Rogers Theatre
213 E. Marion Street,
Shelby,
NC
28150
213 E. Marion Street,
Shelby,
NC
28150
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 71 of 71 comments
I will…plan to go tomorrow, Feb. 6th.
Well, I’ll let you know! ;)
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/shelby/rog.htm
What is the current status of this art deco theatre? I recently had a conversation with a gentleman who is with the City of Shelby and he told me to “bring a flashlight” if I wanted to see the theatre!
It will be interesting to see what the current status of the Rogers is as I was not told anything about continued restoration plans nor about “a book of experiences” contributed above by Ross Melnick.
I have contacted a source in Shelby NC and next Wednesday will be given a tour of the Rogers. Through my source I have learned that the theatre seats have been removed.
Lost: What more can you tell us about Shelby’s other theatres…the State, the Webb and the Carolina? Are they listed on CT now?
After looking at a post with photo of the marquee it the shows the name “Don Gibson”. I think I recall reading that he was or is a country western singer who lives or used to live in Shelby so he may be a hometown boy who decided to purchase this theatre and put his name on it. Would rather see the name Rogers returned though. I wonder what he has done to the interior. If anything, hope he has kept it original as I’m sure the interior is art deco, too!
Lost: Your Feb. 24, 2007 post asks if the Rogers is haunted? I tried the link with no luck and it is Halloween season so we need to be able to read this haunted story! Boo!
I plan to be in Shelby NC this winter and will report back here as to the renovation stage of this art deco theatre.
Here is a June 1948 blurb from Time. We only have one theater in Shelby that would have been around in 1948, other than the drive-in, so it goes here by process of elimination.
In a Shelby, N.C. movie theater, Veteran Arbuth Bumgarner, 26, who was bombed while a patient in a Normandy hospital, suddenly went berserk, stabbed his wife and then himself with his pocketknife. The movie “drove him nuts,” he explained. It showed the bombing of a Normandy hospital.
Marlene Peeler: I hope you can give us an update on the status of the Rogers.
According to Bowers' “Encyclopedia of Automatic Musical Instruments” page 551, there was a “Princess” theatre in Shelby equipped with a Reproduco organ made by the Operators Piano Co. I could not find a page for the Princess, so I am putting this here for the time being.
Marlene: Thanks for this update!
The group which attempted to restore the Rogers in 1999 did not succeed. A renewed effort began in 2006 and is progressing. The theater will be renamed the Don Gibson Theater, honoring country singer/songwriter and Shelby native Don Gibson (“Sweet Dreams”, “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, etc.) The marquee is operational once again and the chasing light make uptown Shelby a little brighter. The theater restoration will be done in conjunction with the renovation of the Old Cleveland County Coourthouse, which will become the Earl Scruggs Museum of Southern Heritage Music. Plans are to have live performances as well as film.
I don’t know about it being haunted, but there certainly is no renovation being done, to date, to this theatre. I was in Shelby NC over the weekend and a marquee has been erected called the Don Gibson Theatre yet when I walked underneath the marquee it was peeling and in need of TLC though most of the small lights were along the edge of the marquee were there. The lobby was a neglected mess and the theatre didn’t look like anyone had entered its doors in recent days/months/years! BTW, Don Gibson is a deceased country music singer from Shelby NC so maybe he is haunting the theatre.
Does anyone have a number to contact the volunteers who are restoring the art deco Rogers Theatre?
lostmemory: Do you know if Charles Benson of Wilson NC built other theatres?
TC: Thanks for the photo!!! I took a digital photo while parked in front of the theatre! It’s really amazing that I even found it as I was looking to find a theatre on their main drag, but located the Rogers on Marion which is NOT main street!
I just visited Shelby today and accidentally came upon this theatre while visiting the historic area of downtown Shelby! I couldn’t believe the beautiful art deco facade on this theatre and didn’t realize it was listed on CT until I returned to my computer! I was so pleased to read what Ross has written and would like to learn more about this theatre to be restored!
Photo at this link:
View link
The Rogers Theatre is located at 213 E. Marion.