Seminole Cultural Arts Theatre

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The Seminole Theatre's history begins with a building that traveled. In 1916, the Airdome Theatre in Miami — built in 1912 at 174 E. Flagler St. — was dismantled, loaded onto a train and hauled to Homestead. It was rebuilt on Old Dixie Highway, east of Krome Avenue, and renamed the Homestead Garden Theatre. According to Bob Jensen, president of the Town Hall Museum in Homestead and a member of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council, the movie theater changed names sometime between 1916 and 1919 to the Homestead Movies. In 1919 the building was renamed the Seminole Theatre. In 1921 the theater ceased operating under that name at that location when early pioneers James Washington English and Henry Booker Sr. built a new theater in downtown Homestead and took the Seminole name with them. The new Seminole Theatre opened on November 26, 1921. In March 1940 the theater burned down after a fire started on the stage; the cause was never determined. Fire trucks were sent from Coral Gables, South Miami and the City of Miami, but the effort was not enough. As the official history recounts, "It burnt down completely. All that was left was the shell and the sky. And so when it was rebuilt, it was completely redesigned." In the meantime, a screen was set up in the alley and people watched movies there. When the theater was rebuilt in 1940, it was designed with the Art Deco facade that remains today. The Seminole closed its doors in 1979 due to financial trouble. In 1992 it suffered a near-total loss from Hurricane Andrew. In 1993 the owners donated the dilapidated structure to the city, and historic preservationists have been working since to bring it back. The effort was laborious and decades in the making, driven by devoted citizen groups passionate about historic preservation. During the May 2014 bond referendum, Homestead voters voted in favor of a $5 million measure tied to the restoration. Today the Seminole Theatre operates as a restored, city-owned cultural arts venue at 18 N. Krome Ave, Homestead, FL 33030. It is managed by OVG Facilities and presents a broad program of live theatre, music, film, community and educational events, including productions such as "Frankenstein," the "1920s Christmas Cabaret," "In the Heights," "Opera Meets Zarzuela," and family programming like the "Toy Story of Terror Spooktacular."

• 2014

  Homestead voters approve a $5 million bond measure for restoration in the May referendum.

• 1993

  Owners donate the dilapidated structure to the city.

• 1992

  Near-total loss from Hurricane Andrew.

• 1979

  Seminole Theatre closes due to financial trouble.

• 1940

  Theater burns down in March; rebuilt with Art Deco facade.

• 1921

  New Seminole Theatre built downtown by James Washington English and Henry Booker Sr.; opens November 26, 1921.

• 1919

  Building renamed the Seminole Theatre.

• 1916

  Airdome Theatre dismantled, shipped to Homestead, rebuilt as the Homestead Garden Theatre.

• 1912

  Airdome Theatre built in Miami at 174 E. Flagler St.

A historic, city-owned cultural arts theatre and live-performance venue serving Homestead and southern Miami-Dade County.

• Frankenstein

• 1920s Christmas Cabaret

• The Next Chapter: 'Sitting Pretty'

• In the Heights

• Opera Meets Zarzuela

• Toy Story of Terror Spooktacular

• Seminole Theatre Vocals – Fall Session

1. 1Seminole Theatre — Historic Live Performance Venue in Homestead, FLseminoletheatre.org
2. 2History - Seminole Theatreseminoletheatre.org
3. 3About Us - Seminole Theatreseminoletheatre.org
4. 4Toy Story of Terror Spooktacular at Seminole Theatreseminoletheatre.org
5. 5Seminole Cultural Arts Theatre - Wikidatawikidata.org