Imperial Theatre
| www.ImperialTheatre.com Charles  ImperialTheatre com (charlesimperialtheatrecom) |
749 Broad Street Augusta, GA 30901 Charles Scavullo Phone: (706) 722-8293 |
Theatre History
Augusta’s Imperial Theatre began in 1917 as a vaudeville showcase named The Wells Theatre. It was founded by impresario Jake Wells and was designed by architect G. Lloyd Preacher in the Victorian Renaissance style for a total cost of $47,792.00.
In October of 1918, the Spanish Flu decimated Augusta; all public venues closed to prevent further spread of the disease. During the quarantine, Jake Wells suffered great financial loss and was forced to sell the Wells Theater to S.A. Lynch Enterprise, who owned an extended chain of theatres in the South. In 1919, Frank J. Miller was named manager and immediately changed the name to the Imperial Theatre. In 1929, as vaudevillian acts decreased in popularity and motion pictures enjoyed meteoric success, Miller decided to renovate the Imperial into a full-time movie house in the popular art deco style. In March of 1936 “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” starring Henry Fonda and Fred McMurray, became the first color film to be shown at the Imperial.
Due to the decline of the downtown area, the Imperial continued as a film theatre until it closed in 1981. In 1985 it was recognized for its architectural significance and reopened as a performing arts venue for the Augusta Ballet, Augusta Opera, Augusta Players and the Augusta Jazz.
Today the Imperial Theatre is a vibrant arena for entertainment, with a full season of musicals, dance, concerts, comedy and more. It is noted in the National Register as a critical to the character of the Broad Street Historic District. At eighty-five years of age, it is the only operating historic theatre in Augusta, connecting artists and patrons by providing superb entertainment in a gracious and historic setting.
Town Demographics
Incorporated: February 5, 1777 Population: 199,775 Total Area: 324.1 Square miles
Richmond County was created in 1777. Originally including Columbia, Glascock and McDuffie counties, plus parts of Warren and Jefferson counties, Richmond County was named for the Duke of Richmond, a British defender of the colonists’ cause. It was first known as the Parish of St. Paul. Located in Richmond County, Augusta was the capital of Georgia from 1785 to 1795, and is the second oldest city in Georgia. The city as named for the Princess of Wales. Also in Richmond County, Hephzibah is one of Georgia’s oldest settlements and was originally the home of the Uchee Indians.
In 1995, voters in Augusta and Richmond County agreed to consolidate the city and county governments. Augusta, GA is the third consolidated government in the state. The Augusta Canal, completed in 1846 and still in use, is a rare example of a canal built for industrial power supply purposes. The canal played a critical role in Augusta’s growth during the textile era.
Riverwalk Augusta offers pedestrian access to the Savannah River from a public plaza. The Morris Museum of Art, located in Augusta, GA, has the largest collection of Southern Art in the world.
Other attractions include: National Science Center Fort Discovery, Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, Augusta Gold and Gardens and the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson.
Augusta is the home of the famed Augusta National Country Club and the Masters Golf Tournament, one of men’s golf’s four “majors”. The Fort Gordon Military Reservation is also located in Augusta, GA.