Dunbar Theatre
National Register of Historic Places

Dunbar Theatre

Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas
Listed
July 1, 2008
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
08000615

About this property

The Dunbar Theatre is a movie theater in Wichita, Kansas, United States. Opened in 1941, it was named after an American author Paul Laurence Dunbar. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places since July 2, 2008, and the Kansas State Registry of Historic Places. It is located at 1007 N Cleveland St. in the McAdams Neighborhood, which is a historically African-American Neighborhood. During the 1940s, the Dunbar Theatre was not only a destination for entertainment but also a center of the McAdams neighborhood, providing a welcoming place for African-Americans who faced segregation elsewhere in the city. Located at the intersection of 9th and Cleveland streets, the theatre was a central gathering place for locals to socialize and enjoy themselves. It became a symbol of not just a building but also a sense of community. There is a plan to renovate the theatre and transform it into a cultural performing arts center, with expanded space for promotion of the arts and education.

Location

1007 N. Cleveland
Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas
37.70100, -97.32206

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONPERFORMING ARTSSOCIAL HISTORYCOMMERCEBLACK
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.

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Questions about this property

When was Dunbar Theatre listed on the National Register?

Dunbar Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 1, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Dunbar Theatre?

Dunbar Theatre is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Dunbar Theatre?

The period of significance for Dunbar Theatre is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Dunbar Theatre?

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