Nomination for Lincoln Theatre

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 (Rev. 8-86) for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1. Name of Property Ogden Theatre and Ballroom 2. Location street & number 77 E. Long St. city, town zip code Classification Ownership of Property X private X building(s) Name of related multiple property listing: State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.

Signature of certifying official State or Federal agency and bureau Signature of commenting or other official 5. National Park Service Certification 1, hereby, certify that this property is: Tatered in the Mentered in the National Register. determined eligible for the National Register. ] See continuation sheet. determined not eligible for the other, (explain:) - Date of Action 049 Noncontributing site Columbus public-local structure state district object REGISTER Lincoln Theatre public-Federal public-State Date NATIONAL National Register. 8-31-92 Total ECEIVE Ohio historic name Number of contributing resources previously not for publication other names/site number Category of Property National Register of Historic Places listed in the National Register United States Department of the Interior See continuation sheet. National Park Service removed from the National Register.

Registration Form Jvicinity This form is for use innominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts.See instructions in Guidelines Number of Resources within Property Ohio Historic Preservation Office OMB No. 1024-0018 X nomination Lrequest for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, In my opinion, the property 1355 Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) Social/Meeting Hall Vacant/Work in progress Recreation and Culture/Theatre 7.

Description Materials (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) walls _ Iimestone. Describe present and historic physical appearance. The Lincoln Theatre is a mixed-use commercial block, constructed in 1929, and located on a the bullding consists of storefronts and the theater lobby on the first floor; a ballroom five bays in addition to the tall rear section of the bullding that provides fly space for the stage. All of the window openings have steel casement sash. The principal facade (north elevation) faces East Long Street and features four storefronts, a central recessed entrance to the theater, and an entrance to the ballroom central three bays of the facade, above the theater entrance, are accentuated with a darker another on the second floor level indicating the location of the second floor ballroom.

The third floor level on the facade also features casement windows. A slightly raised parapet features G.U.O.O.F. (Grand United Order of Odd Fellows) in applied letters flanked by two small circular windows. The east elevation, along Garfleld Avenue, is also very simple in design. The buff central parapet features two small circular windows like the parapet on the front unadorned.The west and south elevations have red brick rather than buff-colored brick facing material. The public spaces of the interior were located on the first and second floors and consisted building, the interior reflected a highly decorated Egyptian Revival theme. Although the interior has sustained much damage as a result of vacancy for many years, elements of the Egyptian Revival style are still evident.

Two large columns, constructed of plaster with painted ornamentation have survived (although some of the painted ornamentation is missing) X] See continuation sheet metal roof other Architectural Classification Other/Egyptian Revival Influence foundation _ and a basement and is steel frame construction with a brick exterior. The front portion of on the second floor; and offices on the third floor. The rear section consists of the main portion of the theater and the stage area. The truncated hipped roofline is covered with standing seam metal on the visible portions and a bullt-up roof on the flat center section. facade above the storefronts. The otherwise unadorned entry to the theater is marked by brickwork is broken only by casement windows on the second and third stories. A raised of a theater and ballroom.

Designed as a contrast to the restrained exterior of the Concrete prominent corner on the near east side of Columbus.The building consists of three stories brick Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio Continuation Sheet offices vary in size, and many of the current partitions are not original.Because of the National Register of Historic Places Egyptian floral motifs. National Park Service cornice are still in place. the door surround and portions of the capitals on the wall pilasters that also employed A separate entrance leads to the ballroom on the second floor and offices on the third single open space with a stage located at the eastern end.A mezzanine islocated along United States Department of the Interior plain with simple wooden door frames. Section number _ decorative border is extant.

In the lobby area, some portions of a decorative plaster survived including pieces of plaster ornamentation with Egyptian motifs that once formed compared to the much grander scale of the theater and ballroom spaces. Finishes are quite Page the entire south side of the room.Some of the decorative elements of this space have on the left side of the proscenium arch.A deteriorated stage curtain with a visible The third floor has a corridor along the south side with offices opening onto it.These design of the roof truss system, the ceiling height of these rooms is about twelve feet entrance anda painted steel staircase leading to the upper floors.The ballroom area isa Lincoln Theatre, Eranklin County, Ohio 8. Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) Period of Significance Significant Dates Ethnic Heritage/Black State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. Important local African-American entrepreneur; and was a center for stage and screen colored" population doubled between 1840 and 1850 with an increase from 805 to 1607 people. Another large increase in population occurred during the early 20th century when the location of the Panhandle Railroad (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis R.R.) the city occurred following World War I and into the 1920s when rural and Southern the downtown and near east side areas.

An article entitled "East Long Street" appeared in the November, 1922 issue of Ihe Crisis, a monthly publication of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People African-Americans (out of a total Columbus population of 250,000). Most downtown Columbus has always been Long Street....the social, political, and business life of this cost of $50,000: [X See continuation sheet 1928-1942 Cultural Affiliation Architect/Builder Architect Unknown Significant Person African-Americans migrated to the city.The vast majority of these new residentsmoved to Columbus' African-American population predates the Civil War.As_early as 1810 there were Jnationally [xlocally Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) Anderson, Carl, Builder population grew from just over 9,000 in 1900 to almost 39,000 in 1940.

Throughout the 19th shops, which employed African-Americans, on the near east side led to African-American migration to the east side in the 1890s. A major increase in the minority population of businesses, expecially restaurants, hotels, department stores and theaters, were off-limits section is largely influenced by what happens on Long Street..." It went on to describe the Empress Theatre, owned by Messrs. J. E. Williams and Albert Jackson, and erected at a remaining vestiges of early 20th century African-American history in the city.

statewide century,African-Americans resided near the central business district of Columbus.The United States Department of the Interlor National Park Service Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio city is better equipped nor runs finer pictures than does the Empress...On the corner of Garfield Avenue and Long Street is the Colored Odd Fellows' Hall Building...the entire building is easily worth $50,000 and is one of the first buildings owned by enterprises on East Long Street and vicinity, embracing haberdasheries, Avenue, Hamilton Park, and Miami Avenue. It was not uncommon for social/fraternal organizations to allow African-American members, YMCA was organized for African-Americans in 1912 and a building was constructed in 1916 on late 19th century (date unknown). By the late 1920s, the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows was ready to rebuild.

As was common in lodge buildings during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, commercial space ballroom were incorporated into the building, which also included offices for the lodge. No record of the architect's name has been found, but the imaginative Egyptian Revival style building was constructed by Carl Anderson, of Dayton, Ohio, an African-American construction company that was also responsible for building St. Paul AME Church (located in According to Smokey Brown, a deceased Columbus artist whose father worked for the construction company, the Lincoln Theatre was built following the same plans as the Palace Theatre in Dayton (which is still standing but is endangered). Prior to the construction of the Lincoln Theatre, there were three other movie theaters on the Pythian Theater (1926) at 867 Mt.

Vernon Avenue; and the Vernon Theater, later renamed successful real estate owner and entrepreneur, and his partner James E. Williams built the the purchase of the Vernon Theatre by the white-owned Keith Theatre chain which had a "No and his former partner's widow approached the Odd Fellows to manage a theater to built in photographers, optometrists, music shops, music studios, beauty parlors, etc..." Continuation Sheet National Register of Historic Places the Jefferson Avenue National Register Historic District) just a few blocks away. the new Ogden Lodge. "The theatre has a pipe organ that cost $10,0o0,and no motion picture house in the Negroes to be erected on East Long Street.

There are nearly one hundred business The most exclusive residential areas for the African-American middle class, during the 1920s to the 1970s, were located within a few blocks of the Lincoln Theatre--along Monroe East Spring Street (now demolished). Likewise, fraternal organizations such as the Masons, Knights of Pythias, American Woodmen, Elks and Odd Fellows also had African-American chapters. The Odd Fellows constructed a building on East Long Street at Garfield in the brick Empress Theatre building, across the street from the site of the Lincoln Theatre According to oral history, Mr. Jackson was spurred to develop the Lincoln Theatre due to Admission to Negroes" policy. This angered Al Jackson, who became determined to build a grand and beautiful theater especially for Columbus' African-American population. Jackson Page 2 Section number 8 OMB Approval No.

1024-0018 Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio entertained by the nationally known Sammy Stuart Orchestra. Not surprisingly, the opening of the theatre passed without mention in Ihe Columbus Dispatch, the city's daily Jackson went on to develop other near east side properties, including the Theresa Building still known today. for live music was the Ogden Club (later the Lincoln Ballroom) on the second story of the longtime home of stage shows and musical entertainment that showcased both local and legendary jazz stars such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughn. movie showings with live vaudeville entertainment. downtown stores, hotels, restaurants and theatres, Columbus' African-Americans patronized Iike Las Vegas.

If you were looking for someone, you could find them on Long Street...." Continuation Sheet Vaudeville provided an important source of work for African-American entertainers.The Theatre chain that had the earlier policy prohibiting African-Americans from attending National Park Service neighborhood movie houses in the newspaper's entertainment section.

National Register of Historic Places Theatre Owners Booking Association was responsible for circuit bookings in understated, the interior Was designed in the Egyptian Revival style.According to an Egyptian drawings on the cream walls and on the red velvet stage curtains.The dress of musicians played in clubs on Mt.Vernon Avenue and Long Street.One of the popular venues Segregation in Columbus fueled the commercial and cultural development of the neighborhood United States Department of the Interlor Originally known as the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom,the Lincoln Theatre opened on the Lincoln Ballroom was the Eckstine Band,which launched the careers of a number of gold satin long-sleeved billowing shirts and red satin bow ties..." The patrons were beautiful Egyptian palace because of the strategically placed decorated pillars and other Columbus' near east side has a rich musical history.

From the 1930s to the early 1960s, theaters, restaurants, banks, doctors, barber shops, grocery stores, clothing stores and near ly everything else the resident population needed.

Otto Beatty, Sr., a long-time business owner, said of this period, "At night, when the lights were on, Long Street looked Page Section number Thanksgiving Day in 1929.Although the exterior design was somewhat restrained and national entertainment.The Big Band tune Jersey Bounce was written in the Lincoln this area of Columbus was known as a major jazz center.Many of the country's great jazz following Jackson's death,his heirs sold his interest in the Ogden Theatre to the Keith eyewitness account of the opening night ...the patrons felt as if they were seated in a NPS Form 10-000-e United States Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio Since downtown hotels allowed whites only, several hotels were constructed on the near eastside Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louls Armstrong, Stan Getz, Ray Charles, Miles Davis....

and Empress Theatres have been demolished, and the Pythian Theatre has been rehabilitated twelve block area, a person could literally live a lifetime on Long Street without association with a period of unequaled African-American cultural, social and economic best extant buildings associated with the rich cultural, social, and entrepreneurial heritage of the city's African-American population. Its rehabilitation. This effort has just received major financlal support from the Continuation Sheet receive further funding from the City of Columbus.

National Park Service The Lincoln Theatre is now owned by a non-profit organization that is about to undertake east side.As houses were demolished for construction of the freeway, the east side PBS television/radio station) recalled the changes that took place as the neighborhood through Columbus stayed at hotels in the Long Street/Mt.Vernon Avenue area. A magazine clipping about this period put it succinctly: The Lincoln Theatre remains today as one of the very few surviving commercial buildings The beginning of racial integration gave neighborhood residents more options where to National Trust for Historic Preservation through its inner Cities Venture Fund and will over 10,oo0 residents and introduced a physical barrier between the downtown and the near The character of the near east side began to change during the 1960s with two major events.

Hamilton in the National Register and recently demolished) and less than a block East Long Street. and reopened in 1987 as the Martin Luther King Jr.Center for the Arts. missing a single minute of what life offers...." Section number Page shop, live, work and worship. At the same time the construction of Interstate 71 displaced Although vacant and deteriorated, the Lincoln Theatre retains a high level of integrity; from the golden period of commercial and cultural activity in the "Million Dollar Block" of Page "...Long Street was a showcase of black economic and social prosperity. Within a neighborhood population began its decline.Small businesses were affected adversely by both the decrease in population and the increased competition from outside the Those were the clubs and ballrooms that also served as performance homes for Columbus!

own began to deteriorate: from the Lincoln and Empress Theatres.Many of the African-American musiclans travelling Jazz musicians...."The Lincoln Theatrehas been vacant for at least 15years;the Cameo Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References [X] See continuation sheet Previous documentation on file (NPS): N/A -preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) Primary location of additional data: has been requested [X State historic preservation office ]previously listed in the National Register Other State agency previously determined eligible by the National Register ] Federal agency designated a National Historic Landmark ] Local government Jrecorded by Historic American Buildings -Other Jrecorded by Historic American Engineering Record #. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of property Less than one acre UTM References Verbal Boundary Description The boundaries of the nominated property includes the city lot historically associated 11.

Form Prepared By _ date June 30, 1992 _ state _ zip code _43215 University Northing Easting Columbus Boundary Justification Specify repository: with the property. Survey # telephone (614) 221-0358 Zone as recorded in the Franklin County Recorder's Map Room. city or town OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Page _ 1 Lincoln Theatre, Franklin County, Ohio Columbus, Ohio., Master's Thesis, The Ohio State University, 1933. Bishop, 1983 (?). Bishop, Anna S. The Black Experience in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus, Ohio: Anna Bishop, no date. Blue Chip Profile. Columbus, Ohio: J.M. Smith Communications, 1992. Columbus City Directories, 1914-1940. Columbus Illustrated Record. Compiled by Wm. A. McWilliams, Columbus, "East Long Street", by Nimrod B. Allen. The Crisis, A Record of the Darker Races, Vol. 25, No.1, November, 1922, New York, NAACP.

Lincoln Theatre Economic Impact Study, Feinknopf, Macioce & Schappa, 1982. Listen for the Jazz, Key Notes in Columbus History. Columbus, Ohio: Art Foundation of Olde Towne East, 1990. Near East Side Information Profile, Columbus Department of Development, Sheridan Phil. Those Wonderful Downtown Theaters. Volumes I,II,III. Columbus, Ohio: 1978, 1984, 1992. "Vintage Jazz" by Sharon Ferguson. Airfare, September, 1989. U.S. Census Records Columbus, Ohio Jeffrey I. Darbee Benjamin D. Rickey & Co., 391 Library Park South, Columbus, Ohio 43215 1979. 6/92 Photographs Lincoln Theatre Continuation Sheet Section number National Park Service Barta, Andrew.A Sociological Survey of East Long Street Negro District in National Register of Historic Places Ohio:1919-1920 Unlted States Department of the Interlor NP& Form 10-00 Bishop, Anna S. Beyond Poindexter Village, Part II.

Columbus, Ohio: Anna Photos NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NAME : NOMINATOR: STATE OTHER : N PDIL: N PERIOD: N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: COMMENT WAIVER: N ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS : 10/08/92 10/26/92 DATE MULTIPLE REJECT 9/11/92 9/22/92 DISCIPLINE REVIEWER RECOM./CRITERIA EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF PENDING LIST: REASONS FOR REVIEW: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LESS THAN 5O YEARS: DATE OF 45TH DAY: LANDSCAPE: N N SLR DRAFT: N PROPERTY ACCEPT RETURN Lincoln Theatre NATIONAL: _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION -current _completeness _clarity _applicable criteria _relationship of integrity to significance -justification of exception _other GEOGRAPHICAL DATA _acreage _boundary justification _sketch maps _photographs Phone _ presentation FUNCTION materials Period count DESCRIPTION context historic Builder/Architect architectural classification BIBLIOGRAPHY CLASSIFICATION SIGNIFICANCE Date ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION justification of areas checked Signed Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to relating significance to the resource Specific dates OTHER COMMENTS verbal boundary description _summary paragraph Areas of Significance--Check and justify below USGS maps Statement of Significance one paragraph) UTMs descriptive text LINCOLN THEATRE NORTH ELEUATION 1 OF 20 FRANKLIN CO, OF LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO, OH 2 OF 26 FRANKLINCD., OH 3 0F 26 LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO., OH LINCOLN THEATRE MARQUEE FRONT UEW FRANKLIN CO, OH SALE LEASE G.U.O.: O.F 9 2 8 AVAILABLE GA253-2280 6000- 8000- LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLN CO., OH STOLEFRONT LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLINCO., OH THEATRE ENTRANE LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO, OH THEATRE TRANSOM LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO.

OH WINDOW DETAILNFACNDE OHIO DISTRICT CRAND LODGE :24 SIDNEY S. CHEEKS-Z R JACKSONCHM.-GEO.E HALLDC.MR. CHA.SW.PRICE-CHASEARMSTRONC-W.FOREST SPEAKS G.U.O.O.F. FRANKUN. Co., OH LINCOLN THEATRE EAST ELEVATION GARFIELD LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKUN Co., OH SOUTH EUEUATION 12 OF 26 LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLINCO, OH UIEW LOOKING TOWARO LOBBY LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO., OH FRANKLINCO, OH STAGE DETAIL KINCOLN THEATRE FRANKUNCO, OH FRANKLIN CO. OH LINCOLN THEATRE LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKUNCO., OHI LINCOLN THEATR FRANKLIN CO, OH SEATING LINCOLN THEATRE BALLROOm MEZANNE FRANKLINCO DH BALLROOM STAGE AT FAL END EINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO; OH FRnNKUN Co, OH LINCOLN THEATRE LINCOLN THEATRE, FRANKLIN CO, DM BALLROOM ENTRANCE LINCOLN THEATRE FRANKLIN CO, OH LINCOLN THEATRE BALLROOM FROM MEZZANIE FRANKLIN CO, OH OHIO-FRANKLIN CO.

7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC UNITED STATES SOUTHEAST COLUMBUS QUADRANGLE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 39092 H8TF-024 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SOUTHEAST COLUMBUS, OHIO 1982 Velma Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497 (614) 297-2300 Fax: 297-2411 September 4, 1992 SINCE 1885 Ms. Carol Shull P. O. Box 37127 Washington, DC Dear Ms. Shull: W. Ray Luce SOCIETY 20013-7127 County Jefferson. Enclosures Sincerely, Cuyahoga Franklin HISTORICAL OHIO Adams The Ridge NATIONAL Watterson School Lincoln Theatre New Submission Market Street Section/Retaining Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places REGISTER State Historic Preservation Officer Please contact me if you have any questions. National Park Service Wall and Water Trough S:P 1 :1992 notification procedures have been followed for these new submissions.