The clean facade of the Troubadour Theater, corner of Main and Henry streets.Built in 1853 as the Odd Fellows Hall, this building was a community meeting place for generations, and has also seen service as a shoe factory, a hardware store, an opera house, and an early movie theater.
Since 1929 it has been owned by Washington and Lee, and has hosted theater classes and performances for the University as well as being a venue for local musicians and, until recently, the winter home of the Lime Kiln Theater. The addition to the left is from 1968, and windows have been added over the years, as well -- originally the Main Street front here had just two.
There is no sign identifying the theater at the moment, and the announcements of upcoming performances that used to paper the doors are gone. Though the building looks in general good repair, those doors are in need of a coat of paint. I don't know what plans W & L has for the building. Has the completion 2 years ago of Wilson Hall - the spacious new addition to the Lenfest Center for the Arts - rendered the Troubadour superfluous?
If you've heard what's in store for the Troubadour Theater, please leave a comment.
3 comments:
It's amazing the amount of uses that can have a building like this. Very interesting.
Sorry, but cannot be of any help here!
In my birth town, Gothenburg in Sweden, one of the nicest buildings belongs to Odd Fellows, obviously still in operation as a lodge!
I had heard it has new owners, but will confirm.
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