Page 13 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – November 2018

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Ohio certainly has its share of some of the nation’s most beautiful and historic theaters.By Charissa Durst
Ohio has a rich history in the architecture and design of theaters. According to Heritage Ohio, it’s home to nearly 50 historic theaters — and,
thanks to the efforts of preservationists — many of them are still standing.
As a historic preservation architect who has worked on the restoration of several theaters here in Ohio and elsewhere, I often find myself taking pictures of buildings while traveling or making it a point to attend a performance at an old theater, so I can experience a theater from the audience member’s perspective. While it’s hard to pick any favorites, several unique performance halls scattered throughout Ohio stand out because of their history, architecture and use. When I am traveling, theaters are always great places to visit, and when I go in — as an architect — I look for the “wow” factor in the lobby and main hall.
Central Ohio, of course, is home to such gems as the Palace Theatre, the Ohio Theatre and the Southern Theatre — all of which have that “wow” factor — but there are several other remarkable, if lesser-known, performance venues scattered throughout the region.
Neighborhood Revitalization
The Lincoln Theatre, which anchors the King-Lincoln District just east of downtown Columbus, has a rich connection to the African-American community in central Ohio. Developed by local African-American businessman Al Jackson, architect Carl Anderson (also an African-American) designed the theatre in
the Egyptian Revival style. The building — originally named the Ogden Theatre and Ballroom — opened
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