Newton Theater
National Register of Historic Places

Newton Theater

Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
Listed
June 26, 2007
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
07000592

About this property

The Newton Theater was a movie theater located at 3601 12th Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C., in the Brookland neighborhood. The Art Deco building was designed by John Jacob Zink and opened on July 29, 1937. Zink is credited with more than 200 movie theater projects in this region. The first film shown at the Newton Theater was I Met Him in Paris, starring Claudette Colbert and Robert Young. After the theater closed in the mid-1960s, the Catholic University of America purchased the building and used it until 1971. The Newton Theater resumed screening films in the late 1970s, under the ownership of the Brookland Community Corporation, but that, too, ended in 1979. The theater hosted punk rock concerts throughout 1984, featuring bands like Hüsker Dü, Government Issue, Negative Approach, Void, Iron Cross, 9353, Honor Role, and Malefice. The Newton Theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. In the 1990s, the theater was converted to a Peoples Drug store; CVS later bought and rebranded the chain. CVS kept many of the Art Deco exterior features, including the marquee, ziggurat and sign which was changed to "CVS/pharmacy."

Location

3601-3611 12th St. NE
Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
38.93555, -76.99058

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Newton Theater

This page lists Newton Theater. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Newton Theater report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Engine Company 17
Pre Contact
0.1 mi
Brookland Bowling Alleys
Industrial
0.2 mi
Brooks Mansion
Pre Contact
0.2 mi
Slowe-Burrill House
Civil War
0.3 mi
Franciscan Monastery and Memorial Church of the Holy Land
Colonial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Bladensburg
1814Early Republic
3.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Newton Theater listed on the National Register?

Newton Theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 2007.

What type of historic resource is Newton Theater?

Newton Theater is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Newton Theater?

The period of significance for Newton Theater is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1937.

Can I research the history near Newton Theater?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Newton Theater will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in District of Columbia County

Historic places, battles, and census history across District of Columbia County.

Explore District of ColumbiaCounty ›

More historic places in District of Columbia

Browse all historic places in District of Columbia.

View District of Columbiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

District of Columbia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

District of Columbiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Newton Theater will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report