The Athens Theatre
1922
This historically significant landmark opened in 1922 as a silent film/vaudeville theatre. Once the entertainment centerpiece of the county, the Athens operated continuously for nearly seventy years, changing its programming over time as technology advanced. The theatre was developed by L.M. Patterson, a native of Washington, D.C., who moved to DeLand in 1920 and organized the DeLand Moving Picture Company. Designed by Murray S. King, a prominent Orlando Architect, the theatre was completed in 1921. Music and sound effects were performed on a large Wurlitzer organ. The opening night performance on January 6, 1922 featured the 7-reel silent film, "The Black Panther's Cub," a 4-act comic play, and four vaudeville acts.
Marker is at the intersection of North Florida Avenue and West Indiana Avenue on North Florida Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
