Washington Theatre

The Washington Theatre opened in 1926. It was built for both silent movies and vaudeville. The theatre seated 800 and was proclaimed “The Showplace of Northwestern New Jersey.” It was equipped with a Robert Morton Organ; and four years after opening it was modernized to add sound. Opened originally by the Lions Theatre Circuit, the Washington Theatre has had many owners over the years. By the 1970s much of its ornate style was covered over or destroyed. The Washington Theatre fell into a state of disrepair and closed in 1997. Several local community groups have attempted to save and reopen the theatre. For example, in 1998 the Washington Theatre was acquired by Galaxy Theatres and extensive renovations were done to restore the lobby area back to its grandeur and the cleanup of the auditorium. However, the Washington Theatre closed again in 2001 and saw several openings and closures up until 2016. In June 2022, the site was proposed for redevelopment into mixed-use space with a four-story addition for apartments.  Preservation New Jersey supports those advocating for the restoration of the site and adaptively reuse, or as needed, sensitive redevelopment of the theater that allows for its continued preservation and operation as a cultural destination.