Varsity Theatre, Martin

The Varsity Theatre is a historic movie theater building in Martin, Tennessee, United States. It was built in 1949 for the Ruffin Amusement Company of Covington, Tennessee, and opened on August 10 of that year. At its opening, it was the premier movie house in Martin and Weakley County, seating 1,000 people in an air-conditioned interior. The name "Varsity" was chosen in recognition of the University of Tennessee College in Martin. The building was designed by the architecture firm Speight and Hibbs of Clarksville, Tennessee, and incorporates elements of the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles. Its exterior features the streamlined appearance characteristic of Art Moderne, including extensive use of rounded edges and horizontal lines. Art Moderne elements are also present in the interior, along with Art Deco-style lighting and wall decor. Built during the Jim Crow era, the design provided segregated facilities for African-American moviegoers, who used a separate entrance door to reach the theater balcony and segregated bathrooms and a drinking fountain located in the stairwell. The theater operated until 1987, then closed for several years because of its owner's health problems. It reopened in 1992, but closed again in 1996, when the building was taken over for use as a church. The church moved out in 2002, and the building stood empty for several years before being converted to its current use as a fitness center and physical therapy clinic. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2010.

The Varsity Theatre was built in 1949 for the Ruffin Amusement Company of Covington, Tennessee. It opened on August 10, 1949, as the premier movie house in Martin and Weakley County, seating 1,000 people in its air-conditioned interior. The name "Varsity" was chosen in recognition of the University of Tennessee College in Martin. The building was designed by the architecture firm Speight and Hibbs of Clarksville, Tennessee, incorporating elements of the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles. The exterior has the streamlined appearance that characterizes Art Moderne design, including extensive use of rounded edges and horizontal lines. Art Moderne elements are also present in the interior, along with Art Deco-style lighting and wall decor. Built in the Jim Crow era, the building design provided segregated facilities for African-American moviegoers, who used a separate entrance door to get to the theater balcony and to segregated bathrooms and a drinking fountain located in the stairwell. The theater operated until 1987, then closed for several years because of its owner's health problems. It reopened in 1992, but closed in 1996, when the building was taken over for use as a church. The church moved out in 2002, and the building stood empty for several years before being converted to its current use as a fitness center and physical therapy clinic. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2010.

• 2010

  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August.

• 2002

  Church moved out; building stood empty for several years.

• 1996

  Theater closed; building taken over for use as a church.

• 1992

  Theater reopened.

• 1987

  Theater closed due to owner's health problems.

• 1949

  Varsity Theatre built for Ruffin Amusement Company and opened on August 10.

Premier movie house in Martin and Weakley County at its opening; later a historic landmark building adaptively reused.

• Movie screenings

• 1,000-seat air-conditioned theater

1. 1Varsity Theatre, Martin - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Varsity Theatre (Martin, Tennessee) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org