Webb Theatre
182 South Street,
Gastonia,
NC
28052
182 South Street,
Gastonia,
NC
28052
1 person
favorited this theater
The Webb Theatre in downtown Gastonia was a long running movie house which opened in 1927. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2 manual, 5 tanks organ. The Webb Theatre was still open in 1950.
It is currently being used by the city as a mix of offices in the front and storage in the auditorium. The seats have been removed but the balcony is intact. The screen still hangs on the stage and there is hope that one day the entire space can be returned to theater uses again.
Contributed by
Mark Huffstetler
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
The theater was put up for auction in January 1995:
GASTONIA – Land and property owned by the estate of the late bondsman Eddie Dow went on the auction block Saturday. About 30 people showed up to bid on 15 acres in south Gaston and 10 came to bid on the old Webb Theater in downtown Gastonia. But bids for the properties didn’t satisfy the estate’s asking price. Kathleen Dow, mother of the bondsman, wouldn’t accept less than $55,000 for the Webb, which she said has a $132,000 tax value.
Here is an ad from the Gastonia Gazette dated 9/12/67:
http://tinyurl.com/35qw4x
Mark in NC: I’ve been to Gastonia to see friends and will be returning this winter to check out the former Webb lobby photos and one of the old projectors on display. Hope it is all still there!
And I hope this theater can be returned to its original use as a theater for Gastonia!
Here is a coupon book, circa 1950s:
http://tinyurl.com/nylewj
Mark in N.C. DO YOU KNOW THE STORY BEHIND THE DIANA 29 DRIVE IN GASTONIA? I HAD HEARD THE OWNER HAD COME HOME AFTER CLOSING THE DRIVE-IN FOR THE NIGHT TO FIND HIS FAMILY KILLED AND HE NEVER OPENED THE DRIVE-IN UP. IT WAS A TWIN DRIVE-IN.
I was travelling in Charlotte this week and visited the new Nick’s Steak and Taphouse in the renovated Webb Theater. Sadly no longer showing films, though the interior salutes its past and under the kitchen is in the stage area and above it they were screening a Spencer Tracy film on unknown title. http://www.destin.com/articles/webb-53471-gaston-theater-eatery.html
This biography of architect Hugh Edward White attributes the design of the Webb Theatre to him, and dates the project as ca.1927.
The pipe organ at the Webb was a Wurlitzer, Opus #1969. It was a Style 150; two manuals and five ranks. The organ was shipped in October, 1927; it was repossessed in December of 1931 and was resold to a roller rink in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Venue is now being used as a restaurant.Photo added.