By: The Tennessee Historical Commission
The Dixie Theatre in Lewisburg is officially on the Nationalee Register of Historic Places--as of October 28, 2021.
Lewisburg’s Dixie Theatre was built on the city’s courthouse square in 1936. The two-story brick building with muted Art Deco detailing was remodeled in 1978, 1994 and 1997. Opening in 1936, the theatre became a major part of the entertainment history of Lewisburg. Live performances as well as movies were featured.
The Boyd family first opened a theatre on the square in 1913 but moved their theatre operations to this building in 1936. The new building featured air conditioning and cushioned seats. Like many theatres in the South, the Dixie Theatre was segregated. African American patrons had to enter a separate door and were only allowed balcony seating; there were no restroom facilities for African American patrons. The theatre was updated several times in an effort to attract movie-goers.
Closing in 1985, the Marshall County Community Theatre purchased the building around 1993-4 and opened it for performances in 1995.
See the full nomination click here.
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of cultural resources deemed worthy of preservation. It is part of a nationwide program that coordinates and supports efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect historic resources.
Learn more about the Tennessee Historical Commission's role as the State Historic Preservation Office that administers the National Register program in Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/historicalcommission/federal-programs/national-register.html