Queen Theater

Wilmington, DE

500 N. Market Street

, Wilmington, DE 19801 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed/Restoring
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Beaux-Arts

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1724
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	William Harold Lee
Firm:	Hoffman - Henon Co.

The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware was built in 1915 at a cost of $250,000. Seating on opening day is given as 2,000 seats. The Queen Theater closed in April of 1959. The last movie to play there was "House on Haunted Hill". As far as I know, the building still stands today.

This is a description of the interior given on a Delaware history site: "Its auditorium and balcony seated 2,000 people and was designed to offer a completely unobstructed view of the screen and stage. The lobby walls were decorated in Alaskan marble, the only such use of that material in the country.

Above the large stage was a mural representing 'Science' and on either side of the walls above the balcony were six different paintings representing themes such as 'Music', 'Sculpture', and 'Beauty'. A Japanese garden formed the backdrop for the stage".

Contributed by Lost Memory

YOUR COMMENTS

There is an article about the Queen Theater here.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 24, 2005 at 6:30am

A Moller organ Opus 2049 Size 3/10 was installed in the Queen Theater in 1915.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 24, 2005 at 2:22pm

According to research by Irv Glaser and Craig Morrison the Queen opened on February 16, 1916. The architect was the Hoffman Company of Philadelphia. It was rebuilt in January 1942. William H. Lee, architect.

posted by Barry Goodkin on May 27, 2007 at 8:03am

This website has a small photo of the former Queen Theater building. Click on the photo to expand it. Text with photo claims "...a developer has recently purchased the building and has plans for offices, and a restuarant on the ground floor".

posted by Lost Memory on May 28, 2007 at 7:21am

"Soon, Wilmington's Queen will reign again. But this time she will reign as a live music venue, not as a movie theater."

http://www.sparkweekly.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/SPARK0101/807220382/1129/spark

New pics and story about the revival. It is a Buccini/Pollin Group project and is looking for tenants.

posted by WilliHey on Aug 11, 2008 at 10:56am

Recent photos of the interior and exterior of the queen can be found here: http://www.urbanatrophy.com/thumbnails.php?album=57

posted by DanHaga on Nov 11, 2008 at 6:41am

Light Up The Queen

posted by Lost Memory on Mar 10, 2009 at 6:45pm

1985 Exterior of the Queen Theatre. Don't look much like a theatre from the outside.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c8%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=4&ProductID=25480

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 11, 2009 at 10:33pm

Another 1985 photo of what was the entrance to the Queen Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c8%2c3%2c-1&ProductID=25485

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 11, 2009 at 10:39pm

Artist's conception from a January 2009 blog:
http://tinyurl.com/dfzagd

posted by ken mc on Apr 15, 2009 at 5:47pm

The "light up the queen" link above has a nice photo gallery and thelatest news - they just had the groundbreaking for the restoration on October 2, 2009! Looks like this place will be reborn! Auditorium is in prettyy ropugh shape, but looks like the original details can definitely be restored. Has kind of a beaux-arts look to it.

posted by spectrum on Oct 12, 2009 at 6:01pm

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