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The nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
Form 10-300 (Rev. 6-72) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) 1. NAME COMMON: Akron Civic Theatre AND/OR HISTORIC: Loew's Theatre 2. LOCATION STREET AND NUMBER: 182 S. Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Akron STATE: Ohio CODE: 039 COUNTY: Summit CODE: 153 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 14th John F. Seiberling, Jr. 3.
CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY (Check One) District [ ] Building [x] Site [ ] Structure [ ] Object [ ] OWNERSHIP Public [ ] Private [x] Both [ ] Public Acquisition: In Process [ ] Being Considered [ ] STATUS Occupied [x] Unoccupied [ ] Preservation work in progress [ ] ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: Restricted [ ] Unrestricted [x] No [ ] PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agricultural [ ] Commercial [ ] Educational [ ] Entertainment [x] Government [ ] Industrial [ ] Military [ ] Museum [ ] Park [ ] Private Residence [ ] Religious [ ] Scientific [ ] Transportation [ ] Other (Specify) [ ] Comments 4. OWNER OF PROPERTY OWNER'S NAME: Community Hall Foundation, Inc. STREET AND NUMBER: 182 S.
Main Street CITY OR TOWN: Akron STATE: Ohio CODE: 039 5. LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Summit County Courthouse STREET AND NUMBER: 209 S. High Street CITY OR TOWN: Akron STATE: Ohio CODE: 039 6. REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: DATE OF SURVEY: Federal [ ] State [ ] County [ ] DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: STATE: RECEIVED JUN 15 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER The main entrance from Akron's principal north-south artery (S. Main street) consists of a ticket booth and entrances housed in a three story Italian renaissance stone facade capped with a projecting cornice and Mediterranean tile roof. The highly ornate windows are supported by a polychromed band of griffins and heraldic devices.
The deeply rusticated window surrounds likewise support fanciful polychromed carvings. Unfortunately, much of the scale of the entrance is hidden by a more recent marquee. The entrance is connected to the main theatre block by an enclosed bridge over the Ohio Canal. The walls of the bridge are decorated with medieval armor, shields, pikes, halberds and swords. Upon reaching the grand lobby one enters a fairyland of extraordinary and imaginative Italian renaissance decor. The room has enormous scale. The richly ornamented walls support a coffered, truncated, pyramial ceiling. Flanking the entrance doors are lifesize Italian classical statues in decoratve niches; and opposite the doors is the lobby's focal point, the grand stairway to the mezzanine.
The mezzanine is distinguished by its groin vaulted ceiling of heavily rendered plaster, supported by carved brackets, and by its furnishings -- massive antiques that are in keeping with the scale of the room. The auditorium itself is an outstanding example of noted Architect John Eberson's "atmospheric" design: The amphitheatre walls seem to enclose the courtyard of a fanciful palace. Myriads of openings display classical statues and urns. Overhead, stars twinkle and clouds drift by. RECEIVED JUN 15 1973 NATIONAL REGISTER 8.
SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre-Columbian 16th Century 18th Century 20th Century 15th Century 17th Century 19th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) 1929 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Aboriginal Education Political Urban Planning Prehistoric Engineering Religion/Phi- Other (Specify) Historic Industry losophy Agriculture Invention Science Architecture Landscape Sculpture Art Architecture Social/Human- Commerce Literature itarian Communications Military Theater Conservation Music Transportation STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Akron Civic Theatre, opened April 20, 1929 as Loew's Theatre, is a product of the golden age of the American movie palace.
Its like may never be seen again. Its architect, John Eberson, was one of the two foremost theatre designers of the period -- the other being Thomas Lamb. Eberson gained fame as creator of the "atmospheric" (stars-and-clouds) theatre, which borrowed from nature and the more flamboyant landscape gardeners of the past. In an Eberson atmospheric house, the auditorium was (to quote him) "a magnificent amphitheatre under a glorious moonlit sky ... an Italian garden, a Persian court, a Spanish patio, or a mystic Egyptian temple yard." where friendly stars twinkled and wisps of clouds drifted." Eberson was archeologist, weather man and landscape gardener rolled into one, and the combination made wonderful box office.
Other outstanding theatres that Eberson designed were Loew's Valencia and Paradise in New York; the Avalon, the Paradise, and the Capitol in Chicago; the Tampa in Tampa; the Olympia in Miami; the Paramount in Omaha; the Grand Riviera in Detroit; the Uptown in Kansas City; the Paramount in Nashville; the Majestic theatres in Houston and San Antonio; and Loew's in Louisville and Richmond. The Akron theatre, erected at a cost of more than $1 million, has a seating capacity of 2,987. It is believed to be the last of the 11 theatres opened by Marcus Loew, founder of the Loew's chain, that is still standing. It was the first in America to be built with equipment for sound films originally installed. It was the first in Akron with an air cooling system. It had from the start one of the finest Wurlitzer theatre organs in existence.
During the 1930s, when stage shows had their heydays, the Akron theatre featured such big name entertainers as Joe Penner, Cab Calloway, Ted Lewis, Lionel Hampton, Ben Bernie, Kate Smith, Buddy Rogers, Sophie Tucker and Sally Rand. The golden days of show business faded, but the Civic Theatre is flourishing again as a community entertainment center and playing host to the top stage stars of another era. The Best Remaining Seats - The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace. By Ben M. Hall. Bramhall House, New York, N.Y. 1961 p. 102 less than 1 William V.
Wallace, Jr., Director Summit County Historical Society 550 Copley Road Akron Ohio 039 As the designated State Liaison Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. The recommended level of significance of this nomination is: National State Local Name Donald L. Foster Title Ohio Historic Preserva Off Date 11 June 1973 I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register.
Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation Date 7/6/73 ATTEST: Keeper of The National Register Date 7/17/73 GPO 931-894 PROPERTY Loew's Ohio Theatre STATE Ohio WORKING NUMBER 6.15.73.3113 TECH REVIEW Photos 6 Maps 1 Summit CONTROL REVIEW Cm 6/20/73 BX Accept Amy 6/20/73 HISTORIAN name? - interiors are magnificent - worthy of exception to 50yr. rule It's almost 50! ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Deserves an exception it's amazing! 6-25-73 Accept eshusk ARCHEOLOGIST Accept RHC 6/29/73 REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Use historic name "Loew's Theatre" BRANCH CHIEF Henry 7-6-73 KEEPER Wm 7/13 National Register write-up ________ Federal Register entry 9-4-73 Send-back ________ Re-submit ________ Entered JUL 16 1973 NPS Number July 16, 1973 Title: Loew's Theatre Loc.
Summit Co., Ohio Grand Lobby from stairs to Mezzanine (1) PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER PONGRACZ PHOTOGRAPHER 283 S. Main Akron, Ohio Date 12-29-77 Invoice # ________ BALCONY NPS Number July 16, 1973 Title: Loew's Theatre Loc. Summit Co, Ohio Mezzanine (2.1) PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NPS Number July 16/1973 (3) Title: Loew's Theatre Loc. Summit Co., Ohio Auditorium from the stage THIS PHOTO MAY NOT BE USED FOR PUBLISHING PURPOSES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION AKRON BEACON JOURNAL PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NPS Number July 16, 1973 Title: Loew's Theatre Loc.
Summit Co., Ohio Detail of Amphitheatre wall near stage (4) BEACON JOURNAL PHOTOGRAPH FEB 3 1965 by TED WALLS PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISCOUNT PHARMACY RITE AID HEALTH & BEAUTY AIDS 3/89 49 59 33 00 RITE AID CIVIC THEATRE MISS REARDON JAN 26-7 WHITE LAW Hi-Life Talks WHERE EVERYONE MEETS WHITELAW'S CAFE FINE FOOD FOOD LIQUOR BEER NPS Number July/16/1973 Title: Loew's Theatre Loc. Summit Co., Ohio main entrance, marquee, stone facade, bridge to lobby, and roofs of lobby and Auditorium PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER NPS Number July 16, 1973 Title: Loew's Theatre also owns Loc. Summit Co., Ohio Grand Lobby stairs to Mezzanine 17A PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER PONGRACZ PHOTOGRAPHER 233 S.
Main Akron, Ohio 1972 Date 12/19/72 Invoice # ______ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AKRON WEST QUADRANGLE OHIO-SUMMIT CO. 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) Control by USC&GS, USGS, and city of Akron Topography by planetable surveys 1952. Culture revised by the Geological Survey 1953. Polyconic projection. 1927 North American datum. 10,000-foot grid based on Ohio coordinate system, north zone 1000-meter Universal Transverse Mercator grid ticks, zone 17, shown in blue Red tint indicates areas in which only landmark buildings are shown Fine red dashed lines indicate selected fence and field lines where generally visible on aerial photographs. This information is unchecked. 1957 For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, 25, D.C.
A FOLDER DESCRIBING TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS AND SYMBOLS IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST AKRON CIVIC THEATRE on Federal Register Oct. 19, 1973 (37 FR 22073) NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NPS Form 10-300 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES MARCH 27 1974 SCALE 1:24 000 OHIO SUMMIT COUNTY AKRON WEST, OHIO AKRON WEST QUAD. AMS 6165 II NW-SERIES V854 Road classification Primary highway, hard surface Secondary highway, hard or improved surface Light duty road, hard or improved surface Unimproved road BLACK LINE BOUNDARIES DEFINE THE QUADRANGLE. DIVISIONS OF U.S. LAND SURVEY SYSTEM ARE SHOWN WHERE APPLICABLE. Quadrangle location There may be private inholdings within boundaries of the National or State reservations shown on this map.
PROJECTION AND 10,000-FOOT GRID TICKS: OHIO COORDINATE SYSTEM, NORTH ZONE 1927 NORTH AMERICAN DATUM FINE RED TICKS INDICATE 1000-METER UNIVERSAL TRANSVERSE MERCATOR GRID, ZONE 17 POLYCONIC PROJECTION. 1927 NORTH AMERICAN DATUM REPRINTED 1957 FOR SALE BY U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WASHINGTON 25, D.C. A FOLDER DESCRIBING TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS AND SYMBOLS IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST *Please note the fine handwritten text along the left edge:* 1/21/86 D.L.
W (614) 451-7782 ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE OHIO Date Entered JUL 1 6 1973 Name Loew's Theatre Tuscarawas County Courthouse House of Four Pillars High Banks Works Spruce Run Earthworks Guernsey County Courthouse Muskingum County Courthouse and Jail Location Akron Summit County New Philadelphia Tuscarawas County Maumee Lucas County Chillicothe vicinity Ross County Delaware County Cambridge Guernsey County Zanesville Muskingum County Also Notified Hon. William B. Saxbe Hon. Robert Taft, Jr. Hon. John F. Seiberling, Jr. Hon. Wayne L. Hays Hon. Thomas L. Ashley Hon. William H. Harsha Hon. Samuel L. Devine Hon. Clarence E. Miller State Historic Preservation Officer Mr. Daniel R. Porter, Director The Ohio Historical Society Columbus, Ohio 43211 Director, Northeast Region [PHR] JMott:jal 7/19/73 2-12/74