theater had become predominantly a movie theater.

121 East Main Street - Paris / Uptown Theaters

Looking west-northwest from Church St. and East Main St., 1895. (Courtesy Duke Archives) The 100 block of East Main St. was part of the central core of downtown that developed during the 1880s, with early frame structures transitioning to brick by 1890. Clothing and drugstores were common tenants, and another of Durham's early newspapers, the...

Starlite Drive-In

The Starlite drive-in theater opened in the mid-1940's and operated until ~1961, when it was abandoned. Abandoned Starlite Theater, mid-1960s Abandoned Starlite Theater, mid-1960s Abandoned Starlite Theater, mid-1960s The Starlite drive-in theater opened in the mid-1940's and operated until ~1961, when it was abandoned. Abandoned Starlite Theater...

Forest Drive-In

Aerial view, 1959

Midway Drive-In

2550 Chapel Hill Boulevard

2007 2550 Chapel Hill Boulevard was home to the Yorktowne Theater. One of the best movie experiences of my life was going to see "White Men Can't Jump" here. Seriously. 11.22.08 (Courtesy Andy Edmonds) 11.22.08 (Courtesy Andy Edmonds)

125 East Main Street

Looking west-northwest from Church St. and East Main St., 1895. (Courtesy Duke Archives)

Arcade Theater

Looking southeast from East Main St., ~1910. (Courtesy Durham County Library) The southwest corner of Roxoboro and East Main St. initially was the location of a home, although I don't know the original inhabitant. This house was still in place when the first courthouse was built immediately to its west. Looking southeast from East Main St., 1880s...

Center Theater

The Center Theater replaced half of an earlier structure, which half was replaced again 29 years later - moving from Mansard to Modern to Launch Vehicle. The building at 313-315 East Chapel Hill Street was constructed around 1907 as the Corcoran Hotel, but did not survive for long due to stiff competition from the other downtown hotels. It became...