About this property
The Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, North Carolina is a theater first opened December 31, 1936, built by Cannon Mills for its workers. The Gem is one of the oldest movie theaters with one screen in the United States. After a 1942 fire, only the façade, offices, projection booth and part of the lobby remained. The theater was rebuilt and reopened in 1948 with 916 seats and a new balcony to replace the old one. Steve Morris bought a share of the theater in 1995 and became general manager and later the owner. With competition from newer theaters, the Gem showed movies that had already been shown elsewhere. First-run movies returned in 2000. The city of Kannapolis bought the theater in 2015 as part of a downtown revitalization project. Renovations done in 2021 include the exterior, roof, and HVAC. The theater reopened May 16, 2024 after five months of interior renovations costing $1.2 million. The theater building uses Art Deco designs including the prominent blue marquee, which includes about 50 neon lights. In the interior, the trough lighting was restored along the ceiling. In the theater itself, the screen is flanked by two original metalwork panels with stylized birds-of-paradise. National Register of Historic Places listings in Cabarrus County, North Carolina
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
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Everything a full report reveals about Gem Theatre
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Questions about this property
When was Gem Theatre listed on the National Register?
Gem Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 26, 2019.
What type of historic resource is Gem Theatre?
Gem Theatre is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Gem Theatre?
The period of significance for Gem Theatre is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1936.
Can I research the history near Gem Theatre?
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 Gem Theatre will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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