Capitol Center

123 Summers Street,
Charleston, WV 25301

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 19, 2026 at 11:50 am

The Silent Era has a brief history of the Plaza/Capitol Theatre. The Plaza era ended in 1919 when the house was bought by United Theatre Enterprise, which would control the house for the next forty years. On acquiring it, United closed the Plaza for extensive remodeling, reopening as the Capitol Theatre on December 26, 1921.

On November 15, 1923 the Capitol was ravaged by a major fire, leading to the collapse of the auditorium roof. The rebuild took about a year, and the Capitol reopened in November, 1924. The rebuilt and expanded house had a Wurlitzer organ, but no information about it is available. The Aaron family’s Sharon Lee Corporation acquired the Capitol in 1959, making it one of ten theaters they operated in the city. They closed the house as a movie theater in 1981.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 10, 2019 at 7:42 am

Sold to a church in March 2018 with services expected to start in September of that year.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/business/church-buys-capitol-center-theatre-says-it-will-remain-available/article_e2491e69-bca4-54a5-884e-c9525421b62a.html

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 26, 2017 at 4:15 pm

Here is another early view of the Plaza Theatre, circa 1915.

adamghost
adamghost on December 22, 2013 at 11:46 am

I’m looking right at it, and this theater is open for business. The Nutcracker Suite is playing.

AndyCallahanMajorMajor
AndyCallahanMajorMajor on March 29, 2012 at 3:42 pm

Here are my pictures from August 2011.

Nessa
Nessa on June 29, 2011 at 6:53 am

Here are my photos of the interior and exterior of the theatre. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nessachan/sets/72157626951557681/

KPKilburn
KPKilburn on November 18, 2007 at 6:28 am

I’ll never forget my father taking me to The Capitol Theater for the premier of Star Wars over 30 years ago.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 19, 2007 at 7:37 am

Here is a June 1950 ad from the Charleston Gazette:
http://tinyurl.com/yqgemf

jackwhittaker
jackwhittaker on August 27, 2007 at 10:21 pm

In the Fifties the Capitol Theater, and other properties in Charleston, were owned by the Middleberg family. Their nephew, Kelly Reed was my best friend in High School. We would see free movies and explore backstage. The, then new, CinemaScope screen was awesome. What a wonderful old movie palace. I’ll never forget it. Thanks Kelly.
Jack Whittaker
Palm Springs, California